Soil and land suitability assessment for Dunmarra area

Department of Environment and Natural Resources

The Department of Environment and NaturalResources (DENR) has investigated 59,980ha in the Dunmarra area to assist thepotential development of irrigated agriculture in the vicinity.

The land resource mapping and crop typesuitability findings have identified 14,831ha of versatile lands suitable forirrigated agriculture across the entire range of crops assessed, with a further10,396ha occupied by lands that are suitable for a limited range of irrigatedagricultural activities.

The first soil and land suitability studyconducted in the Dunmarra area has identified considerable areas of soils suitablefor irrigated agriculture, across three pastoral leases and an Aboriginal LandTrust.

The study immediately followed a groundwaterinvestigation of the Georgina Basin, which identified prospective aquifers inthe region.

Our knowledge of this area was limited beforethis study, but thanks to an excellent team of scientists spending weeks in thefield, coring and testing over 110 soils, we now have an excellentunderstanding of the areas development potential, Mr Jason Hill, DirectorLand Assessment said.

This is the eleventh project completed over thepast 5 years that has identified arable soils from the Top End to the RedCentre. The various studies span across the Territorys climatic zones,providing opportunities for diverse growing seasons and market access.

Collectively, these studies are providing anumber of regional communities, pastoralists and traditional owners from acrossthe Territory with the necessary scientific information to underpinagricultural development opportunities, Mr Hill said.

The Northern Territory Government hasrecognised these types of natural resource studies as a key economic enabler,so has invested a further $10M over 5 years in a Mapping the Future program.This is accelerating natural resource assessment programs, enabling projectssimilar to the Dunmarra study to continue through to 2022.

The reports and maps released today areavailable on the DENR website: https://denr.nt.gov.au/rangelands/publications2/land-soil-vegetation.

MediaContact Department of Environment and Natural Resources

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