Mulloon Rehydration Initiative update

Looking straight down on leaky weir DM8 at Duralla

On-ground work on the Mulloon Rehydration Initiative (MRI) continued during July once we had accessed logs for the leaky weirs following a shortage caused by the bushfires. Project Coordinator Peter Hazell has been very much ‘back in the creek’ directing another stage of the MRI. 

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‘TMI got back on the ground in July to finish off the Mulloon section of the MRI. Well over 50 leaky weirs now populate fifteen kilometres of Mulloon Creek stretching from the Home Farm in the south, to Duralla in the north. 

Structure DM9 at Duralla. DM8 and DM9 were completed just as the water level started rising!

Immediately after the last leaky weir was installed on Monday 27th July, a major stream pulse came down the system caused by 90mm of rain in the top of the catchment. It is always a nervous time when that first pulse spills over the top of new structures. Even though the structures were very fresh, they did their job – and what was left behind was a chain of bank full ponds as far as even an eye in the sky could see  – a sight not seen in the valley for generations. 

Looking upstream towards Palerang, with structure DM6 in the foreground, two days after a pulse measuring 15m3/second pushed through the system, and just days after the structures were completed.

In all 20 leaky weirs are now installed at Mulloon Creek Natural Farms, with six along two kilometres of creek at the organic egg farm at ‘Duralla’ and another 14 at the Home Farm where our cattle operations are based. These sections of creek have been fenced to keep cattle and wildlife out and to protect transplanted plants.

The next stage of on-ground works will commence in the Spring and will continue along Reedy Creek before moving back upstream to properties above the Home Farm.’

The Mulloon Rehydration Initiative is jointly funded through the Mulloon Institute and the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program and is supported by various affiliates.

Peter Hazell, MRI Project Coordinator