Photo submitted by
Trevor and Cathy Waterhouse
Sampson Flat
Bushfire Recovery Newsletter
Special edition – May 2015
Garden and
Property Recovery
Garden recovery after bushfire
With the onset of breaking rains it is a good time to think about putting some plants back into fire
affected gardens.
Planting local native species is great for a number of reasons, they will be well suited to the local climate,
they are beneficial to our native wildlife who rely on their resources and they also look great. Of course
Natural Resources, Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges promote the planting of local natives but we
recognise that each garden owner will have their own plant passions.
Garden design principles
features such as:
A carefully designed and well maintained garden can • High moisture and salt content
contribute significantly to a bushfire protection plan. • B
road fleshy leaves and low, dense habit
Importantly:
• Smooth trunks rather than rough bark and do not
• Maintain a clear area around your house with
retain dead material
paving, groundcovers or lawn
Further information about garden design principles,
• Create gaps using driveways and paths to break
plant selection and a list of plants with low
up continuous areas of vegetation
flammability can be found in the “Reducing fire
risk in gardens” information sheet, part of the
• Plant trees well away from your house and keep
Sustainable Landscapes series produced by the
any tall shrubs well away from trees
Botanic Gardens of Adelaide, currently available at
• Use garden features like stone or brick walls to
the Bushfire Recovery Centre at Gumeracha or the
protect from radiant heat
Natural Resources Centre in Gawler and Lobethal.
• Only use low growing, low flammability plants
Useful information on garden design, native plants
close to your house
and animals and environmental weeds can also be
• Place vegetables and fruit trees on the side most found on the following website
likely to face an approaching fire
www.naturalresources.sa.gov.au/
adelaidemtloftyranges/plants-and-animals/native• Provide plants with enough water to retain
plants-animals
moisture in their leaves
• Keep an area around you house free from plant
litter, weeds and flammable items.
Choosing the right plants
All plants can burn under the right conditions.
Even plants with low flammability characteristics
can become susceptible to fire if they are not
maintained in a healthy condition.
Plants with low flammability characteristics have
When recreating your garden one thing to avoid
is planting something that may become a serious
environmental weed. A booklet that identifies
some problem plants and an excellent selection of
better alternatives is “Grow me instead”, a Nursery
and Garden Industry publication is also available
at the Bushfire Recovery Centre in Gumeracha and
from the Natural Resources Centres in Gawler and
Lobethal.
For more information from Natural Resources,
Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges please
contact 8523 7700 or visit the website
at www.naturalresources.sa.gov.au/
adelaidemountloftyranges and click on Sampson
Flat Fire Recovery.
Garden Recovery Group Plant Giveaway!
The Garden Recovery Group has received thousands
of plant donations for distribution to fire affected
households. There will be about 3,000 natives
(mostly as tube-stock), a lot of ornamental plants
and succulents. Smaller numbers of kitchen garden
plants and fruit trees. There will be some limits on
particular types of plants, especially the fruit trees,
which will be limited to one per household.
To be eligible you must have a fire affected card
issued by the Recovery Centre. If you do not have
a fire affected card, but you were affected by the
Sampson Flat bushfire, please visit the Recovery
Centre at the Torrens Valley Community Centre,
Gumeracha or contact the Recovery Centre staff on
0477 744 258.
Plant Distribution Day
When:
Sunday, 10 May (Mothers’ Day)
2–5pm.
Where:
Kersbrook Primary School
(corner Bowden St and Kersbrook Rd)
There will be some bags and boxes available, it
would be helpful if you could bring your own
containers to take plants home in.
The Garden Recovery group would like to take this
opportunity to thank the many members of the
public who have grown and donated plants and
also:
The ABC
Manor Nurseries
Wildtech Nursery
Simounds Transport
Plant Inspirations
Barossa Nurseries
Balhannah Nurseries
Environments By Design
Dawnsley Creek Landcare
Mt Pleasant Primary School
Yarrabee Garden and Iris
Natural Resource Centre
Walkerville Rotary Club
For more information on the Garden Recovery
Group or the distribution day please contact Colleen
on 0419 858 145.
State Flora voucher
Fire is a natural part of the Australian landscape, but
it can also have devastating consequences.
If your garden has been destroyed by a bushfire it
can be difficult to know where to begin, but with
the arrival of more favourable weather, now is the
perfect time to start planting.
Planning a garden from scratch can be daunting
and there are many things to consider. State Flora
has designed a special brochure to help residents
take the first step in re-establishing their gardens
and have put together a special brochure which
highlights which native plants are the best at
reducing the risk of future bushfires to property.
These plants are grouped into hedging, climbers,
ground covers, shade creating as well as species
which provide windbreaks and those that attract
birds and beneficial insects.
Before you begin, you many need to get burnt
trees assessed by an arborist to determine if they
are safe and plant species should be selected with
rainfall, aspect and soil type prominently in mind. If
in doubt, engaging a landscape gardener to provide
expert advice could be beneficial.
State Flora staff are also always on hand to offer
advice about a particular plant species you might be
considering. The brochure is available from the Bushfire
Recovery Centre at the Torrens Valley Community
Centre, Gumeracha and includes the $25 voucher.
For more information from State Flora please
contact them on 8278 7777 or visit their website
www.stateflora.sa.gov.au
Upcoming plant sales
The Kersbrook Landcare Nursery is a great place for
getting very local natives. Contact Yvonne Gravier
on 0430 018 007. They have a couple of plant sales
coming up on Saturday, 6 June and Saturday, 5 July
from 10am to 2pm at their South Para Reservoir
nursery.
Another opportunity is the Australian Plant Society’s
Spring Plant Sale on 10 and 11 October at the
Wayville Showground.
The Gawler Regional Natural Resource Centre also
has plant sales coming up. See website for ordering
online http://www.nrcgawler.org.au/plant-ordersunderstorey-project-2015/
Sampson Flat Bushfire Recovery Newsletter - Special edition - Garden and property recovery
For more information, assistance and a range of
other useful property design and revegetation
information please contact a District Officer at
Gawler Natural Resources Centre on 8523 7700.
Horse SA
Horse owners will understand that hairy horses are
now a part of our winter, rain, mud, lives again and
as we transition into this time of year, we also think
about how the Sampson Flat fire grounds will react.
While the rain is a welcome relief, it will also bring
more hardship. Properties that were once under
control with weeds could sprout a field of gorse,
Salvation Jane or other unwanted plant that has fire
resistant hard seeds. A healthy pasture of annual
grasses may not regrow at all, with the seed bank
also burned off, or one could get all the pasture
grow back, but strike a new weed, which arrived in
donated hay.
If you have family, neighbours, friends or club
members on the fire ground, ask how things are
going. Have a coffee and take a walk across the
paddocks to check the health of the horses and see
what is growing. Horses have been standing on ash
for three months and all new green sprouts will be
tempting to eat. It is well documented from the
Canberra and Victorian bushfires that the second
round of difficulties is approaching for owners.
Horses will try out green shoots, perhaps ones they
‘never normally touch’, but the stress of changed
landscapes and perhaps new social orders in herds
since the fire can reduce normal resilience. Toxic
poisoning and colic are more likely to occur.
‘Coffee & chat’ sessions are still been run. The
next one is at Kersbrook on Thursday, 8 May at
7pm. Bring along a friend, bring paddock plants for
identification. You don’t need to be fire affected
to attend. It could save your horse’s life. For more
information on Horse SA or the Coffee & chat
sessions please visit www.horsesa.asn.au or call
0402 488 306.
Green waste disposal
Adelaide Hills Council
To assist the community in recovery the Adelaide
Hills Council is having a free green organics drop
off day for Adelaide Hills Council residents. Proof of
residency is required.
Free green organics drop off day:
When:
Saturday 9 May, 9am–4pm Where:
Heathfield Transfer Station
32 Scott Creek Road, Heathfield
Where:
Woodside Council Depot
10 Tiers Road, Woodside
Where:
Gumeracha Council Depot
5 John Fischer Avenue, Gumeracha
For more information regarding the free organics
drop off day please contact the Adelaide Hills
Council on 8408 0400.
City of Playford
Normal green waste practices apply for City of
Playford residents. Residents need to provide
their own 240L bin. IBins can be purchased from hardware or garden supply stores or from the City of
Playford waste contractor NAWMA.
Once a resident has a bin they need to register the
bin with NAWMA. Registration is free of charge but
needs to be done so that NAWMA know they need
to pick up the bin. Collection will then occur once
per fortnight.
For large quantities of green waste the Transfer
Station at NAWMA’s premises at Bellchambers
Road takes green waste at a lower cost than general
waste.
For more information about the NAWMA service
please contact NAWMA on 1800 111 004 or
8252 9666. If you would like to speak with someone
from the City of Playford please contact the City of
Playford Customer Care team on 8256 0333.
Sampson Flat Bushfire Recovery Newsletter - Special edition - Garden and property recovery
City of Tea Tree Gully
The City of Tea Tree Gully runs an EnviroCare
Sunday program twice a month for City of Tea
Tree Gully residents, which offers residents
regular opportunities to dispose of their green
organic waste and a range of hard refuse, in an
environmentally responsible way.
When: Sunday 10 May and Sunday 31 May,
10am–2pm
Where: St Agnes Recreation Park Smart Road,
St Agnes
For more information regarding EnviroCare Sunday,
please contact the City of Tea Tree Gully on
8397 7444 or visit their website at www.teatreegully.
sa.gov.au/enviro
Planning and development
Adelaide Hills Council
The Adelaide Hills Council is endeavouring to fast
track development applications wherever possible
for the construction of replacement buildings.
The Adelaide Hills Council is happy to meet with
residents to discuss plans on site or meet elsewhere,
a t a convenientlocation. For more information or
to speak to a planner about your application, please
contact the Adelaide Hills Council on 8408 0400.
City of Playford
The City of Playford endeavours to expedite the
development application process for replacement
buildings so that they may be constructed as soon as
possible.
For more information or advice in relation to the
development application process within the City
of Playford, please contact the City of Playford’s
Planning Case Manager on 8256 0327.
City of Tea Tree Gully
The City of Tea Tree Gully is endeavouring to fast
track development applications wherever possible
for the construction of replacement buildings. This
includes applications for sheds, garages and one
house, with planning and building fees waived if the
proposed building is a replacement building, or a
similar structure in about the same location. Information packs have been provided to all affected
residents to guide them through this process and
the City of Tea Tree Gully is committed to providing
ongoing support for affected residents. For more information or advice in relation to the
development application process within the City of
Tea Tree Gully, please contact the City of Tea Tree
Gully’s Planning Team on 8397 7444.
Planning Institute
The Planning Institute of Australia (PIA) has a
number of volunteers who are prepared to provide
free advice and assistance for anyone who lost a
building in the recent Sampson Flat that needs
to obtain approval from Council for rebuilding
a new building in the same or substantially the
same position and where the new building has the
same or substantially the same layout and external
appearance as the previous building.
The Planning Institute of Australia’s volunteers are
qualified Urban and Regional Planners with many
years’ experience working in or providing advice
to State and Local Government, as well as private
organisations and individuals. These qualified and
experienced Urban and Regional Planners have
offered their services free of charge to you to act
on your behalf, to provide advice and assistance in
helping you to gain an approval from the Council
to replace any lawful buildings (home, shed, farm
building etc.) with a new building in the same or
substantially the same position and where the new
building has the same or substantially the same
layout and external appearance as the previous
building.
These volunteers will act as independent Planning
experts on your behalf in helping you to understand
the planning processes that must be followed and
the information you will need to provide to the
Council, they will liaise with the Council staff to
ensure that you obtain Development Approval. This
advice and assistance offered is generally as follows
but specific support can be negotiated based upon
individual need:
• Communicate with you at an early stage to
outline the process to be followed for you to gain
an approval to replace the building
• Meet with you on your site to see first-hand
the building(s) to be replaced and to collect
information from you that will assist in our
volunteer preparing a submission on your behalf
to Council
• Advise you of the details required to be
submitted in the application to the Council
• Give guidance where and how the details to be
Sampson Flat Bushfire Recovery Newsletter - Special edition - Garden and property recovery
submitted to Council can be obtained
• Liaise/meet with your architect/designer if one is
required for your building during the preparation
of your plans
• Meet with you and a Council Officer as may be
required
• Be available for you and your architect/designer
to maintain contact when you are collecting this
information
• Once the information has been collected by you,
to again meet with you to obtain a copy and then
prepare a submission on your behalf that will be
submitted with and form part of the application
to the Council
• Provide you with the submission to the Council
or, if requested by you, to submit the application
with you to the Council
individual and their particular circumstance.
The focus is on helpful consistent information, pro
bono and without obligation.
Being the affected peoples’ advocate or providing
normal commercial services is quite separate,
outside and beyond this ‘immediate consistent
information’ role.
Affected communities, families and individuals are
welcome to contact the ‘rebuilding group’ when
considering the processes toward consents and
build practicalities.
The consistent information which can be provided
will canvass in plain language the variety of
approaches and supply outlines available to address
paperwork and build matters, including:
• The variety of items which may be included in
consents
• To liaise with the Council staff to ensure that the
application is dealt with in a prompt manner and
an approval issued as a matter of priority
• The family decisions steps which may be helpful
• To respond on your behalf to any questions
that the Council may have on the application to
answer any questions you may have throughout
the process, including following the granting of
the approval by the Council
• Meeting bushfire resistance focus and CFS
Development Assessment Service
• Any other actions as may be agreed between
you and our volunteer at your first meeting/
communication.
If you would like more information about how the
Planning Institute may be able to assist you, please
contact George Inglis from the Planning Institute on
[email protected] or 8361 3613.
Re-building Group
The ‘re-building group’ of independent planners,
architects and other built environment specialists
is part of the recovery process following the
Sampson Flat bushfire. This group has come into
being because it is expected that affected residents
will find that standard processes geared to day-today new build approaches do not align with their
circumstances.
The Rebuilding Group participates in the Community
Leaders meetings at the Recovery Centre.
The group task is to provide consistent information
to help people affected in the bushfire find a
way through process both in paperwork and rebuild options terms, in a timescale that fits each
• The supporting paperwork and potential sources
for these
• Reminding instrumentalities that your work is ‘rebuild’ rather than new build
• Achieving minimum requirements vs best
practice outcomes, ‘compliance’ vs ‘noncompliance’
• Checklist for building rules requirements
• The build options - builder, trades, owner
led, sequencing, pressure points and family
preparations, interim living, and so on.
For more information from the Rebuilding Group or
the Australian Institute of Architects, please contact
Emilis Prelgauskas on [email protected] or
0415 631 713.
Rebuilding forums
In response to a need identified by the Community
Reference Group, the Community Development
Officer, Anne Ellis and Emilis Pregauskas from the
Australian Institute of Architects have organised
five Rebuilding Forums for those affected by the
Sampson Flat bushfire.
These forums will have a planning and rebuilding
focus and are open to anyone in the community
who has any questions around the planning,
rebuilding or the development application process.
Sampson Flat Bushfire Recovery Newsletter - Special edition - Garden and property recovery
Present at each forum will be planners from local
Councils, independent planners from the Planning
Institute, and architect, Emilis Pregauskas from the
Australian Institute of Architects.
Cudlee Creek
When:
Monday 11 May, 7pm
Where:
Cudlee Creek Memorial Hall,
Gorge Road
Where:
One Tree Hill Uniting Church,
Blacktop Road
Kersbrook
When:
Thursday 21 May, 7pm
Where:
Kersbrook Hall, 13/15 Scott Street
Houghton
Gumeracha
When:
Thursday 14 May, 7pm
Where:
Torrens Valley Community Centre
(Library foyer), 45 Albert Street,
One Tree Hill
When:
Monday 18 May, 7pm
When:
Monday 25 May, 7pm
Where:
Houghton Memorial Oval,
Lower North East Road
To register your interest in attending a Rebuilding
Forum, please contact Katie Jackson on 8415 4205
or [email protected]
Useful contacts
General recovery information
Business support
Bushfire Recovery Hotline
1800 302 787
Recovery Centre
0477 744 258
Local councils
Rural Business Support 1800 836 211
Department of State Development
Planning and rebuilding
Adelaide Hills Council
8408 0400
City of Playford
8256 0333
City of Tea Tree Gully
8397 7444
Animals, agriculture & livestock
Planning Institute of Australia
8361 3613
Australian Institute of Architects
8344 6009
8212 0777
8297 0899
Conservation Volunteers Australia
Stock Assessment Hotline
8207 7847
Community support
Livestock SA
8297 2299
Environment Protection Authority
8204 2004
Natural Resources Management
SAVEM
1800 623 445
8273 9100
0477 055 233
0415 631 713
Habitat for Humanity
Primary Producers SA or for country callers
8303 2913
Several community groups are coordinating
fundraisers, donations and other assistance.
For links to social media sites visit
www.sa.gov.au/recovery
A joint initiative of
with assistance from
All information was current at the time of printing.