Black (Swamp) Wallaby - Orbost, Vic, Australia
S 37° 42.642 E 148° 27.141
55H E 628015 N 5825290
This Waterwatch Victoria sign (titled - Understanding the Snowy Catchment) in Forest Park, Orbost, expounds details on the Black Wallaby.
Waymark Code: WMWWB3
Location: Victoria, Australia
Date Posted: 10/21/2017
Views: 0
The right-hand part of the sign, about the Wallaby reads:
"
Black (Swamp) Wallaby
Wallabia bicolor
(baui - indigenous name)
Distinguished from other wallabies of eastern Australia by its very dark colour and head low gait.
Size: Head and body 665 - 850 mm
Habitat: Thick undergrowth in forest, woodlands, and heath.
Diet: Shrubs, pine seedlings, rushes, fungi, vines, ferns and grasses.
The left-hand side of the sign has:
The Upper Catchment - the dam
At present (2001), 99% of the upper catchment's natural flow is held in the Jindabyne Dam as part of the Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric Scheme. Since 1957 the dam has reduced the Snowy's flow. Water that is needed to provide the Snowy River with 'environment flow' is diverted to the western side of the Great Dividing Range. It is then used by irrigators in the Murray-Darling Basin.
The regular spring snow melts of the Snowy Mountains are important. Sediment and salt-water were once regularly flushed from the river maintaining its environmental health.
The Lower Catchment - the 'salt wedge'<br?
The Snowy River entrance at Marlo is sometimes closed. As the river continues to flow a 'salt wedge' travelling underneath the fresh water can sometimes reach Orbost. When the Snowy flow is low and the entrance is open the tide can also bring salt water 10 km up the Snowy. At these times water cannot be used for irrigation.
The river currently discharges only around half the annual flow it did before the Jindabyne Dam was built. The Local community is now lobbying governments to increase the environmental flow of the Snowy River."
At the bottom of the left-hand side is:
"Put some salt into water and stir. After a while, what happens? Where is the salt? To get the salt back, put the water into a saucer and place it on a window sill.
What happens to the water?
What is left?
Would plants like to grow in soil with salt?
[I had seen some of the Black Wallabies in my travels to Victoria, but they had always hopped away before I could grab the camera.]
Visited: 1216, Saturday, 14 October, 2016