On 30 April, a group of landholders from near and farm hopped on a bus and toured the Gunning district as part of a Local Land Services (LLS) Erosion Field Day.
The day grew out of GDL’s seminar series last September, which was lead by Shane Laverty from the Australian River Restoration Centre. Simone and Marlee from LLS did a brilliant job turning that conversation into something you could actually stand in front of.
The first stop was the Biala Wind Farm, where the group got a close look at some serious erosion. One participant remarked it felt similar to the Grand Canyon! The wind farm has devoted much time and resources towards remediating this erosion, and while most of us hopefully would not need to manage such severe erosion, it stood out as an example of how bad erosion can get.
After the wind farm, the bus moved to a couple of local properties. The group looked at erosion near creek lines and areas that were further along in their recovery. Seeing land at different stages of healing is useful in its own way. It makes the path from damage to stability feel more real and more achievable.
A lot of the conversations on the day came back to dispersive soils. Also known as sodic soils, they effectively dissolve on contact with water. When these soil types are exposed, erosion can start quickly and escalate if left alone. Groundcover loss is often what exposes them in the first place, whether through animal tracks, overgrazing, or earthworks.
One of the most practical takeaways was about monitoring. If you spot something suspicious, put a peg on either side, come back a couple of times a year, and photograph it from the same spot. Is it moving or is it stable? That simple routine can help you prioritise what areas you remediate.
Thanks to all the landholders and the Biala Wind Farm for welcoming us to their properties. A big thanks also to Shane, Simone and Marlee for a really worthwhile day.