Guilderton has always been a special place to many but its wonderful natural assets are becoming more and more threatened from increasing visitor numbers. The Guilderton Celebration Day on Friday 24th October saw around 80 people from all sectors come together to celebrate three projects that are helping to conserve the fragile dunes and Moore River estuary for the future.
The day was organised by the Guilderton Community Association (GCA), Shire of Gingin (SG) and Moore Catchment Council (MCC), and started with the official opening of the Djena Koorl-iny (meaning ‘go on foot’ in Noongar) walk trail north of town.
Rachel Walmsley (MCC) said “This trail is part of the North Guilderton Dune Restoration Project which aims to reduce degradation from unrestricted 4WD use over a 22ha area of fragile dunes.
The project was funded through Northern Agricultural Catchments Council (NACC) and the Federal Government, and involved multi stakeholder collaboration between SG, GCA, Yued community and South West Aboriginal Land & Sea Council (SWALSC), and Dept of Parks and Wildlife (DPAW).
MCC took on delivery of the project in July 2013 and helped coordinate the fencing installation by DPAW, and directional/walk trail interpretive signage design and installation.”
Charlie Shaw – Yued Elder, Jim Laffer (GCA), Michael Aspinall (SG) and Rachel Walmsley (MCC) shared thoughts on the importance of the project and thanked the funders, before Shane Love MLA (NACC Board member) and Rachel officially opened the Djena Koorl-iny walk trail.
Rachel continued “After a walk of the new trail, the celebrations headed down to the estuary gazebo where we were Welcomed to Country by Yued Elder Charlie Shaw and entertained by two didgeridoo players.
This was followed by acknowledgement of finances received by GCA from Bendigo Bank and SG for a new beach to lookout staircase being built soon to reduce degradation of the dunes.”
The final ceremony was the unveiling of the new estuary interpretive signage which is a MCC project funded through NACC’s Coastal Devolved grant program. Rachel said “This was a pet project of mine as I’ve always thought the estuary was lacking signage to help explain to visitors about the natural processes of the estuary and the importance of not interfering with the sandbar.”
MCC collaborated with GCA, SG, Yued community and SWALSC, NACC and Dept. of Water to design the signs and the Shire installed them. Rachel and Phil Cook (GCA) explained the importance of the signage and thanked the funders.
The signs were officially opened by Shane Love MLA and unveiling of each sign was carried out by Shane, Michael Aspinall (SG), Mary Nannup (Yued), and Rachel and Philippa Schmucker (NACC).
Back at the gazebo, the GCA laid on a delicious spread of damper bread, billy tea, wine and cheese. Rachel concluded “Huge thanks to everyone who was involved with the organising of the celebration day and the various projects which have only happened through multi stakeholder collaboration.
Especially thanks to NACC and the Federal Government who funded MCC to deliver two of the projects and to Gillian Lamont for being instrumental in the organisation of the celebration day. Check out the MCC Facebook page for photos (on link). Finally thanks to everyone who came along – you really made it a fabulous celebration of such a special place.”
