Saving our Snowy species
VITAL CONSERVATION recovery projects are underway in the Snowy Valleys to save the critically endangered southern corroboree frog ( Pseudophryne corroboree) and the endangered Macquarie perch ( Macquaria australasica).
With its distinctive black and yellow stripes, the former is one of Australia’s most iconic frog species. However, a disease caused by the amphibian chytrid fungus, a newcomer to Australia, has brought the species to the brink of extinction. Many frog species are vulnerable to the disease. The Corroboree Frog Recovery Team is a partnership of organisations that includes government officers, park managers, zoos and scientists, all working together to save the species.
David Hunter, a senior threatened species officer for the Department of Planning Industry and Environment and a key member of the team, is known locally as ‘Frogman’. “As a result of the pathogen, the species would be extinct if it wasn’t for the recovery program and the captive insurance colony established in major zoos,” he says. “This particular fungus is a global problem for amphibian conservation. It’s estimated that more than 100 frog species around the world have been driven to extinction and many hundreds of thousands have declined to levels that warrant ‘threatened species’ classification.”
Another important task for the Recovery Team is finding ways to keep the frog alive in the wild to maintain wild populations and to ensure the amphibians remain field fit. “We are currently developing disease-free field enclosures, which are working really well,” David says. “But then we had the major setback of the bushfires that basically cooked the enclosures, causing a high level of mortality and damaging a lot of the infrastructure.”
Fortunately, about 30 per cent of the frogs in the enclosures survived, so David and his team are now focusing on reinstating and improving the functionality of the enclosures.
Luke Pearce is a fisheries manager with the NSW Department of Primary Industries. He’s working on a ‘genetic rescue’ project with a team of experts and scientists to save the Macquarie perch. Using translocation from other populations, the project aims to improve the fitness and evolutionary capacity of the fish by reducing genetic isolation, increasing genetic variation and reducing inbreeding.
Once one of most widespread fish species in the Murray-Darling Basin, the perch only thrive in very specific habitats consisting of rocky river sections with clear, fast-flowing water, shaded by trees and shrubs. Significant changes to rivers during the past century mean the species is now only found at a handful of locations.
One habitat, Mannus Creek near Tumbarumba, is particularly critical because it was unspoilt before the bushfires. In fact, field surveys showed that a 9km section of the creek contained the last population of Macquarie perch in the NSW Murray catchment. However, bushfire and subsequent rainfall destroyed the delicate Mannus Creek ecosystem in January last year.
“We had major storms soon after the fire event that washed a lot of ash and sediment into the creek, which annihilated the entire catchment and the entire distribution of the species in that system,” Luke says.
On a positive note, 2000 Macquarie perch supplied from the Victorian Fisheries Authority’s breeding program were released back into Mannus Creek last February.
to kick off the bidding and, lo and behold, they knocked it down to me!”
“When I returned home after the auction my wife asked: ‘Who’s the new publican?’ and I said you know him pretty bloody well. You’re sleeping in the same bed!”
Glenn may have had no prior intention of buying the pub, but he understood its value to the community. He knew that if it didn’t sell, it would close, and he couldn’t bear that thought. Since taking over, Glenn and Jackie have fully immersed themselves in the community and are thoroughly enjoying their new pub venture.
From Jingellic, the unsealed River Road, one of the most beautiful drives anywhere, heads towards Khancoban, the most southern town of the Snowy Valleys. Its winding course follows the meandering Murray River, its billabongs and swamps teeming with bird life, fertilising the lush paddocks left and right during times of floods and sustaining groves of strapping river red gums.
BEFORE THE FINAL LEG TO KHANCOBAN, a short detour to Tooma is warranted. The tiny hamlet nestles in the valley of Mannus Creek and Tooma River and contains a historic pub and Brigham House. This is Jeff Sheather’s home. Jeff, born and bred on a Tooma family farm, is another local that returned to the region, after moving to Sydney at the age of 21 to study and pursue a career in interior design. In 2016 he bought the historic Tooma Store (built in 1879), where he now operates Brigham House as a bed and breakfast. Jeff shares a nice family link with the building: his grandparents owned and operated the property as the Tooma General Store from 1949 to 1969.
Since his return, Jeff has provided the region with a touch of flair. He continues to work as an interior design consultant, remodelling and modernising historic farmhouses. He is also the brains behind the Three Bridges @ Tooma Boutique Markets, where customers can find local fresh produce, homewares, craft goods and live music.
“Our aim is to present unique products in an unlikely setting,” Jeff says. “Each stall is vetted for quality and the system works really, really well. Hopefully, I’ve been able bring some creativity and a different way of thinking to the area.”
From Tooma, it’s a short drive to the picturesque community of Khancoban, huddled in the foothills of the dramatic western face of Kosciuszko National Park. Beyond town, the benign agricultural landscape that dominates the district is abruptly replaced with untamed wilderness. The area around Khancoban was first settled as a squatters’ outstation in the 1830s when it was known as Swampy Plain, and by 1960 the Snowy Mountain Authority had bought the land and began developing the settlement of Khancoban to accommodate construction workers and their families. During the height of the Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric Scheme the population peaked at about 7000.
Today, Khancoban remains a maintenance and service hub for the Snowy Scheme, but also attracts visitors and tree changers. Tony and Debbie Rowlinson took over the Khancoban Lakeside Caravan Park in May 2019 after moving from Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.
“We were seeking an alpine area with four seasons,” says Debbie. “And we were looking for a small country community with access to adequate education and health services but still felt very much untouched. So we looked at a number of towns with a population of about 300 and we picked Khancoban. For us it was the perfect fit and ticked all the boxes.”
With that, the winds of change have reached the most remote extremities of the Snowy Valleys as well.
“We were seeking an alpine area with four seasons...and a small country community.”