Paul Rosser 
Another dry month with 3.0mm recorded mid-month. The Year to Date (YTD) figure is also low at 37.0mm.
How does this compare with other years:
2024 3.0mm 37.0mm (YTD)
2023 32.0mm 58.0mm
2022 4.5mm 50.5mm
2021 20.0mm 59.5mm
2020 8.5mm 58.0mm
2019 4.0mm 14.5mm
2018 8.5mm 27.0mm
2017 7.0mm 83.5mm
2016 29.5mm 94.0mm
2015 7.5mm 46.0mm
2014 8.0mm 68.0mm
2013 15.0mm 34.0mm
2012 40.0mm 115.0mm
This March was the driest in the 14 years I have been recording rainfall in the Arts and Eco Village. The rainfall was collected at the Aldinga Post Office from 1894 until 1992, when it closed. During this time the average was 13.3mm for March compared to 13.4mm over the last 14 years at the AAEV. The nearest weather stations today are at Pirramimma Winery & Noarlunga Post Office.
I have just finished reading a very good book by Janis Sheldrick, titled ‘Nature’s Line – George Goyder, Surveyor, environmentalist & visionary’. Goyder was a brilliant South Australian who surveyed our State’s regional areas, following on from Colonel William Light who surveyed the city of Adelaide & his team mapped out what are now the suburbs. Lt. Field did Aldinga’s survey. He is buried in the Willunga Cemetery as you enter the township from the west. Field’s grave is in the north east corner, for you people who love their local history. Goyder is perhaps remembered for drawing ‘Goyder’s Line’ on our state’s map which indicates the change from farming land to pastoral land, based on differences in vegetation. North of the line was salt bush & blue bush & to the south grassy woodlands suitable for wheat farming.
With Climate Change this line is moving. A friend of mine who worked with the CSIRO believes the line is moving south at an increasing rate, making it attractive to grow arid land plants such as eremophilas now. We have a number in our native garden now & quite a few are doing well.
Back to the next three months forecasts. The Oceans to the east, west & south are changing. El Nina in the Pacific is returning to neutral over autumn as is the Indian Ocean Dipole. The Southern Ocean remains warmer than it has been historically. This means we will have rain but it is forecast to be less than average through autumn. Temperatures will be warmer than average during the day & into the night.
Because of the drier weather bushfires will be possible into April. Tropical Cyclone season may last a little longer this year because of higher ocean temperatures around Australia.
So, keep an eye on your gardens. Don’t put the hose away just yet.
The First Nations People’s Calendar is now entering their autumn, ‘Parnati’ is its name. During April a star will be seen on the lower left side of the moon. The star is called ‘Parna’. You may see it sparkling, ‘Parntinthi’. The mornings are getting colder & may be a little foggy, ‘Kudmu’. Rainfall will be increasing & there may be high winds that may cause some trees to fall. Food wise the coastal mullet will be available at high tide using nets. Whiting, mulloway, salmon trout are in the estuaries. Possums, kangaroos, wallabies & bandicoots can be caught for eating. Diet will be supplemented with roots, yams, wild cabbage & various seeds. Birds everywhere. Wattles are stripped for making things. Communities will be moving into the protection of the hills. It’s a time for making skin rugs & seaweed cloaks for protection from the winter cold, ‘Kudlila’
What a great healthy lifestyle they had.
Catch you next month for the April Report.
Paul
Main image: Goyder’s Line, marked in blue, stretches across South Australia. (Supplied: District Council of Orroroo-Carrieton
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