Organ Pipes National Park, Volcanic Plains Bioregion, VIC. VAST-2: Tracking the Transformation of Australia's Vegetated Landscapes

The aim of this project is to compile land use and management practices and their observed and measured impacts and effects on vegetation condition. The results provide land managers and researchers with a tool for reporting and monitoring spatial and temporal transformations of Australia’s native vegetated landscapes due to changes in land use and management practices. Following are the details about Organ Pipes National Park, Volcanic Plains Bioregion, Victoria.

Pre-European reference-analogue vegetation: Treeless basalt plain predominantly grassland dominated by Kangaroo Grass Themeda triandra with an array of inter-tussock species.

Brief chronology of changes in land use and management:
1830: Indigenous people manage the area
1835: Sheep grazing commenced (shepherds)
1851: Alienated from the Crown as freehold and fenced
1851-1965: Area managed for dairying, an orchard and cropping and grazing modified pastures
1965: Agricultural production abandoned
1965-1986: Area minimally managed
1972: Organ Pipes National Park declared
1986-1992: Commenced species re-introduced site with supplemental plantings. Area managed to control weed and further incursions
1989-2003: Repeated monitoring. Area lightly grazed by rabbits and macropods
1993: Site burnt [prescribed fire]; supplemental re-vegetation with indigenous local species
1995: Site was burnt [prescribed fire]
1997: Site was burnt [prescribed fire] followed by drought
2003: Ceased monitoring and enhancement to the site
2004-10: Minimal intervention.