Scale and transformation

This is me in the foreground and the lines indicate where I would fit in the controllers room beside the bucket-wheel. The length of the excavator is 160m from the bucket-wheel to the conveyor. Loy Yang power station is in the background.

How do I design the transformation of this open cut brown coal mine to allow ecological systems to be restored?

What is the resulting landscape?

The soil profile must be built up from layers of decomposing leaf and woody debris. The above images show this build up from a grey sandy loam to native lowland forest that has been established over a 3 year period after fires burnt through the area early in 2009.

Traralgon South Flora & Fauna Reserve (http://www.protectedplanet.net/sites/Traralgon_South_Nature_Conservation_Reserve_Flora_Reserve) is on the south boundary of Loy Yang. I mountain biked through this area on 2nd September to investigate the the occurrence of native vegetation in proximity to the mine. Taking to the tracks by bike was a great way to study a large area where ecological systems control how this park operates. Albeit it is still managed by controlled burning, easements and areas for logging.
Vegetation was most diverse in grassed areas. I haven't identified all the species yet but coreas, wattles and then blackwoods were growing (and flowering) in abundance. These are species that are naturally self-perpetuating.

The tracks (4wd and single track) are fantastic for mountain biking in the park. I had so much fun exploring and getting a little lost.

Central track dividing the flora and fauna reserve from the blue-gum and pine forestry plantation

Epacris impressa - Common Heath

After the trip to the mine, I went further afield to Tarra Bulga national park to see the conditions of a wet sclerophyll forest. Coal deposits in the Latrobe Valley are meant to have come from tall open forests similar to that of Tarra Bulga.