The Burdekin Dryland Salinity Project

Dryland salinity is a potential threat to the Burdekin dry tropics region. Dryland salinity results when salts allready present in soil are mobilised and affect natural and man-made assets. 

Dryland (non-irrigated) areas in the Burdekin dry tropics region have been identified as being at risk of developing dryland salinity. The good news is that current grazing land management techniques, including rotational grazing, wet season spelling, and maintaining perennial grasses will help to keep salinity at bay and have also been proven to help with productivity. 

The NQ Dry Tropics Dryalnd Salinity project, conducted in partnership with Sinclair Knight Merz had three major components:

  • sub-regional priority setting process – existing data was used to identify those parts of the Burdekin dry tropics region at higher risk of developing dryland salinity. The assessment considerd factors such as geology, landform, topography, soils, native vegetation cover, land use, groundwater and salt storage;
  • salty spots factsheets – case studies have been used to build an improved understanding of salinity processes and the management of salty landscapes by graziers and farmers in the Burdekin dry tropics region. The case studies convey land manager’s stories about managing their properties more sustainably including their patches of salty land. The case studies also contain technical information on why the salty areas have developed; and
  • salty spots in the Burdekin dry tropics region-  an audio CD with stories from the case study landholders, is currently being produced. Contact Amanda Laurie for a copy of the CD - amanda.laurie@nqdrytropics.org.au.

While there are numerous incidences of dryland salinity in the Burdekin dry tropics region, it is not as common as it is in parts of southern Australia and has much less impact. Studies indicate, however, that some of the region’s landscapes store large quantities of salt, which if mobilised by rising water tables, could cause extensive damage to agricultural land, native vegetation, rivers and even road or rail infrastructure. Fortunately, the risk of widespread changes in land use or management that would cause water tables to rise in this way is relatively low and limits the threat that salinity poses to the Burdekin dry tropic region’s natural resources.

The Burdekin Dryland Salinity Project Final Report
Note: this document does not contain Appendix C Fact sheets or Appendix A Maps Due to the large file size (100MB) Appendix A Maps is avaliable on request from BDTNRM. [pdf 4.3 Mb]


The Burdekin Dryland Salinity Project Final Report Appendix C Fact Sheets
[pdf 8.4 Mb]


Salinity Links - useful information on salinity

 

Salinity information on the Queensland’s department of Natural Resources and Water (NRW)

http://www.nrm.qld.gov.au/salinity/index.html

 

Fact sheets concerned with salinity on the NRW website

http://www.nrm.qld.gov.au/factsheets/groups.php?group=Salinity&

 

The National Dryland Salinity Program (NDSP) website

http://www.lwrrdc.gov.au/ndsp/default.asp

 

CRC for plant based management of dryland salinity

http://www.crcsalinity.com/aboutus/salinity.php?id=14

 

Australian Government, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF)

http://www.daff.gov.au/content/output.cfm?ObjectID=D2C48F86-BA1A-11A1-A2200060B0A05558

 

Salty Spots Factsheets

Sallty Spots Mt Pleasant
Mt Pleasant, near Collinsville has a small salinity outbreak which is on the mend. Jamie Gordon tells us about the property's history and his management strategies. [pdf 315.0 kb]


Salty Spots Double D
Double D, south of Mount Coolon, is fairly typical of grazing properties in Brigalow-Blackwood country between Mount Coolon and Moranbah. [pdf 247.1 kb]


Salty Spots Lakeview
Lakeview, west of Charters Towers has patches of salinity on the edge of Lake Powlathanga which vary according to rainfall.George Bredden discusses his experiences on the property since 1971. [pdf 305.0 kb]


Salty Spots Lamington Park
Lamington Park, south of Townsville, has a paddock recovering from the effects overgrazing. During the short time that Les and Julie Clarke have been on the property, they have observed the paddock as it recovers. [pdf 328.1 kb]


Salty Spots Solferino
Solferino, north of Clermont, has gidgee, brigalow, yellow wood and open downs country on basalt. It is a grazing and cropping enterprise and the owner, Tom Nicholas is beginning to incorporate biological farming practices. [pdf 241.0 kb]


Salty Spots Trafalgar
Trafagar, south-west of Charters Towers is home to Roger and Jenny Landsberg. Roger Landsberg's grandfather used to talk about how salt would come to the surface along a particular gully where it runs into Bells Creek, and Roger has also seen the salt in this gully. [pdf 229.6 kb]