Murray Mallee
| Murray Mallee South Australia | |
|---|---|
| Area | 20,000 sq km (7,700 sq mi) approximately[1] |
| LGA(s) | |
| State electorate(s) | |
| Federal division(s) | Barker |
The Murray Mallee is a grain-growing and sheep-farming area in the east of the Australian state of South Australia. The term is not formally designated but is widely used to refer to an area of approximately 20,000 square kilometres (7,700 square miles) bounded by the River Murray on its northern and western sides,[note 1] the Victorian border on its eastern side, and up to about 50 kilometres (31 miles) south of the Mallee Highway.
Details
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The Murray Mallee area is predominantly a vast plain of low elevation, with sandhills and gentle undulating sandy rises, interspersed by flats. The annual rainfall ranges from approximately 250 millimetres (9.8 inches) in the north to 400 millimetres (16 inches) further south. The area was very lightly populated until the beginning of the 20th century, with marginal pastoral runs of sheep at low stocking rates. Artesian water was discovered at moderate depth, and railways opened to make shipping of grain economically feasible.
The first railway was the Pinnaroo line in 1906 from Tailem Bend on the main Melbourne–Adelaide railway. The success of this line led to construction further north of the Brown's Well railway line in 1913. Before that line had been completed, the government approved a number of spur lines from it. These included the Peebinga railway line into the land between the new line and the Pinnaroo line, extending the Brown's Well line north to Paringa, and spurs to Loxton and Waikerie.[3] Another spur, the Moorook railway line opened in 1925.[4] All of these have now closed due to the declining use of railways for grain transport in the area.
Towns
[edit]The main towns in the mallee are Karoonda, Lameroo and Pinnaroo. Towns along the Murray are generally considered to be in the Riverland or Murraylands, rather than the Mallee.
Ecology
[edit]Originally the Mallee was covered in thick mallee scrub. Large expanses, estimates are around 80%, of the mallee were cleared for agricultural development, beginning as early as the 1880s. Most of the remaining natural vegetation is in protected areas such as Ngarkat Conservation Park, Billiatt Conservation Park, Karte Conservation Park, Peebinga Conservation Park, Bakara Conservation Park and Lowan Conservation Park.
Notes
[edit]- ^ The Government of South Australia stipulates "River" to be placed first when referring to the two major rivers of the state, the River Murray and River Torrens.[2] Usage outside of South Australia is to place "River" last.
References
[edit]- ^ "A Biological Survey of the Murray Mallee South Australia" (PDF). Environment SA. 2000. p. 2. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
- ^ "Geographical names guidelines". Planning and property. Attorney-General's Department (Government of South Australia). August 2020. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
- ^ "Railway Extension". The Register. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 21 December 1912. p. 7. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
- ^ "The Moorook Railway". The Chronicle. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 12 September 1925. p. 52. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
External links
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