Greening Port Pirie Rail Yards

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Update regarding Greening Port Pirie Rail Yards Project - February 2026

You may notice that some of the new vegetation appears to dry out during the summer period. This is a natural part of the life cycle of many native species that grow in South Australia’s arid and semi‑arid regions.

These plants follow what ecologists call a ‘boom‑bust’ cycle. When conditions are hot and dry, they conserve energy by reducing growth or becoming dormant. This can make them look stressed or dead.

Once cooler weather and winter/seasonal rains arrive, these species respond quickly. Many of the chenopod plants used in the restoration - such as saltbush and bluebush – can adapt and take advantage of short windows of favourable conditions. They produce large amounts of seed in a brief period, helping them regenerate rapidly and stabilise the landscape.

This natural cycle is one of the reasons these species were chosen for the site: they are hardy, resilient, and well‑suited to Port Pirie’s climate.

The vegetation that’s been planted will rebound with winter moisture and seasonal rain. Over time, these native species will help reduce dust, improve soil health, and support local biodiversity.



The Greening Port Pirie Rail Yards project involves the restoration of degraded railyards, by establishing native vegetation to improve the site's amenity, reduce dust and in turn reduce and prevent exposure to lead for the local community.


This project is funded by the Government of South Australia as part of a four-year partnership between several groups in Port Pirie and government departments including SA Water.


The railway yard previously had extensive areas of compacted rubble and scattered coverage of weedy plants, making the site prone to wind erosion in what was considered a high dust risk area.


Our works include the removal of site rubbish and management of a nationally declared weed called Buffel grass, along with ongoing weed management and watering to support the establishment of native vegetation.


The project is one of a range of measures aimed at reducing and preventing exposure to lead in Port Pirie.


Area of our works:


What have we planted?

We propagated over 16,500 seedlings of trees, shrubs, grasses and groundcovers from 33 species. Some of the native plants in our selection include:

  • Australian Pig Face (carprobrotus rossii)
  • Blue Mallee Flower (Halgania cyanea)
  • Spiny Saltbush (Rhagodia spinescens)
  • Dropping Sheoak (Allocasuarina verticillate).



More than 370 kilograms of native seed and cutting material has been collected from the region to enable propagation of climate-adapted seedlings and for direct seeding of understorey. Collecting seeds locally means better chances for the plants to establish and thrive in the environment.


Current status of works

Following early site preparation, we completed seeding and planting in September 2024.


As plants establish, we will carry out regular maintenance activities such as weed control and watering through to mid-2026.

Update regarding Greening Port Pirie Rail Yards Project - February 2026

You may notice that some of the new vegetation appears to dry out during the summer period. This is a natural part of the life cycle of many native species that grow in South Australia’s arid and semi‑arid regions.

These plants follow what ecologists call a ‘boom‑bust’ cycle. When conditions are hot and dry, they conserve energy by reducing growth or becoming dormant. This can make them look stressed or dead.

Once cooler weather and winter/seasonal rains arrive, these species respond quickly. Many of the chenopod plants used in the restoration - such as saltbush and bluebush – can adapt and take advantage of short windows of favourable conditions. They produce large amounts of seed in a brief period, helping them regenerate rapidly and stabilise the landscape.

This natural cycle is one of the reasons these species were chosen for the site: they are hardy, resilient, and well‑suited to Port Pirie’s climate.

The vegetation that’s been planted will rebound with winter moisture and seasonal rain. Over time, these native species will help reduce dust, improve soil health, and support local biodiversity.



The Greening Port Pirie Rail Yards project involves the restoration of degraded railyards, by establishing native vegetation to improve the site's amenity, reduce dust and in turn reduce and prevent exposure to lead for the local community.


This project is funded by the Government of South Australia as part of a four-year partnership between several groups in Port Pirie and government departments including SA Water.


The railway yard previously had extensive areas of compacted rubble and scattered coverage of weedy plants, making the site prone to wind erosion in what was considered a high dust risk area.


Our works include the removal of site rubbish and management of a nationally declared weed called Buffel grass, along with ongoing weed management and watering to support the establishment of native vegetation.


The project is one of a range of measures aimed at reducing and preventing exposure to lead in Port Pirie.


Area of our works:


What have we planted?

We propagated over 16,500 seedlings of trees, shrubs, grasses and groundcovers from 33 species. Some of the native plants in our selection include:

  • Australian Pig Face (carprobrotus rossii)
  • Blue Mallee Flower (Halgania cyanea)
  • Spiny Saltbush (Rhagodia spinescens)
  • Dropping Sheoak (Allocasuarina verticillate).



More than 370 kilograms of native seed and cutting material has been collected from the region to enable propagation of climate-adapted seedlings and for direct seeding of understorey. Collecting seeds locally means better chances for the plants to establish and thrive in the environment.


Current status of works

Following early site preparation, we completed seeding and planting in September 2024.


As plants establish, we will carry out regular maintenance activities such as weed control and watering through to mid-2026.

Page last updated: 12 Feb 2026, 01:37 PM