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The Wimmera region in western Victoria contains an extremely diverse range of communities.
These include the wet and rugged Grampians Ranges, the Mt Cole Ranges and Pyrenees Ranges where rainfall can be up to 750mm per year. In other parts of the region Little Desert and Big Desert are large, dry, sandy expanses, where rainfall is lucky to reach 350mm per year.
There is also a great range in soil types sands of the Grampians and the deserts, through to the heavy alluvial Wimmera grey and red clays, areas of granite sands and loams, metamorphic hills and ridges, auriferous alluvial sediments and even wind blown gypsum and silty-sand lunettes near the extensive lakes and wetlands in the region.
As a result of these climatic and soil variations there are many different vegetation communities in the region, many of which remain threatened. Of particular importance are the grasslands and grassy woodlands of the open plains. These are now largely destroyed, with only tiny and highly fragmented remnants remaining.
There is only now only 14 per cent of uncleared land left in the region and two per cent of this is privately owned.
Despite many challenges, the Wimmera recently became the first Victorian region to have protected 10,000 hectares of bushland through Trust for Nature's conservation covenants program.
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Contacts:
Adam Blake - Wimmera Regional Manager
Phone: (03) 5389 2046
Mobile: 0429 431 099
PO Box 1020, Horsham 3402
email
Fiona Copley - Wimmera Conservation Officer
Phone: (03) 5389 2046
Mobile: 0408 177 989
PO Box 1020, Horsham 3402
email
Ellie Clark - Wimmera Project Officer
Phone: (03) 5389 2046
Mobile: 0477 299 848
PO Box 1020, Horsham 3402
email
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