Government owned and Australian Landscape Trust managed Calperum and Taylorville stations have been adopted by D9510 as the centre for their ecology and environmental projects.
This massive 337,000-hectare site in the Riverland of South Australia covers an extensive mallee forest dryland area as well as River Murray floodplains. This includes lakes, creeks and wetlands that stretch almost 100km, from Waikerie in the west to Renmark in the east.
It is critical habitat for endangered species such as the black-eared miner, mallee fowl and the Southern Bell Frog. It also contains many Aboriginal cultural sites and is part of the internationally significant RAMSAR wetland on the Murray River.
It is managed by a permanent staff of ecologists, educators and researchers together with a team of Aboriginal rangers. They have returned these former sheep-based pastoral properties to their natural state, which has led to an expansion of native wildlife and mallee woodland regrowth.
“The 337,000-hectare site is critical habitat for endangered species such as the black-eared miner, mallee fowl and the Southern Bell Frog. It also contains many Aboriginal cultural sites and is part of the internationally significant RAMSAR wetland on the Murray River.”
Rotary activities are centred on the original Calperum Homestead, which is named Rotary House. This large homestead sleeps 10 and is used as the base for club projects. Surrounding the homestead are a number of cottages that can be used as accommodation for Rotarians, station research staff and visitors.
There is also a 40-bed bunkroom, ablutions block, dining hall and commercial kitchen, which is used by schools, tertiary institutions and for Rotary’s biennial Health of the River Forum – a weeklong environmental study camp for years 9 and 10 students.
Club projects can include tree health surveys, saline monitoring of the water table, revegetation and native animal and bird counts. The fire pit at Rotary House is the gathering point for after dinner chats and star gazing in very clear night skies.
Hideaway Hut refurbishment is the latest combined project of the Rotary Clubs of Regency Park, Prospect and Walkerville.
The hut, presumed to be a former musterer’s hut, was transported many kilometres from the mallee part of the station down to the homestead area on the river flats in the 1990s by the Rotary Club of Loxton. It was used for research staff accommodation and even a library for station staff in past times.
“Club projects can include tree health surveys, saline monitoring of the water table, revegetation and native animal and bird counts. The fire pit at Rotary House is the gathering point for after dinner chats and star gazing in very clear night skies.”
Its location in the bush makes it ideal as a tourist rental property for couples wishing to enjoy the ecology and environment of Calperum.
The three clubs have embarked on refurbishing the hut itself (which has an ensuite) and building an adjacent deck, bath and outdoor shower.
A working group spent a week in March completing most of the major works to enable the hut to be rented and follow up work on the outside features is being undertaken now.
