Latest news with #MountBarker
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Warning to Aussie gardeners after harmful find in 'beautiful' wetlands
A stern warning has been issued to Aussie gardeners after council staff made a potentially devastating find dumped in 'beautiful' wetlands. A biodiversity team from Mount Barker District Council, southeast of Adelaide, was recently working at the Laratinga Wetlands when something unusual caught their eye. However, it wasn't a 'rare frog or an interesting fungus' — the crew had stumbled upon a pile of dumped garden waste. Sadly, when they began sifting through the clippings, they discovered it contained an annoying pest — Italian buckthorn. 'Buckthorn might look like just another leafy shrub. But this Mediterranean import is no harmless plant,' the Mount Barker District Council posted online. 'It's a declared weed in South Australia, and it's got a reputation — one that's not welcome in our wetlands.' Once a popular garden hedge, the large evergreen shrub has escaped from backyards and into the wild where it has been causing big problems, especially in coastal parts of south east Australia. 'Buckthorn doesn't play nicely with others. It outcompetes native plants, alters ecosystem structures and disrupts ecological processes,' the council explained. 'Thanks to quick action, we believe we've removed all traces of it from Laratinga. But Buckthorn is persistent, and every time someone dumps garden waste in the wrong place, we risk another outbreak.' According to Landscape SA, Italian buckthorn produces large quantities of bright red berries that can be spread by birds, ants and wildlife via their scat. It can also spread via seeds in soil and dumped garden waste, which is classified as general litter. Those who do illegally dump rubbish in the area could cop an on-the-spot fine of $210, or face penalties ranging from $5,000 to $250,000 in court, Mount Barker District Council confirmed. "The size of the fine issued for illegal dumping will depend on the type of litter and the amount dumped," a spokesperson told Yahoo. Following the incident, the council urged gardeners not to dump their waste, especially in natural areas, and instead place it in their green bin 'where it belongs'. Small plants and seeds can be removed by hand but the whole root must be removed. It can also be controlled with chemicals. Because it is a declared weed, homeowners and renters have an obligation to control Italian buckthorn if it's found on their property. 🌼 Imported flower escalating $5 billion threat in Australia 🌳 Woman's 'incredible' 500-year-old discovery hidden behind invasive weed 🌸 Desperate plea over invasive plant threatening 'beauty' of Australia While it's illegal to sell Italian buckthorn in South Australia, there are a range of escaped garden plants that are still being sold around the country. Escaped garden plants are the primary source of new weeds in Australia, with a whopping three-quarters of all environmental weeds starting out as ornamentals, Dr Carol Booth, the Invasive Species Council's policy director, told Yahoo News last week. This has prompted the Invasive Species Council to campaign for stricter regulations on the nursery industry to stop the selling and spreading of such plants, which contribute to over $5 billion in losses each year. 'More than 30,000 plant species have been imported into Australia for gardening, but fewer than a quarter have been assessed nationally for their weed risk,' Dr Booth said. 'Some of our worst invasives — like lantana and blackberry — were once common garden plants. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
ABC News
10-05-2025
- General
- ABC News
Children's books written in English, Hazaragi and Noongar-Menang languages
Noongar woman Jeanice Krakouer says the story of how her great-grandfather found a missing child in the West Australian town of Mount Barker was only known within her family until recently. Indigenous readers are advised this article includes the names of people who have died. She decided to share it as part of Mount Barker's Reading for Generations project that has published four children's books, telling stories from the local Hazara, an ethnic group originally from Afghanistan, and First Nations Menang-Noongar communities. Ms Krakouer's book Little Boy Lost tells of how, in 1954, her great-grandfather Sammy Miller found a four-year-old boy who had wandered away from his home one winter morning. After hours of searching, including into the night, the boy was found in bushland 5 kilometres from his house. Given the cold and wet conditions he had been in, the boy was taken to the hospital, and his family was grateful to be reunited with him. Ms Krakouer said the historical context of the story was important. "I think the story came because of the way that Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people worked together [to find the missing boy] in 1954 and I think it's a great way to lead up to Reconciliation [Week]. "It wasn't until 1967 that things had changed, our people weren't allowed in town before 6am and after 6pm at night, yet, late at night, these Aboriginal guys were still out searching the district to find the little boy?" She said, at first, it was difficult trying to decide whether to tell the story to the wider community. "Then I started to do more and more and see the illustration from the kids and hearing the story they were asking, 'What did Sammy do?' "It brought joy to your heart and you knew that you were doing the right thing. A group of primary school students from Mount Barker Community College illustrated the books for the project. Eleven-year-old Maisie Hemmings said they worked on the artwork for two terms and it was great to see the final published book. "It's crazy," she said. Ms Krakouer's book, as well as a story about the late Bella Kelly, a local Aboriginal artist who painted landscapes of the Great Southern region, both include a Menang-Noongar translation. Ali Sina Azimi contributed the stories of The Farmer and the Snakes and Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, both include a Hazaragi translation. The former Mount Barker Community College student said it was a privilege to share the stories and their values, including with his younger brother. "When I was writing the book he was four years old and he was slowly starting to read," he said. Nicole Selesnew from the Shire of Plantagenet, which includes Mount Barker, was one of the main organisers of the project. She said including an audio recording in both languages with each of the books was important to assist parents who wanted to help their children with their reading. "We had an opportunity to talk to a Hazara family and they said that for their parents to read to the kids it was quite intimidating because not a lot of the parents could read English very well, so that's sort of when the ideas started,'" Ms Selesnew said. The Shire of Plantagenet has a population of approximately 5,700 people. About 4.5 per cent are part of the Hazara community. Rhonda Oliver from Curtin University's school of education said it was great initiative. "To foster cultural understanding across all kids, regardless of background, to see that we do have other ways of being and knowing and doing," Professor Oliver said. "It's really good for the kids whose language background it is because it makes them feel good about who they are and and self-identity is really important for academic success."
