Annual planting missing ‘friends’

An annual tree-planting event that has helped transform a north-west Wimmera landscape will go ahead in early July – but without a traditional visiting volunteer workforce.

The ACE Radio Hindmarsh Plantout, in its 22nd year, will for the first time use contractors to plant thousands of trees and shrubs at four targeted sites in Hindmarsh Shire.

The plantout is a key part of Hindmarsh Landcare Network’s extensive Project Hindmarsh, which has and continues to revegetate and rehabilitate vast tracts of rural land.

Project spokesman and long-time regional advocate Darryl Argall said the absence of the many volunteers who traditionally travelled to be part of the weekend was disappointing but necessary under COVID-19 restrictions.

“It’s the first time since we started that we haven’t been able to welcome people for what has become a great city-meets-country gathering,” he said.

“But we’re pushing ahead with the plantout as part of a broader arrangement with Parks Victoria and Wimmera Catchment Management Authority and hope to return to our usual format next year.”

Mr Argall said the use of planting contractors meant instead of everything happening on one weekend, plants would go into the ground in a staggered process.

“Contractors will plant 12,500 seedlings over four sites and Hindmarsh Landcare members will follow up with a watering program,” he said.

Plantout sites are at Jeparit, Tarranyurk, Antwerp and Dimboola based on a major Wimmera River riparian lower-catchment target area.

Mr Argall said the many parts of the target areas featured remnant vegetation but had been stripped of understorey plants.

He said a large planting area at Jeparit was on a property featuring light sandy soil, a sand dune with saline areas.

“The idea is to enhance what is already there, reduce a salt footprint and bring back an area for the environment and agriculture, improve wildlife habitat and the quality of water going into the river,” he said.

This year’s target plantout area is part of a three-year project between Hindmarsh Landcare Network, Parks Victoria and Wimmera Catchment Management Authority.

The project also includes managing pest plants and animals.

Project Hindmarsh has led to major environmental transformation and established biolinks across the shire.

Some of the impact of the on-ground works and revegetation is clearly visible in before-and-after satellite images from space.

ACE Radio, including The Weekly Advertiser and radio stations 3WM and MIXX FM, has been a powerful financial supporter for Project Hindmarsh since its inception, providing hundreds of thousands of dollars for the program.

“The idea is to enhance what is already there, reduce a salt footprint and bring back an area for the environment and agriculture, improve wildlife habitat and the quality of water going into the river” – Darryl Argall