Ankerre Ankerre (Coolibah Swamp) is central to Arrernte culture. The dancing trees are woven tightly into the stories for Mparntwe (Alice Springs). Described as the “kidneys” of Alice Springs, the area plays an important role in filtering water before it enters Lhere Mparntwe (the Todd River)
Landcare’s priority is to restore integrity to the site which is dissected by arterial roads and drains, and now suffers from altered water regimes and a ground layer dominated by weeds such as old man saltbush. , buffel grass and African love-grass. The saltbush and buffel were introduced in the 1970s to control dust following degradation from goats, rabbits and other livestock.
We work to protect the ancient coolibahs from fire through reducing the saltbush and grassy weeds, to open up the sight-lines, and advocate for the restoration of water flow. We aim to improve public appreciation of this iconic site, just 800 metres from the town centre.