When Jo and Don Hearn decided to rejuvenate an old wetland on their property during the millennium drought, they had no idea how integral it would become to their business.
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Not only is the wetland used for grazing and to support biodiversity and environmental outcomes, it has also become very important for their mental health.
“At the time we didn’t factor that in,” Don said.
“We just needed a positive project and we have been surprised by how much the wetland benefits our mental health now.
“If we have a tough day on the farm we just go take a walk around the wetland and all the stress and worry disappears as we listen to the frogs or watch the birds.”
The 25ha wetland has also become an important learning space with the Barapa Barapa people coming on to Country, and ANU monitoring the site for well over 15 years (until they lost funding).
The Restdown property, at Caldwell near Barham, was also chosen as a trial site by the Wetland Revival Trust (WRT) to act as a nursery for 500 stiff groundsel seedlings — a plant species that was once thought to be extinct.
“The hope is the stiff groundsel will thrive here and we can be part of the rehabilitation process to help bring the plant back from the brink of extinction,” Jo said.
The WRT also planted more than 1000 different species to help boost plant numbers and introduce new varieties.
The species planted included mibuna, raspwort, water ribbon, goodenia, monkey flower, buttercup, eryngium and blue rod.
Don said they were now thriving.
“They were planted back in June just before the winter rains and we have had fantastic success. They have moved past planting shock, have changed colour and some are flowering.
“I don’t think we have lost a single plant, which is just extraordinary.”
Don said their growth was helped by a 37mm downpour and a smattering of smaller rainfalls.
“If the dry continues, we will seriously be looking to the sky. Our wetland needs water and without it is nothing but a dry old creek bed.”
Jo and Don do water their wetland with their own allocation and help from the Murray-Darling Working Wetland Group.
With NSW Murray general security currently sitting on two per cent allocation, and with last temporary water trades sitting around $230, they are getting worried.
“The wetland will be looking for another flush of water in spring but we are contemplating moving that to December to help protect the southern bell frog population,” Don said.
The frog appeared in the wetland a couple of years ago, brought in by the massive floods of 2022.
If they can keep the water in the wetland for a month, they are hoping it might encourage the frog to breed.
“After that we will dry the wetland out and then graze it like a haystack with our cattle.”
The wetland has been dry for the past 14 months to try and help restrict some of the reed and cumbungi growth.
“We didn’t graze it as heavily as we should have over summer and it probably needed an extra few weeks grazing.
“We are now going to trial some methods like burning and cutting the cumbungi down really low to the ground and submerging it with water — if that doesn’t work we can always move in the tractor and knock it down if we have to.”
Don said with the wetland now home to eight species of frogs, more than 100 different plant species and nearly the same in bird species, it has become a biodiversity hotspot in the middle of their working farm.
The Hearns operate Jungle Lane Beef Co — an organic beef business with around 55 breeders and 60 weaners.
They are in the process of winding up the winery side of their business, in part due to uncertainty with water and high water costs.
Looking to the future, they are contemplating what is next for them.
“The wetland and consequent eco-tourism opportunities have enabled us to have some very important conversations with people as we try to educate them on the importance of food production and environmental opportunity,” Jo said
The wetland does have an environmental covenant placed on it, but that does not stop the couple from grazing the feed bank it creates most years.
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