How We Stopped Erosion in Western Australia!

Big banks, bigger problems? We test an interceptor bank on fragile rangeland in WA — and show why a lighter-touch method, “scoloping”, can slow water, stop gully heads, and kickstart plant growth without creating new erosion hot spots.

In this step-by-step field demo at Challa Station (near Mount Magnet, WA), Ash Dowden and I break down:

What causes gully head erosion in flat rangelands with shallow topsoil/coffee rock

Why scrub packing helped (but wasn’t enough)

How a big interceptor bank shifted the problem downslope

The “scolop” method (lots of tiny pits/cheese-grater effect) to dissipate energy, hold moisture, and speed natural revegetation

Gear and settings (John Deere 770 grader, depth 200–300 mm, spacing & setup)

Do you need to seed? We share results from a $2k species trial

If you manage gullies, scalds, hard pans, or flood-outs, this practical walk-through will help you choose what to build — and what to avoid.

Location: Challa Station, WA (rangelands)
Featured: Ash Dowden
Method: “Scolops” (small, repeated moisture-catching cuts/pits)
Gear: John Deere 770 grader

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👉 Share this with someone battling gully heads or scalded country.

Related videos (add your links):
• Multi-Species Cropping Breakthrough — https://youtu.be/AhIBBHpNqz8
• Floodgate Design That Survived the Big One — https://youtu.be/b4vb3z6O6gA
• Regenerative Grazing in Outback NSW — https://youtu.be/f83vAFMFFbw

Chapters below ⬇ and hashtags at the end.

#ChallaStation #GullyErosion #Rangelands #RegenerativeAgriculture #ErosionControl

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00:00 Fragile soils & the gully head problem (WA rangelands)
00:48 What we tried first: scrub packing explained
02:50 The interceptor bank: design, intent & setup
04:45 Unintended consequences: water energy shifts
05:58 New gully head forms — lessons learned
07:12 Living crust (lichens, mosses, microbes): strengths & limits
08:16 Meet “scolops”: many small pits to slow & soak
09:36 Field site: where we’ll scolop (early gully risk)
10:19 Gear rundown: John Deere 770 grader & depth targets
11:22 Minimum machine size & when big iron helps
11:59 Blade setup: shift, tilt, throw & articulation (no compaction)
14:37 First passes on camera — live coaching
16:24 What small interventions achieve (moisture & roughness)
17:32 Moisture capture gully flow: why repetition wins
18:53 Seeding experiment ($2k): species, results & takeaways
20:02 Big takeaway: fix the ground and nature follows
21:04 Quick biodiversity walk: what explodes after rain
23:40 Final notes & call to action