In 1991 twentynine kilometres of the Border Track between South Australia and Victoria faced total closure following years of severe degredation by inappropraite 4WD use. FWDSA undertook a volunteer project to rehabilitate this section of the track. In return, the track would remain open in a ONE WAY NORTH TO SOUTH direction.
Planning to travel the Border Track or camp in Ngarkat? Refer here for advisery links.. Note that the Ngarkat Conservation Park Management Plan stipulates that for public safety, the Border Track will be closed from the 1st of November till the 31st of March each year.
17th/18th April 2010. In April 2008 it was resolved to hold one working bee per year.
Whilst enjoying the break from routine you will be able to assist with the ongoing FWDSA involvement with the Border Track.
In 2009, 448 hours of mammoth effort in Ngarkat Conservation Park by 8 FWDSA Clubs on the weekend of April 18th-20th 2009. resulted in a 1Km section of original track reopened, but tracks were rubbled to assist stabilisation, the chain grader was trialled, steel cable fence was installed using concrete/wood posts, and The Pines campsite was increased in size.
Further information is available from:
Border Track Maintenance Committee
Sue (08) 8269 2883
All Clubs are welcome to attend these working bees. In prior years we were very pleased to be assisted by representatives from the Victorian Pajero and Landrover clubs. It is hoped that our friends from over the Border together with all South Australian clubs will again come to the working bee each year to be involved in a Project that is very important in preserving our access and enjoyment of this prime piece of Australian Bush.
This maintenance committee is a sub-committee of the Four Wheel Drive South Australia (FWDSA). It reports directly to the Executive of FWDSA and currently consists of five representatives from various clubs affiliated with the FWDSA.
The Maintenance Committee was formed in 1994 as a direct result of work being done by FWDSA affiliated Clubs on the Border Track that runs North - South along the South Australian/Victorian Border within the Ngarkat Conservation Park, just south of Pinnaroo.
The work being done was in response to an agreement between the FWDSA and the then Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). This agreement was put together during 1991-92, when meetings between interested parties determined that something had to be done to lessen the impact of increased usage of tracks within the Ngarkat group of Parks, in particular, the Border Track. The alternative to doing this work was the closure of this track by DENR. It was also agreed to accept one way travel along a 25km section of the Track, south of the Scorpion Springs turnoff, to lessen the damage being done to the track.
The Ngarkat Conservation Park comprises four contiguous reserves totalling approximately 270 000 ha. It however abuts by the Big Desert Wilderness in Victoria of 140 00 ha. This makes the area a significant remnant of the Ninety Mile Desert that once covered 1.5 million hectares. The area is classed as a semi-arid dunefield that has dense Mallee coverage over most of its area. Vegetated East-West dunes cover the area of the Border Track and it is the damage to these as well as areas of clay swales or Bog holes that attract most of the work done by volunteers. Track users often experience difficulty in crossing the dunes and clay swales. Over time, detour tracks have been created around the swales and adjacent to the track crossing the sand dunes.
Most of the work done to date has been to trim overhanging trees on the track and transfer these trimmings to the finger tracks. They are then laid across the track to deter further use and also to trap sand and seed to slowly revegetate the damaged areas. It has been our policy to maintain the historic through track along the border fence as well as one other sidetrack at the more difficult sand dunes for use when travel is difficult eg. Summertime when the sand is soft.
Some experimental work has been done on stabilising the badly rutted clay swales. To date this is still causing considerable concern, as damage done during the winter time by the few people who revel in digging ever increasingly deep trenches, has caused others to push detour tracks through the adjacent scrub. Several remedies are being contemplated at this time including seasonal detours and/or repairs. It is hoped that in the interim, club members and other responsible four wheel drivers will take possible damage into account when planning winter trips in this area as DENR staff are again considering closure!
The Committee also promotes safe and responsible use of the Track by educating the driving public on the correct way to drive through the park. A well-worded sign erected by DENR at the northern end of the one way section portrays this. This sign suggests speeds, tyre pressures and safe driving attitudes within the park.
Further information is available from:
Sue (08) 8269 2883
or postal to
Four Wheel Drive South Australia
PO BOX 178
ENFIELD PLAZA SA 5058
NPSW
Link to DENR site Ngarkat Group of Conservation Parks
or e-mail the Association: saafwdc@saafwdc.asn.au
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