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This article was published in 1937
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TRAVELLING STOCK RESERVES AND THEIR MANAGEMENT
Mr. C. WHITE. Stock Inspector, Deniliquin.
The different P.P. Boards which I have worked with have all fully appreciated the importance of travelling stock routes and Reserves to the live stock industry, and have always strenuously opposed any revocation of the areas of the more important ones, but notwithstanding this, the areas of some have been reduced far too much.
Prior to their being placed under the Board's control, too many of them were held under lease and flogged out by the lessees' stock and just when they were most needed they were often devoid of feed sometimes when feed in the adjoining paddocks was quite good. The constant overstocking with the lessees' stock as well as those travelling caused deterioration of much of the land, killing out drought resisting plants, causing the land to become windswept and eroded at places and noxious plants to gain an ascendancy in others.
Different conditions apply in different parts of the State, of course, but generally speaking, where there is much stock traffic the areas of the reserves should be liberal, to guard against the deterioration just referred to, in this district the main stock routes which are of a good area are now showing a comeback of drought resisting shrub including a growth in young Boree trees, in addition to good native grasses. Those of limited area never get a chance of doing this as although a fair growth of feed starts to grow on some at times it is soon eaten off or trodden down. Some of these areas are windswept leaving hard, bare patches, whilst others have deep gullies washed by rains.
The live stock is of much importance to Australia in the scheme of things, and needs safeguarding. It is highly necessary, therefore, and particularly owing to the vagaries of the seasons, that there be proper provision to allow stock to be safely moved from drought stricken areas to others, as well as for re-stocking, marketing,etc.
In the management of reserves a good deal of expense and attention is entailed. Plenty of water at convenient distances apart is highly desirable, if the watering places are too far from each other the land in their vicinity is nearly always bare, as stock generally pass quickly over the land midway between (when they are usually more in need of water than food) and stay a longer time near the water.
In some districts bore or well water has to be relied on mostly, but in others, including Deniliquin, excavated tanks are to be preferred. The Board has recently had a number put down, and in some of these at places where water was obtained from bores previously. The plant of the latter is always requiring attention, whilst the open tank watering requires practically none. In some cases, however, and in districts where the large stock traffic is larger than here, they should be fenced off and the water distributed in troughs.
The tanks recently put down by the Board here varied from about 2,500 to over 5,000 yards square, 10 to 12 feet deep. The sites were picked where there are good catches, in most cases near main roads where water from the roads table drains could be diverted into the tanks. These catches are, in most cases much better than those of some of the old P.W.P. tanks, which are 1,600 yards and over in size. Not everywhere is the ground suitable for water holding, and before starting one an auger hole is put down at the four corners of the marked out side to ascertain if it is all right. Other particulars regarding the sinking, measurements,etc., are not necessary here, being easy of access to in text books.
The effective control of rabbits on reserves is important, and on some of the reserves in this district it is rather difficult and costly—requiring constant attention. One of the main reasons for this is that there is lack of sufficient rabbit netting fences. Too many of the holdings adjoining the reserves are unnetted, and the result is that when landowners are working at their rabbits a certain number of rabbits escape on to the reserve, and vice versa. Endeavours are made to do the work simultaneously, but it is never really effective. However, although the constant work is necessary, rabbits are well under control at present. Burrows have been dug out and other harbours, as far as possible, destroyed.
A large number of fat sheep and lambs are sent to market from here in the season, and secure yards on the various droving roads have been built for their use en route to the trucks. These yards are not so necessary for the ordinary large lots of travelling sheep, but still they have been built large enough for them and are used by most lots, control of travelling lots, and preventing of sweating of reserves, is helped by arrangements made with the Boards' employees when working on reserves.
Noxious Plants.
In years past a good lot of work was done by this Board in dealing with Saffron Thistle, which is now well under control, but still a certain amount of it has to be cut each year.
In years when there are sufficient summer rains, Bathurst Burr also requires a good deal of attention.
A certain amount of ringbarking has been done, and more is required, but it is not so important a work as it is in some other parts of the State, and discretion is necessary to not carry it too far.