The Ayapathu Traditional Owners have a rich cultural history in the Balclutha Creek Area. The Balclutha Nature Refuge area of Balclutha Creek catchment has very high ecological values (the unique permanent terrestrial wetland at “Dead Finish”) and cultural values (high density of “scar trees”).

Through this project the Ayapatha Traditional Owners will document and preserve the cultural values, stabilise eroding roads near the permanent terrestrial wetlands, exclude feral pigs from the permanent terrestrial wetland and reduce total pig numbers in surrounding areas and establish a program of early season burning and storm burning to encourage natural regeneration within the Balclutha Nature Refuge.

Through this project the Ayapatha Traditional Owners will:

• Facilitate a series of “on-country” meetings to document and preserve the cultural values within Balclutha Nature Refuge.
• Establish and maintain a wetland monitoring program to document change in condition and progress of natural regeneration of the ecosystems surrounding the permanent terrestrial wetland at “Dead Finish”.
• Stabilise 20km of eroding roads, including rerouting the road around a major erosion site where the old telegraph line crosses highly dispersive sodic soils, near the permanent terrestrial wetland at “Dead Finish”. This will be done in consultation with neighbouring properties, Bamboo Station and Yarraden Station.
• Build and maintain 4km of fence to exclude feral pigs from the permanent terrestrial wetland at “Dead Finish”.
• Exclude ferals from springs, but not impact on natives, particularly Emu's that are common in this project location, but not so common (or seen) in the greater area
• Build and maintain 3 pig traps in conjunction with a strategic pig hunting program to reduce total pig numbers in surrounding areas.
• Establish and maintain firebreaks and a program of early season burning and storm burning to encourage natural regeneration of the land surrounding the permanent terrestrial wetland at “Dead Finish”. This will be done in consultation with neighbouring properties, Bamboo Station and Yarraden Station
• Establish and maintain a feral pig monitoring program that records numbers of feral pigs sighted and removed from the land surrounding the permanent terrestrial wetland at “Dead Finish”.