Landcare - Kalka Project

The Kalka community was established in the late seventies and early eighties initially as a resource centre. The Pitjantjatjara Homelands Health Service and the Pitjantjatjara Homelands Council operated out of Kalka and it was a place many people visited. In the beginning caravans and transportables were used for accommodation and office space until more permanent housing and buildings could be built. As the community became more established more pressure was exerted on the local landscape.

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Panoramic Picture 1: (Please be patient for this one to download) This picture was taken in September 1981 and shows how dominant the mulga grass was around Kalka.

This link shows CONTINUES to shows descriptive changes that took place in the landscape around Kalka >>>

The vegetation surrounding Kalka was largely mulga grass (Aristida contorta) with patches of mulga (Acacia aneura) scattered across this grass plain.

In 1985 when the rubbish dump was being burnt, a strong westerly wind caught the fire and the grass plain that surrounded the community was burnt. A series of dry years followed and the area surrounding the community became a dust bowl. The soil was a fine sandy soil which built up over fences and around buildings causing the landscape to be very unstable. People continued to plant tress in an effort to slow down the wind and shifting sands however the area was too large to revegetate in this way.

The rain pattern didn't allow the mulga grass to re-establish, only broad leaf annuals which didn't make a permanent contribution to revegetating the area. In 1987 the community was becoming desperate for a solution so it was decided (October '87) to direct seed the area with buffel and birdwood (Cenchrus ciliaria and C. setigerus), old man saltbush (Atriplex nummularia), witchetty bush (Acacia kempeana) and umbrella bush (Acacia ligulata). This work was done at the same time as the first Pipalyatjara project.