Fire has always been a shaping force in the Australian environment. In much of northern Australia, producing cattle has been the
dominant strategy behind fire management for the past century, and consequently, traditional burning regimes have been largely
forgotton. Loss of food species for granivorous birds such as the Gouldian Finch has lead to a serious decline in some species.
Mornington uses fire to try to protect sensitive plant communities which require five-seven year fire free periods to germinate.
The only practical means of getting spreading fire is from helicopters. This photo shows the results of one such aerial bombing
run. This was a successful burn. The fires were out within hours, providing a buffer between neighboring property and the
sensitive sandstone environment.