Rehydration Road trip
Showcasing Rehydration works in the Swanbrook catchment
Capacity building - LEP23-024-04
The issue
Landholders are seeking achievable, realistic, and economical ways to improve their landscapes function. The landscape's capacity to retain water and nutrients has been affected by persistent drought conditions and some management practices, hindering efficient cycling and the ability to retain as much moisture as possible when it does fall. Gwymac along with the Mulloon Institute have been running a Community of Practice Project locally for the past 18 months and wanted to highlight the significant work that has occurred.
The solution
As a part of the 2025 Landcare Adventure, a field trip was a key component to the event. Day 2 saw the field trips take place and field trip 2 was dubbed the “Rehydration Tour”. Over 50 participants visited 3 properties in the Swanbrook catchment that have been implementing Landscape Rehydration practises. Participants also visited the property “Danthonia”, where they got to see a soil pit demonstration by soil scientist Ned Skehan as well as tours of Danthonia’s Vegetable garden and machinery shed.
The impact
Over 50 participants explored landscape rehydration works in the Swanbrook Catchment through Gwymac and the Mulloon Institute's Community of Practice mentoring program. They visited two sites showcasing works at different stages: one completed 10 months earlier and another completed just weeks before. Participants saw cost-effective structures such as brush weirs, log, clay, and rock weirs and heard insights from involved landholders. Peter Hazel from Mulloon guided attendees through the design and construction process. A Vegetative Data Index report for the older site highlighted remarkable benefits achieved, inspiring attendees with practical examples of rehydration’s potential in their own areas.
Learnings
Practical demonstrations provide understanding - visiting properties at various stages of implementation helped attendees see achievable outcomes for their own properties.
Affordable solutions work - Participants saw cost effective structures like brush weirs and rock weirs, reinforcing that landscape rehydration doesn’t require high tech solutions but can rely on practical, economical methods.