From cars and weeds to community reserve at Bingara

There was a time when a Crown Land reserve along the banks of the Gwydir River at Bingara was so infested by weeds that reaching the river was near-impossible.

Today the community can enjoy recreational activities in a transformed riverside reserve.

"The area was so full of weeds - mostly African boxthorn - that you couldn't walk through there," the Upper Gwydir Landcare Association's Public Officer Brent Wellham said.

"There were also weeds that were garden escapees from people throwing their garden waste over the fence.

"Downstream the banks were eroding badly due to horses and cattle accessing the river. Some areas were so damaged and the gullies so deep that horses had fallen in and died."

Funding

In 2003, the Australian Government gave the Upper Gwydir Landcare Association more than $19,000 to help restore the site back to health.

Activities

The Gwydir River catchment is upstream from the Ramsar-listed Gwydir and Gingham wetlands, and its health is of major significance to an extremely large area, so the Association set out to tackle the problem head-on.

But the huge amount of African boxthorn meant heavy machinery had to be called to the rescue.

"We had to bulldoze the African boxthorn, which we then burnt with the help of the Bingara Rural Fire Service," Brent said.

The Northwest Weeds County Council tackled other weeds through spraying, clearing the way for native plants to return.

At the same time Gwydir Shire Council (then Bingara Shire Council) removed 14 car bodies, which people had been dumping at the site for many years.

"We then enlisted the help of a three-man 'Work For The Dole' crew, who over six months planted local grass seed and indigenous riparian species," Brent said.

"To tackle the erosion we held fencing field days with local volunteer landholders, and in return were shown different ways of fencing."

But just last year, a fire swept through part of the site, reducing part of the Association's hard work to ashes.

"Of the 300 trees reaching waist-height in that spot, only a handful are left. It was very disheartening," Brent said. "But hopefully the fire will encourage natural regeneration."

Benefits

Despite this setback Brent said after 12 months of work the Gwydir River banks at Bingara are unrecognisable, and the community is now able to enjoy its benefits.

"People ride horses through there, kids ride their bikes, anglers go down for a fish and there's good access for boats," he said.

More information

• Rachel Gleeson, Upper Gwydir Landcare Association Community Support Officer: (02) 6724 2036 or jharrison@gwydir.nsw.gov.au

Australian Government NRM Team
GPO Box 787
Canberra ACT 2601 Australia
1800 552 008 (toll-free)

DEWHA  | DAFF  | australia.gov.au  | NAP  | NHT 
Caring for our Country is an Australian Government initiative jointly administered by the Australian Government departments of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts