It has been a couple of years since Jodie and Col Hay established two wetlands on their Cohuna dairy farm, but the results have left them amazed.

After purchasing a neighbouring property to increase the cropping side of their operation, the couple was also keen to start rehabilitating the degraded remnant wetlands that came with the purchase.

This has resulted in preservation of two wetlands — Papps, a 5ha site, and the 4ha Hornsby Rd site — both were disconnected from the irrigation system by the previous corporate owners and were degraded and salty.

“We got in contact with the Murray-Darling Working Wetland Group and in 2023 we entered a partnership to set about restoring these areas,” Jodie said.

She said working with Jane White, they were able to identify suitable ephemeral wetlands for rehydration and they also spent a lot of time looking at the pre-European vegetation community map so they could begin revegetation.

They also fenced off both wetlands to exclude stock.

“The MDWWG were very excited about Papps, which was basically just a large depression in the ground.

“We knew it was a low area, but it was very degraded and salt-affected, but they believed with some low revegetation work and water, the area would make a perfect habitat for the brolga.”

And low and behold, after putting water in the wetland for the first time in autumn, five brolgas turned up and spent a month on the property.

“Col has lived here for 57 years and had never seen a brolga before, it was just amazing, and we couldn’t believe it,” Jodie said.

“Once the water went in, it just boomed.”

She said ducks, spoonbills, swans, stilts and dotterels have all called the wetland home along with vegetation including nardoo, sedges and trefoil among others.

She said one thing they have had to keep on top of is feral animals.

“Foxes have moved into the area as well, but we have some people who come in regularly and help keep their numbers under control.”

Jodie said the Hornsby Rd site had also been a great success.

In fact, that particular site holds has the highest documented bird diversity across all of the MDWWG wetlands.

“This wetland is different to Papps, but it has also boomed with the application of environmental water.”

The couple planted 300 trees and they have taken off.

“Field and game came out and installed some hen houses on the wetland and some parrot boxes in the neighbouring trees and they are going to monitor them down the track.”

She said this site was a little more salty and could make the perfect home for some small bodied fish like the Murray hardy head.

“Our wetlands do give us a lot of joy, especially when we are working in that area or driving past.”

The Hornsby Rd site is on a public road and they often get people stopping by.

“It has become a place of interest for the extended community, and we have had some people come in and photograph it and host bird surveys.”

Eventually, the couple hopes to have around 40ha set aside for wetland protection.

“Our family has farmed in this area since 1967,” Jodie said.

“We have planted a large number of trees around fences and along roadsides to establish habitat and wildlife corridors and shade for our stock.

“The network of irrigation channels, drains and pasture also play a role in our on-farm ecosystem and we are balancing staple food production alongside environmental outcomes, and it is so rewarding.”

She said the original purpose of purchasing the neighbouring property was to increase their home-grown fodder capacity and build up a feed bank to navigate an uncertain water market, the impact of buybacks and dry seasons.

After buying the property it flooded in 2022, a freak tornado took out their wheat crop in 2023 and despite a summer flood in the same year, they finally got a harvest in 2023.

“The biodiversity we have on our farm highlights how primary production and native species can coexist,” Jodie said.

“Through drought and dry conditions irrigation provides a refuge and a safety net – not just for staple food production, but also for many species that rely on us as a feed source.”

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Sunday, 2nd July 2023

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