Wetlands Update:
November 2023
We have now completed our 12,500 trees planted as a part of our Landcare initiative, 8,300 of these were planted on Banrock Station Wetlands property. Of these plantings we planted two tree species, the River Red Gum and Black Box tree. These trees were chosen as they are flood adapted species. So they will boom after our recent once in 50 year flood.
Banrock Station is currently home to a large bird breeding colony. Birds nesting together on an island in our main lagoon. The three main birds have been the Australian White Ibis, Straw Necked Ibis and the Little Black Cormorant. There were at least 400 birds counted, with a very large proportion of chicks successfully fledging and flying away.
Banrock main lagoon has also been a feeding ground for many young Pelicans in recent months. They like to feed in the shallow waters the lagoon provides, with daily numbers between 300 and 1000 individuals.
Ranger, Sidney has recently started some environmental watering in the main lagoon. Which will see approximately 900 Mega Litres flowing into our wetlands, or a volume of 360 Olympic swimming pools. This water will create food resources for the birds listed above and many more. This environmental water will help flush out any salt that has accumulated in the wetlands from evaporation. Once this watering is complete the wetlands will then go into a dry phase, this is key to replicate the natural cycling of the wetlands. A dry phase is also an important management tool used to remove the introduced carp that came into our system with the recent flooding.
Banrock Station is currently home to a large bird breeding colony. Birds nesting together on an island in our main lagoon. The three main birds have been the Australian White Ibis, Straw Necked Ibis and the Little Black Cormorant. There were at least 400 birds counted, with a very large proportion of chicks successfully fledging and flying away.
Banrock main lagoon has also been a feeding ground for many young Pelicans in recent months. They like to feed in the shallow waters the lagoon provides, with daily numbers between 300 and 1000 individuals.
Ranger, Sidney has recently started some environmental watering in the main lagoon. Which will see approximately 900 Mega Litres flowing into our wetlands, or a volume of 360 Olympic swimming pools. This water will create food resources for the birds listed above and many more. This environmental water will help flush out any salt that has accumulated in the wetlands from evaporation. Once this watering is complete the wetlands will then go into a dry phase, this is key to replicate the natural cycling of the wetlands. A dry phase is also an important management tool used to remove the introduced carp that came into our system with the recent flooding.