- Upper River Torrens Landcare Group
Since 1989, the Upper River Torrens Landcare Group (URTLG) has engaged the Upper Torrens community in local action environmental activities. The objectives of the URTLG are:
- To promote and encourage community involvement in catchment management through information sharing, practical demonstration and the implementation of on ground works.
- To enhance the natural biodiversity of the Upper River Torrens catchment and adjacent regions by assisting the community to identify, conserve, protect and increase regional native vegetation.
The URTLG Committee has decided to allocate $10,000 for onground works for the financial year 2019/20, to assist approved property owners with projects that meet our guidelines. An Expression of Interest ( and Guidelines to assist your application) can be downloaded.Bush fire recovery:There has been a heart warming response for assistance to grow back flora for the Adelaide Hills after the recent devastating fires. Volunteers are attending workshops where they are taught how to care for seedling trays and to grow replacement plants. We have now joined with other local groups to coordinate our efforts to support affected properties.[Click on the menu above for the Habitat Recovery Alliance.]
- Meetings, Community Events and Working Bees
Cromer Conservation Park Activities for 2020 to be advised
Porter Conservation Park Activities for 2020 to be advised
Please read the Upper River Torrens Landcare Group Newsletter
Plenty of educational content, hope you enjoy it.
Next meeting to be advised
132 Melrose Street Mount Pleasant SA 5235
Woody weed control field day
Upper Torrens landholders who attended the 'Controlling woody weeds in a watercourse' were given practical demonstrations and tips by local contractor, Jim Donnelly (Greenleaf Contracting) about how best to prioritise and control pest plants in a riparian zone.
Topics covered during the session: 'Which herbicide?', 'When to do the work? and 'Which control method?'
A great discussion followed with landholders sharing their own experiences amongst the group. In addition, Caroline Dorr, Water Services Officer (DEW) was able to share some big picture information about water management in the catchment and in addition provided a few facts about the value of environmental flows and the increase in native fish present in our systems.
If you missed the session and would like some information about controlling weeds in your watercourse, please don't hesitate to contact the Upper Torrens District Officer, Kim Thompson on kthompson@barossa.sa.gov.au or 0438 639 353.
Rabbit Control Workshop held 9th September 2019
Josh Rosser, Rabbit Control Co-ordinator, PIRSA led an interested group of Landcarers through the Rabbit Control programme to release the latest Calicivirus (K5) in and around Mt Pleasant. Landholders participated in an intensive 2 hours session to understand the importance of the free feeds and learnt how to undertake a successful release. As with all pest and plant animal control, integrated management is the key, there is no silver bullet, however recent statistics from this latest virus are indicating a 40% reduction in rabbits across the areas of release. Follow up control will be completed late summer with those not affected by K5, treated with Pindone.
For further information, please contact Kim Thompson on 0438 639 353.
Below are some photos the preparation of the virus for distribution to local farmers.
- History
The Upper Torrens Land Management Project
In 1998 the Upper River Torrens Landcare Group formed a partnership with the Barossa Council and the Adelaide Hills Council to form the Upper Torrens Land Mmanagement Project (UTLMP). Since then, the UTLMP has assisted over 250 landowners to improve their properties and income by addressing issues such as: soil erosion, salinity and acidity, pasture establishment and/or improvement, fencing for dams and watercourses, re-vegetation with native trees and shrubs, protection of native flora and fauna, creation of habitat for birds and native animals, and the maintenance of creeks and watercourses.
- Publications
Produced by Natural Resources Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges.
Produced by the Upper River Torrens Landcare Group
Analysis data of fresh pasture samples of the grasses used in the Information Sheet above.
An Information Sheet has been published -
“Information Sheet: Analysis of Green Warm Season Native Pasture”.
This discusses the results of feed testing and analysis of native grasses to examine their nutritional values for horses, sheep and cattle. (This document will download as a pdf.)
