General News
14 March, 2025
Barry's Corner
Astonishingly with such a variety of weather systems across one country all at the same time.
With fires in Western Australia. Near enough to a drought across a lot of Victoria and a mega flood caused by an aggresive cyclone.
Each one has caused an immense amount of destruction and trails of damage and frustration.
It will take decades of hard work and wheelbarrows of money to cope.
The brute force of rushing water scours away valuable soil and fertiliser.
The vegetation suffers in the swirling currants by breaking branches and trunks.
Much of the loose vegetation is swept up and is carried down stream mostly in big piles or floating islands.
Hanging on these islands there ends up lizards, snakes, echidnas, birds and there they stay until the water slows down or gets snagged on a tree or stump.
Then all the weeds that have been brought down from way upstream settle on to the dirt and the seeds sprout and become fully fledged weeds again.
This is the simple transfer of weeds out of their locality and off to a new start.
Anywhere water can flow will carry weed seeds.
This district has smoothed over most of the water channels that were used to supply dams and water holes with regular supply.
This was once called the “ganges of the Wimmera” because of the unregulated stuff that was carried along with the flow.
Weeds always turn up in amazing places when there has been floods.
Dust storms will carry seeds incredible distances and they might settle in a spot out of the way until they are spotted and dealt with.
The smaller birds if caught at the wrong time of the season can lose their nests, the food source and even be overcome and lose their valuable lives.
It’s a hard life for animals and bird. It seems as if they have to fight their whole lives to just survive.
But the bush can be devastated with trees toppling over and a great tangle can happen with a lot of work or animal and allow the small leaves and branches to provide cover for the soil.
And some protection for the future if any survive.