Fencing allows for regeneration

Braiden’s Reserve is a 13.3ha plot, measuring 400m by 400m.  It was established by Peter Maloney and his son Adrian more than 20 years ago on their property on the Willochra Plain, south-east of Quorn. At the time all rabbit warrens were ripped and three photo points were established.

While the fencing was designed to exclude grazing livestock, it was not sufficient to reduce or prevent kangaroo grazing, and the heavy grazing pressure by macropods had prevented regeneration of grasses and enabled heavy grazing of smaller Bullock Bushes.

Although the Bullock Bush had recovered and regenerated quite well, the False Sandalwood had very little recruitment.

When property owner Naomi Maloney joined the Regenerative Rangelands Bus Tour in 2024, she observed the benefits of protective fencing at the McClure property in western New South Wales. It was a strategy she felt best suited the regeneration outcomes for the block.

Through the grant, fencing was replaced with Stiff Stay 8/90/15 mesh to exclude kangaroos and give the existing plants the best opportunity to regenerate. It also supported a mesh gate that allowed vehicle and foot access to the block. The $4700 grant was matched by in-kind contributions that included 20 hours of labour, fence and strainer posts, plain wire and droppers.

Quorn Community Landcare Group members have provided advice on intervention works needed to improve plant biodiversity and earlier this month, 14 of the area’s landholders joined a Stickybeak Day to inspect the changes.

The group also had an opportunity to see a paddock area which had contour treatment with a Mould Board Plough in 1982 to stop wind erosion and paddock drift. The recovery at that site was also evident, with clovers and annuals existent in the small channels.

Future work on the reserve will include establishing more photo points, with the existing ones focusing only on Bullock Bushes, while a drone will monitor changes in vegetation through aerial photos.