Colin
Harris
Colin
Harris is currently Acting Director, Botanic Gardens of Adelaide.
A geographer
by training, he has worked with the South Australian Environment
Department since its establishment in the early 1970's.
Much
of his time has been spent working in remote areas of the State
and he as a strong interest in heritage and conservation issues
in the Far North region. He has a particular interest in the
conservation and management of the mound springs, natural outlets
for the waters of the Great Artesian Basin.
MOUND
SPRINGS - Click here to
see a Quicktime VR Scene
MOUND
SPRINGS - Click here to
see a Quicktime VR Scene
|
|
About
Mound Springs
Introduction
| Special Dates | Centenary
of Federation
Aboriginal Connections | About
Mound Springs
The mound
springs of inland Australia are of outstanding scientific and
cultural importance. Natural outlets for the waters of the Great
Artesian Basin, they are found mostly on or near its margins.
The most numerous and active are in the far north of South Australia.
Parts of western Queensland still have many active springs, but
most in north-western New South Wales are now extinct, presumably
because of aquifer draw-down in the wake of bore sinking.
As permanent
sources of potable water in a desert environment they have been
a focus for human activity over many years. Aboriginal occupation
has been documented to at least 5000 years BC and almost all the
springs are rich in archaeological material and mythological associations.
Since European settlement they have been of strategic importance
in exploration and in the location of pastoral stations, the Overland
Telegraph and the old Ghan narrow gauge railway from Marree to
Oodnadatta.
Biologically,
they represent unusually specialised aquatic habitats, the discontinuity
being analogous to islands and the isolation just as great for
species with limited dispersal abilities. The result is an assemblage
of plants and animals of evolutionary, bio-geographic and ecological
interest, with many endemic and relict species.
Heavily degraded
by aquifer draw-down and over a century of pastoralism, the springs
were given little attention until relatively recently. In South
Australia two key areas have been acquired for the national parks
system and ten important springs on pastoral country outside of
the parks have been fenced. Queensland is also turning its attention
to management initiatives and important research has been carried
out, with a particular focus on the endemic elements of the invertebrate
fauna.
These are
positive achievements, but maintaining aquifer pressures and the
logistics of management in the remote localities where the springs
occur represent key challenges for on-going conservation programs.
by Colin Harris
|
