In the above plots, the red waypoints represent Riverina Pear & the Green are Devil’s Rope cactus.
Wednesday 5th May
Wednesday was a rest day. We drove to Blinman where we drove down the lane east of the mine a few hundred meters to a large patch of Riverina Pear onto which we placed a piece of cochinealed pad. We then drove then through Glass Gorge to the Moolooloo Station turn off. The route through Moolooloo went through Hannigan Gap and led onto the Artimore PAR (Public Access Route). We stopped at the Artimore ruins for lunch. After lunch we continued until at the end of the Artimore PAR we drove onto the Narrina access road. A detour off that saw us looking for the Eregunda Mine. Ralph knew there was a clear avenue that led to the mine but could not locate the start of that. Three of the group reached the mine near the top of the hill. On the return down the hill we walked along the avenue which most likely the route for the ore as it was taken to Blinman for smelting.
At the end of the day the team retired to the Blinman Hotel for dinner.
Wednesday was a rest day. We drove to Blinman where we drove down the lane east of the mine a few hundred meters to a large patch of Riverina Pear onto which we placed a piece of cochinealed pad. We then drove then through Glass Gorge to the Moolooloo Station turn off. The route through Moolooloo went through Hannigan Gap and led onto the Artimore PAR (Public Access Route). We stopped at the Artimore ruins for lunch. After lunch we continued until at the end of the Artimore PAR we drove onto the Narrina access road. A detour off that saw us looking for the Eregunda Mine. Ralph knew there was a clear avenue that led to the mine but could not locate the start of that. Three of the group reached the mine near the top of the hill. On the return down the hill we walked along the avenue which most likely the route for the ore as it was taken to Blinman for smelting.
At the end of the day the team retired to the Blinman Hotel for dinner.
Above is the plot of Wednesday’s track.
One vehicle (Toyota) rounded the island and reached the intended exit point. There were cliffs there so the vehicle returned a short distance to where there were no cliffs and made the exit onto the road. There was some confusion as the two Range Rovers said they were on the same track as the Toyota but neither could see each other. Those two vehicles did not round the end of the island but went further east and came out of the creek near the No.1 Bore. Eventually the Land Rovers caught up to the LandCruiser.
Thursday 6th May.
We did not have much cochineal so the first part of the day was to return to the Wirrealpa Creek south of the homestead to collect cochineal. Once that was completed we continued from where we had finished on the Tuesday. There is a large island in the middle of the creek and we mainly searched the northern branch of the creek. We found plants already bearing cochineal so some was harvested to top up the buckets and used during the day. At the end of the day it was intended that the vehicles would go around the eastern end of the island and exit the creek at the point where the creek and road are quite close.
We did not have much cochineal so the first part of the day was to return to the Wirrealpa Creek south of the homestead to collect cochineal. Once that was completed we continued from where we had finished on the Tuesday. There is a large island in the middle of the creek and we mainly searched the northern branch of the creek. We found plants already bearing cochineal so some was harvested to top up the buckets and used during the day. At the end of the day it was intended that the vehicles would go around the eastern end of the island and exit the creek at the point where the creek and road are quite close.
Report of Cactus cull at Wirrealpa Station - May 2021 by Ralph Abbot
Barbara tells us of some of the Wirrealpa features as Warren listens.
Wirrealpa
Wirrealpa is a property on the eastern edge of the Flinders Ranges, 35 km east of Blinman, managed by Warren and Barbara Fargher.
Our Hosts
Warren and Barbara Fargher are the hosts who made us welcome. We stayed in the Shearers Quarters. In the bedroom building each room had multiple single beds. There were two flushing toilets attached. In a separate building was a kitchen and common room. There was a separate modern ablutions block with a donkey boiler attached. That had to be fired up well before showers were to be taken.
Wirrealpa is a property on the eastern edge of the Flinders Ranges, 35 km east of Blinman, managed by Warren and Barbara Fargher.
Our Hosts
Warren and Barbara Fargher are the hosts who made us welcome. We stayed in the Shearers Quarters. In the bedroom building each room had multiple single beds. There were two flushing toilets attached. In a separate building was a kitchen and common room. There was a separate modern ablutions block with a donkey boiler attached. That had to be fired up well before showers were to be taken.
How we happened to be at Wirrealpa
A couple of years earlier Ralph Abbot had been invited to the Range Rover Discovery Club SA to tell of the cactus cull program in which he was involved. As a result the Club expressed that they too would like to be involved. An attempt to get to Blinman in 2020 was thwarted when Covid-19 stepped in and the trip was cancelled. It was rescheduled to May 2021. Ralph, who was at Gum Creek station with the Land Cruiser Club in the week before, met the Range Rover Discovery team at Hawker and took them to Gum Creek station to collect GPS, buckets, tongs and fluoro vests and then on to Wirrealpa. With Wirrealpa being an organic property, no poisons were to be used nor taken.
The Team
Peter Allmand - Range Rover Discovery Club of SA
Ralph Abbot - Toyota LandCruiser Club of SA
Ron Westren - Range Rover Discovery Club of SA
John Harrland - Range Rover Discovery Club of SA
Andrew & Elaine Davies Range Rover Discovery Club of SA
What we did
Sunday 2nd May.
We arrived at Wirrealpa at 3 pm Sunday 2nd May and settled in.
Monday 3rd May.
We learnt that Wirrealpa had Riverina Pear, Devils Rope and some Wheel Cactus. So we went looking for cochineal on Devils Rope at Fountain Spring on Eregunda Creek where Ralph knew it existed. He also hoped to find Riverina Pear on the cliff at Fountain Spring but there was none. Later on Monday Andrew and Elaine arrived to complete the team.
A couple of years earlier Ralph Abbot had been invited to the Range Rover Discovery Club SA to tell of the cactus cull program in which he was involved. As a result the Club expressed that they too would like to be involved. An attempt to get to Blinman in 2020 was thwarted when Covid-19 stepped in and the trip was cancelled. It was rescheduled to May 2021. Ralph, who was at Gum Creek station with the Land Cruiser Club in the week before, met the Range Rover Discovery team at Hawker and took them to Gum Creek station to collect GPS, buckets, tongs and fluoro vests and then on to Wirrealpa. With Wirrealpa being an organic property, no poisons were to be used nor taken.
The Team
Peter Allmand - Range Rover Discovery Club of SA
Ralph Abbot - Toyota LandCruiser Club of SA
Ron Westren - Range Rover Discovery Club of SA
John Harrland - Range Rover Discovery Club of SA
Andrew & Elaine Davies Range Rover Discovery Club of SA
What we did
Sunday 2nd May.
We arrived at Wirrealpa at 3 pm Sunday 2nd May and settled in.
Monday 3rd May.
We learnt that Wirrealpa had Riverina Pear, Devils Rope and some Wheel Cactus. So we went looking for cochineal on Devils Rope at Fountain Spring on Eregunda Creek where Ralph knew it existed. He also hoped to find Riverina Pear on the cliff at Fountain Spring but there was none. Later on Monday Andrew and Elaine arrived to complete the team.
Plotted above is our track in blue. We travelled west from Wirrealpa and first took the track to Fountain Spring. There we collected some cochineal infected Devils Rope but no Riverina Pear was to be seen.
It had been all over the cliff at Fountain Spring but cochineal had been introduced some years ago and it appears the Riverina Pear has been completely wiped out there. We travelled a short distance along Eregunda Ck but then went back to the Wirrealpa Road and travelled east to the track by the third grid that also went to Eregunda Ck. It did not look possible to drive along the creek to as far as we had driven at the Fountain Spring end. There is about a 2 km separation that would have to be walked.
We then drove west along the Blinman road to see if we could get to the back of Fountain Spring cliff and find Riverina Pear. We travelled south along the track to the west of The Bunkers as Ralph had been along that track about 10 years before and remembered seeing lots of Riverina Pear in the creeks as they crossed them. However no Riverina Pear was seen. We went along the track at the west of Fountain Spring mountain to Ti Tree Gorge Well hoping to see Riverina Pear but none was there.
We returned to Wirrealpa and Warren had suggested searching in the Wirrealpa Creek south of the homestead. We split into two parties with one team searching the creek each side of the track that crossed the creek. (The Eregunda Ck joins the Wirrealpa Ck just before Wirrealpa Ck enters the Wirrealpa property). Andrew and Elaine had not arrived so Peter and Ron searched east of the track, Ralph and John to the west.
All three cactus types on Wirrealpa were found, viz., Wheel Cactus, Riverina Pear and Devil’s Rope. Some plants were covered in cochineal. Peter and Ron found cochineal early and spread it on unaffected plants. Ralph and John did not find cochineal until late so did not spread any. In the plot below the Blue are Riverina Pear, the green Devil’s Rope. The yellow markers on the eastern side represent seeded cochineal on Riverina Pear. The yellow on the western side is a Wheel Cactus. Later on Monday Andrew and Elaine arrived to complete the team.
It had been all over the cliff at Fountain Spring but cochineal had been introduced some years ago and it appears the Riverina Pear has been completely wiped out there. We travelled a short distance along Eregunda Ck but then went back to the Wirrealpa Road and travelled east to the track by the third grid that also went to Eregunda Ck. It did not look possible to drive along the creek to as far as we had driven at the Fountain Spring end. There is about a 2 km separation that would have to be walked.
We then drove west along the Blinman road to see if we could get to the back of Fountain Spring cliff and find Riverina Pear. We travelled south along the track to the west of The Bunkers as Ralph had been along that track about 10 years before and remembered seeing lots of Riverina Pear in the creeks as they crossed them. However no Riverina Pear was seen. We went along the track at the west of Fountain Spring mountain to Ti Tree Gorge Well hoping to see Riverina Pear but none was there.
We returned to Wirrealpa and Warren had suggested searching in the Wirrealpa Creek south of the homestead. We split into two parties with one team searching the creek each side of the track that crossed the creek. (The Eregunda Ck joins the Wirrealpa Ck just before Wirrealpa Ck enters the Wirrealpa property). Andrew and Elaine had not arrived so Peter and Ron searched east of the track, Ralph and John to the west.
All three cactus types on Wirrealpa were found, viz., Wheel Cactus, Riverina Pear and Devil’s Rope. Some plants were covered in cochineal. Peter and Ron found cochineal early and spread it on unaffected plants. Ralph and John did not find cochineal until late so did not spread any. In the plot below the Blue are Riverina Pear, the green Devil’s Rope. The yellow markers on the eastern side represent seeded cochineal on Riverina Pear. The yellow on the western side is a Wheel Cactus. Later on Monday Andrew and Elaine arrived to complete the team.
Tuesday 4th May
Armed with cochinealed pads from both Riverina Pear and Devil’s Rope (in separate containers) we set off to where Warren had graded an entry into the Wirrealpa Creek nearly 4 km east of the homestead. We turned left out of Wirrealpa travelling south on the Martins Well road. Immediately after the Wirrealpa Creek crossing we turned left and travelled east along the track towards Wyambana Outstation. We were instructed to turn left off the track at the two white tyres. That led us to the creek entry that warren had graded. The arrangement was that we would drive about 500 m along the creek. From there half the team would search back (west) along 500 m along one side of the wide creek and return along the other side of the creek. The other half team would do the same along the 500 m ahead (east) of the vehicles. When both teams returned to the vehicles the vehicles would move about 1000 m east along the creek. From there the procedure would be repeated with half the team walking and searching 500 m back (west) with the other half searching the 500 m ahead (east). Each day repeating the procedure we covered approximately 3 km along the creek. When we found clean plants we would lodge a cochinealed piece in the clean plant. The lodged piece would eventually dry and die but by then the cochineal should have moved onto the clean plant and commenced breeding.
Armed with cochinealed pads from both Riverina Pear and Devil’s Rope (in separate containers) we set off to where Warren had graded an entry into the Wirrealpa Creek nearly 4 km east of the homestead. We turned left out of Wirrealpa travelling south on the Martins Well road. Immediately after the Wirrealpa Creek crossing we turned left and travelled east along the track towards Wyambana Outstation. We were instructed to turn left off the track at the two white tyres. That led us to the creek entry that warren had graded. The arrangement was that we would drive about 500 m along the creek. From there half the team would search back (west) along 500 m along one side of the wide creek and return along the other side of the creek. The other half team would do the same along the 500 m ahead (east) of the vehicles. When both teams returned to the vehicles the vehicles would move about 1000 m east along the creek. From there the procedure would be repeated with half the team walking and searching 500 m back (west) with the other half searching the 500 m ahead (east). Each day repeating the procedure we covered approximately 3 km along the creek. When we found clean plants we would lodge a cochinealed piece in the clean plant. The lodged piece would eventually dry and die but by then the cochineal should have moved onto the clean plant and commenced breeding.
Friday 7th May
On Friday the team returned to where they finished the day before. The intent was to search the southern side of the island. A gully was found on the island that was rich in cactus. That gully can be seen in the plot below, south of the 197 altitude point, the gully runs NW to SE across the island. Presumably when the river level is high, the gully fills with water and holds it for a while. We called it Cactus Gully. Cactus Gully held a lot of Riverina Pear and Devil’s Rope. We continued searching past the island as far as No 1 Bore. All vehicles exited the Wirrealpa Creek at the No 1 Bore. Below the waypoints are plotted.
On Friday the team returned to where they finished the day before. The intent was to search the southern side of the island. A gully was found on the island that was rich in cactus. That gully can be seen in the plot below, south of the 197 altitude point, the gully runs NW to SE across the island. Presumably when the river level is high, the gully fills with water and holds it for a while. We called it Cactus Gully. Cactus Gully held a lot of Riverina Pear and Devil’s Rope. We continued searching past the island as far as No 1 Bore. All vehicles exited the Wirrealpa Creek at the No 1 Bore. Below the waypoints are plotted.
Tabulated Results
Above are the tracks showing where we went. Below are the waypoints from the day.
Not all waypoints represent treated plants. Sometimes we had run out of cochineal. Cochineal will spread a small distance (10 m) so it is not necessary to seed all plants. But mostly all plants were treated whilst we had cochineal.
The cacti we dealt with:
The cacti we dealt with:
Andrew demonstrates the technique on a large Riverina Pear.
A large Devil’s Rope cactus.
In the image below Wirrealpa is on the eastern end. The rivers east of Blinman flow into Lake Frome. The Wirrealpa Creek joins Balcoracana Creek which then flows into Lake Frome. There is about 60 km of creek, east of where we finished at #1 Bore, to Lake Frome. We may be able to drive most of that way to survey whether the whole 60 km has cactus and therefore has to be searched. The Eregunda Creek requires searching upstream to rid cacti which otherwise will wash downstream during a wet season. Eregunda Ck joins Wirrealpa Ck upstream from Wirrealpa homestead.
We began packing up late Friday. Barbara and Warren joined us and we enjoyed pre dinner drinks with them. Hence the earlier photo of the pair at drinks.
Saturday 8th May
We packed up and drove home via Gum Creek station where the gear was returned.
Observations about the cactus
It was noticed that Riverina Pear, that already had cochineal on it, appeared to drop many of its infected pads apparently trying to rid itself of the pest. There were many green pads (with live cochineal) on the ground. Eventually the cochineal would overwhelm the plant. Clean plants did not drop pads. Devils Rope is an awkward plant to handle. The slightest touch will cause segments to drop off. Around old plants many small plants were growing from dropped segments. A cochineal-infected segment was placed on a clean plant in order to infect the plant.
The Future
Below is a map of cactus distribution from the year 2009. The red area in the centre is the Blinman area with Wheel Cactus. There is a long tail heading out towards Lake Frome. The brown represents Riverina Pear which was then called Prickly Pear. The single blue dot represents Devil’s Rope (but we know there is a lot of it along the creek). Ralph has proposed clearing out the outliers from Lake Torrens in the West to Lake Frome in the east. The northern extent near Blinman is just north of the Oratunga homestead while the southern limit is the Flinders Ranges National Park (Wilpena) northern fence (as the park operators say they are looking after the cacti in the park). In 2019 a team from Oratunga covered the western end where the rivers flow out through Parachilna Gorge towards Lake Torrens.
Saturday 8th May
We packed up and drove home via Gum Creek station where the gear was returned.
Observations about the cactus
It was noticed that Riverina Pear, that already had cochineal on it, appeared to drop many of its infected pads apparently trying to rid itself of the pest. There were many green pads (with live cochineal) on the ground. Eventually the cochineal would overwhelm the plant. Clean plants did not drop pads. Devils Rope is an awkward plant to handle. The slightest touch will cause segments to drop off. Around old plants many small plants were growing from dropped segments. A cochineal-infected segment was placed on a clean plant in order to infect the plant.
The Future
Below is a map of cactus distribution from the year 2009. The red area in the centre is the Blinman area with Wheel Cactus. There is a long tail heading out towards Lake Frome. The brown represents Riverina Pear which was then called Prickly Pear. The single blue dot represents Devil’s Rope (but we know there is a lot of it along the creek). Ralph has proposed clearing out the outliers from Lake Torrens in the West to Lake Frome in the east. The northern extent near Blinman is just north of the Oratunga homestead while the southern limit is the Flinders Ranges National Park (Wilpena) northern fence (as the park operators say they are looking after the cacti in the park). In 2019 a team from Oratunga covered the western end where the rivers flow out through Parachilna Gorge towards Lake Torrens.
So Wirrealpa Ck and Eregunda Ck need to be searched upstream. Eregunda Ck will have to be searched back as far as the Narrina Road because we have previously found Devil’s Rope on the Narrina Road. It is about 10 km to Fountain Spring from the homestead and a further 10 km to Narrina Road.
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