In December, the University established a joint Buildings and Property/School of Environment Project to restore the long-term health of The Lake at our Bedford Park campus and the associated flora and wildlife.

Over the summer, this project has involved maintenance works to clear out silt in the overflow, which had built up in the lake over time.

The School of the Environment has also been leading an investigation into how the silt has settled into the basin and if/how this has impacted the liner of the basin. This assessment will help Buildings and Property to develop a methodology and schedule for extracting the silt from the Lake bed and other improvements.

One of the issues also being addressed with this project is the eradication of the pest speckled livebearer fish – an aquarium fish species native to the Gulf of Mexico. Once the Lake was completely dried out, Bio Security inspected the Lake to ensure this pest fish, as well as carp, had been successfully eradicated.

To ensure the safety and wellbeing of our native fish and turtles, Leslie Morrison, Animal House Manager (Biological Sciences) led a rescue operation to temporarily relocate our wildlife, from in and around the Lake, to a temporary home in the Animal House – including three Murray River short neck turtles. Birdlife also relocated, most likely to the wetlands near Sturt Road.

Flinders launched a Facebook competition last week with a call out to name our three turtles – and the winners are:

• Sarah Fletcher with the name Arausio (male senior)
• Kristy Stewart with the name Myrtle (mature female)
• Heather Arrighhi with Michelangelo (young male)

Paul Beazley, Project Manager, said the project is on track and The Lake is expected be refilled by Tuesday 18 February, with native fish and our three turtles Arausio, Myrtle and Michelangelo being released back into our restored Lake once silt extraction and building works have been completed.

 

Planning will continue throughout 2014 for the long-term rehabilitation of the Lake to further improve “this amazing on-site teaching facility.”