| The
Mallee |
| Jeanette
Wormald lives and works from a broadacre farm in the Northern
Mallee region of South Australia, 220km north east of
Adelaide |
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The
word Mallee comes from one of the local Aboriginal languages,
and was used to describe the eucalyptus trees with multi-stemmed
trunks growing from ligno-tubers. |
| Today
the word is also used to describe the landscape where
the trees thrive. The Mallee tree is found throughout
Australia in areas with less than 350mm annual rainfall. |
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The
Mallee region in Northern South Australia was opened up
for farming at the beginning of last century.
The Wormald family were one of the earliest pioneers in
the Caliph district. |
It
is excellent wheat growing country, and is home to many
species of rare birds, animals and plants.
Rare Mallee birds include the magnificent Major Mitchells,
Mallee fowl, Black-eared miners and Peregrine Falcons. |
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The
more common birds include wrens, honey eaters, magpies,
jays, galahs and parrots.
Grey kangaroos and echidnas are common on Jeanette's
property as well as goannas, snakes and various lizards.
Even the occasional emu is seen in the district.
Jeanette
and her husband grow various cereal and legume crops on
their property, and are developing a quandong or native
peach orchard |
| They
believe in caring for the ancient Mallee soils and environment
and are members of the Mallee Sustainable Farming Project
and the SA No Till Farmer's Association. They also have
large tracts of original Mallee scrub protected by Heritage
agreements. |
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