Environmental explorer Tim Jarvis reveals plans to revegetate former pastoral land at Carrickalinga

Famed explorer Tim Jarvis has revealed his next mission is a far cry from Antarctica – he has some “wild” plans for 54ha of land at Carrickalinga. See what’s planned.

A trailblazing South Australian explorer who has conquered the Antarctic has now set his sights closer to home, embarking on a major adventure to “rewild” a slice of the state’s coastal paradise.

Tim Jarvis AM, who recreated Antarctic expeditions of Sir Douglas Mawson and Sir Ernest Shackleton, has lodged plans to revegetate 54ha of fallow farming land at Carrickalinga with the backing of the Prince Charles’ charity the Princes Trust Australia.

The so-called Forktree Project, on Forktree Rd, will involve a plant seed nursery to eventually plant around 20,000 native trees and shrubs, including 5ha of manna gums for food for wildlife charity Koala Life.

The aim is to return the land as closely as possible to the way it was prior to 19th-century clearance for pastoral use.

It would also assist in boosting native species on the brink of extinction.

The plans, out for public consultation, also include an interpretation and education centre for the community, which will also have space for overnight accommodation.

Tim Jarvis from The Forktree Project at his Carrickalinga property. Picture: Matt Loxton

Mr Jarvis said the Fleurieu Peninsula was idea for the “really exciting” project, given the richness of its natural habitat and proximity to Adelaide.

“We’ll be working closely with Aboriginal kids ... as a lot of them are quite urbanised kids and no longer spend a lot of time out in the country so we’re trying to help them get more exposure,” he said.

“But increasingly, we’re looking at providing sustainability (education) for anybody, not just kids ... and we’re already running tree planting events, including for corporate groups out here.

“There is no limit to how far this can ultimately go but first up we need to get the building complete to have a central place.”

He said round 300 volunteers had already signed up to assist with the “rewilding” project of the land.

“We’re in the process of setting up a seed orchard which is an area on site where we will plant rare plants in a concentrated area so you can harvest seeds from them and then grow them in the nursery,” he said.

“It will also allow us to export them to other properties, to plant them offsite, to help bring back some of these rare species that are at the brink of extinction, which is pretty exciting.”

In 2013, Jarvis and five others – using period gear – recreated Shackleton’s 1916 Southern Ocean crossing to Antarctica and trek across the mountainous interior of South Georgia mountains.

In 2007, he retraced Mawson’s footsteps in a 500km trek pulling a sleigh of supplies and living on ration’s similar to Mawson used in his 1913 expedition.

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