Sparing the dunes

The road to Picnic Beach on Groote Eylandt, off the coast of Arnhem Land in the Gulf of Carpentaria, may only be 250 metres, but the road to environmental protection has been long.

The popularity of Picnic Beach and nearby Six Mile Beach had resulted in a network of tracks weaving through the sand dunes.

Today however a new roadway has triumphed and the Island's fragile sand dunes, spinifex grasses and ground creepers like Beach Bean and Beach Morning Glory are better protected from 4WD vehicles.

Funding

The project has been assisted with more than $31,000 from the Australian Government and financial support from the Umbakumba Council, Angurugu Community Government Council, GEMCO and the Anindilyakwa Land Council.

Activities

The 18-month project took place on the largest island in the Gulf of Carpentaria, Groote Eylandt, which belongs to the local Anindilyakwa people and has a population of just 2,558. The Island's remoteness meant that timber, star pickets and chains for the new track had to be shipped from Darwin, which is about 630 kilometres by air.

A series of hardwood planks have been bolted to a galvanised chain and anchored by star pickets, which were put in place by eight Anindilyakwa Rangers, students from the Umbakumba School, local volunteers, Community Service Order people and workers from the Community Development and Employment Program.

Due to Groote Eylandt's isolation, plenty of logistical planning was involved. The boards were ordered from Darwin then transported from Alyangula on the island's western side, to the community of Umbakumba, 70 kilometres away on a dirt road on the eastern side. It was then another five kilometres of dirt track to the project site. Because there was no power at the site, workers had to pre-drill holes in the timber in a workshop.

All of this physical work was carried out in extremely hot and humid conditions ranging from 28 degrees Celsius in the dry season, to 35 degrees and 80 to 90 per cent humidity in the wet season.

Achievements

Project Manager Simon Hartley said, "By consolidating these tracks into a single road, less of the fragile dune vegetation will be trampled by vehicles, therefore protecting and conserving plants and animals. And there is also the added benefit of safe bog free access to this popular recreation area."

More information

• Simon Hartley, Project Manager: (08) 8987 4040 or simon@anindilyakwa.org

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Canberra ACT 2601 Australia
1800 552 008 (toll-free)

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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