Wattle Day is celebrated every year throughout Australia at wattle flowering time; a time when gardens, bushland and roadsides come alive with patches of gold.
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Often hidden away from the public eye are the many hectares of wattles planted and protected on private land - productive farmland where grazing and cropping are the main pursuits.
This year three local Landcare groups are joining forces to give you a rare opportunity to walk amongst these little-seen flowering wattles and to hear the stories of the landholders who have planted and protected them.
Mid Lachlan, Weddin and Young District Landcare Groups will conduct three Wattle Day Walks and you are invited to come along.
Mikla Lewis from Young District Landcare will lead the walks, identifying wattle species and discussing the ecological importance of wattles.
All walks will run from 9.30am to 2.30pm.
The first walk will be held at Gidgall, a 700 hectare grazing property at Darby's Falls near Cowra on Thursday, August 20.
As well as protecting remnant vegetation, the owners have been planting wattles with Hovell's Creek Landcare since 1996.
Greening Australia (GA) has also carried out direct seeding at Gidgall and GA's Senior Project Manager Graham Fifield will be on hand to discuss their Whole of Paddock Rehabilitation (WOPR) program and how you can access funding through the program.
WOPR offers a cheap and easy method of returning wattles and other native species back into grazing paddocks, providing multiple benefits for both livestock and wildlife.
Grenfell will hold a walk on Friday, August 21 at Rosemont on Holy Camp Rd. Rosemont is a 125 ha grazing property, with half of the property under a Volunteer Conservation Agreement. Much of the productive land has been revegetated with tubestock and, more recently, direct seeding by Greening Australia (GA).
Graham Fifield will once again be on hand to discuss their Whole of Paddock Rehabilitation (WOPR) program.
The walk will be preceded by a visit to the Weddin Community Native Nursery, which propagates many species of wattles, as well as other local native plants.
The Wattle Day Walk in Young will take place on Sunday, August 30, starting at the Young Services Club, with guest presenter Pat Wright, who is a Botanic Guide and Education Ranger at the National Botanic Gardens in Canberra.
Pat will highlight the fascinating role wattles have played in Australian history and culture, their uses and symbolic importance to all Australians.
The presentation will be followed by a walk at Old Milong, a 2,000 ha grazing and cropping property on the Temora Road to the west of Young. The owners have been fencing out areas of remnant bush, planting tubestock and direct seeding natives every year for the past fifteen years.
At each of the three Wattle Walks, participants will receive two free wattle plants grown by local native plant nurseries.
Wattle-related literature will be available to take home. Participants are welcome to bring along wattle specimens for identification.
Morning tea and lunch will be provided, including wattle seed biscuits.
Attendance at the Wattle Walks is free but bookings are essential.
To secure your place please contact Vanessa Cain on midlachlanlandcare@gmail.com or phone 0405 325 750.
