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4WDs tread lightly on SA's Limestone Coast
South Australia's Limestone Coast is a destination marked on the maps of many 4WD enthusiasts around the country, and now they've joined forces with conservation, tourism and local government groups to ensure the area can continue to be enjoyed for many years to come.
The Limestone Coast stretches from Meningie in the north down to Port MacDonnell in the south and takes in the world-famous Coorong National Park. The area is a popular tourist destination, particularly for recreational drivers who are attracted by the great coastal drives.
Thanks to a project coordinated by the South East Coastal Management Group, well-maintained tracks are being created to allow people to explore these spectacular wilderness areas without harming the environment.
Funding
The project has been supported with more than over $39,000 from the Australian Government's Envirofund programme.
Jacob Nicholson, South East Coast and Marine Officer for the South East Local Government Association, said uncontrolled vehicle access was damaging native plant life, eroding fragile sand dunes, threatening Aboriginal cultural sites and disturbing birdlife.
"The project started 15 months ago with the aim of managing vehicle access at various sites along 350 kilometres of coastline," he said.
"We've been fencing beach and dune areas to restrict vehicle and pedestrian access, which then enables the dunes to stabilise. This work has been done thanks to the efforts of 4WD clubs, a Green Corps team and volunteers from Friends of Parks.
"Much of our activity to date has focused on beaches in the Wattle Range Council area, including Canunda National Park and the Beachport Conservation Area. This area is home to a rich array of native wildlife, and fencing the habitat of species like the Hooded Plover will help protect them.
"When we started this project some locals were sceptical about whether the areas we were fencing would ever regenerate. People would say to us 'nothing will ever grow there', but within six to eight weeks we had vegetation coming through and now receive a lot of compliments on the work.
"The 4WD community has been enormously supportive. They support restricted tracks as they don't want to lose access altogether as has happened in parts of Victoria.
"The Wattle Rangers 4WD Club has even developed maps and route markers for the Beachport Conservation Park which it has distributed to members as well as visitor information centres, which demonstrates their commitment.
"This project represents a real partnership between the people managing the Limestone Coast, the groups using the area for recreation as well as the tourism organisations promoting it."
More information
- Jacob Nicholson, South East Local Government Association, Coast and Marine Officer: (08) 8768 2003 or jacob@robe.sa.gov.au
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