Shackies revegetate Whyalla’s northern coastline

14 July 2020

The project is supported by the Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board, Coast Protection Board, and the Whyalla City Council.

Chair of the Cultana Jenkins Shackowners Association, Colin Fullarton said the project aimed to create awareness amongst shackowners and the wider community of native coastal flora and potential for garden plants to become environmental weeds. Shackowners now know what not to plant in coastal gardens and how to dispose of green waste responsibly to prevent weed infestations in surrounding native coastal vegetation.

Coastal Flora of Whyalla booklets and native seedlings were distributed to Shackowners to plant in exchange for removing pest plant species from shack gardens.

“We encouraged shackowners to replace invasive garden plants with local native species that support biodiversity by offering native seedlings to plant in exchange for removing pest plants from shack gardens,” Mr Fullarton said.

The project engaged a local contractor with heavy machinery to tackle large biomass weed infestations in high value coastal vegetation areas surrounding shack communities. Weeds were removed sensitively causing minimal disturbance to native coastal vegetation. Altogether over 250 cubic metres of weeds were removed and disposed of at a council provided facility.

Landscape Officer, Barbara Murphy said the project has provided a significant benefit to the Whyalla community by improving the visual amenity and environmental integrity of Whyalla’s Northern Coastline, one of the city’s most valuable nature-based tourism assets.

“The project has increased public awareness about Whyalla’s coastal environment and has cemented a partnership between shackowners, Whyalla Council, Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board, Coast Protection Board, and volunteers for the ongoing care of the coastal area,” Ms Murphy said.

In coming weeks, local community groups, not-for-profit organisations and volunteers will be able to apply for funding from the Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board’s Grassroots Grant program, to help them sustainably manage their local landscapes.

Funding could be used to either kick start a new project or build upon an existing one. Activities might include weed treatment, pest or disease management, erosion management, revegetation and community education activities.

For more information on the Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board and the Grassroots Grants program, visit www.landscape.sa.gov.au/ep/home