For about 10 years from the early 2000s, the Friends undertook plant surveys on one-hectare plots identified by the State Herbarium of South Australia. Hundreds of specimens were recorded and collected for South Australia's major botanical database. Unfortunately, funding cuts to the Herbarium have meant that this material can no longer be processed and we have discontinued this work.
However, we have also been photographing the vegetation at set points in three sections of the South Australian part of the GVD - the Googs Track area, the Mamungari area and around Maralinga. We generally get to one of these sections every year, so the recording of each photopoint is done every three years. These records are supplied to the Herbarium and they now fill several DVDs.
More recently we have supported research projects recording camel damage to the desert vegetation.
Several lists of the plants of the GVD have been prepared as a result of Friends' activities. Please follow the links below to view any which might interest you.
The Hilda Hewitson Herbarium contains over 250 plant specimens and is kept by the Friends as a reference tool. Duplicates of all these specimens have been supplied to the State Herbarium and are kept there. This link leads to a spreadsheet listing of the specimens in the form of an extract from the State Herbarium catalogue. The Hilda Hewitson Herbarium is kept in two plastic crates and researchers wishing to use it should contact the secretary.
Combined Plant List 1995-2001. The 159 specimens collected by Hilda Hewitson and Marlene Friebe between 1995 and 2001 and identified by the State Herbarium.
For a more comprehensive, but sadly not up-to-date, plant list, go to eFlora SA and search for all plants in the NW (north-west) region.