The Mitta catchment upstream of Dartmouth was the worst affected in terms of
both areal extent and severity of the burn. River Murray Water estimate that 95% of the
Dartmouth catchment has been fire affected. It was difficult to locate any
green canopy in the Dartmouth catchment. The only unburnt areas observed
were the open grasslands around Benambra.

This photo shows Big River (which becomes the Mitta) upstream of Anglers
Rest. These areas are representative of the majority of the catchment
observed. The canopy and undergrowth has been completely burned across most
of the Dartmouth catchment, and the ash
layer seems to be much thicker. There is a higher proportion of smooth bark
trees in the Dartmouth catchment (due to higher altitudes?) than other
catchments observed. The smoothbark trees generally do not exhibit the
epicormic growth that the thicker bark trees do - at least not yet.