GAME FISHING – Central Australian Style
Early this April, CLMA Coordinator Adrian James and the new CLMA Weed Project Officer, Peter McDowall went on atrip around the Sandover and Bundey river catchment.
It was fantastic to see all the different country and meet the great people along the way. They covered Alcoota, Utopia, Ammaroo, Elkedra, Ooratippra, Argadargada, Derry Downs, Mt Swan and Delmore. There were a range of weeds in the area but it’s good to know that most of the country is still weed free. Let’s keep it that way!
Early on in the trip the two CLMA guys had lunch near a billabong down by the Bundey. Spotting some weeds, but not having any spray gear, they got out the old tackle and tried their luck. Stewart Weir from Ammaroo kindly lent them a quality Shimano fibreglass-handled shovel.
The weeds were biting, as the photos show. This is Peter McDowall holding the 4 metre Parky that Adrian finally got after along battle. “It just wouldn’t come out so Adrian ended up using a tomahawk,” said Peter. “Handling a Parkinsonia is just like handling a big Flathead – you have to watch out for the prickles.”
With hardly any recreational or commercial weeding pressure in the area there are a range of great spots for catching a lot of big weeds. It’s easy to get into, you don’t even have to take out a loan for a big boat! So everyone can get involved in this great sport. Go on, satisfying your natural destructive urges is good for you!
Here’s Adrian proudly displaying a young Parkinsonia and two small Rubberbush. Note that the roots are intact – the loose soil of the bank made it easy to get them out. “The best thing about weeds is that there’s no bag or size limits – you don’t have to throw them back in” he said.
