Coastal Team Heads South

Home 🞂 Newsroom 🞂 Coastal Team Heads South

In early September, NACC NRM’s Coastal gurus Mic and Tegan packed their bags and ventured to the southern coastal towns of the Northern Agricultural Region!

The jam packed, three-day expedition prioritised catching up with coastal community groups, visiting sites and brainstorming future projects and funding opportunities. 

First on the agenda was a meeting with the Tending the Tracks Alliance (TTTA) which included discussions on the recent partnerships with Green Head Coastcare and Cervantes Coastcare. In brief, TTTA connects 4-wheel drive clubs with coast care groups, resulting in a hands-on coastcare event. These Perth-based clubs are incredibly committed, dedicating a lot of time to travel to these coastal towns and give back to the environment and the surrounding communities that they holiday in.

From there, Mic and Tegan dropped into Seabird to meet with members of the Seabird Progress Association. Despite the harsh conditions, the revegetation sites are looking outstanding. Future plans are in place for further brushing and fencing to halt foot traffic at a priority site.

The following morning, the team ventured to Lancelin to catch up with the Friends of Lancelin Coast (FOLC). As with many of the coastal towns visited, Lancelin is feeling the effects of coastal erosion and off road vehicle use on the beach. Being an erosion hotspot, the beach in Lancelin – namely Edwards Island Point – is quickly disappearing. During this site visit, FOLC and TTTA began planning a sand trap fencing project. NACC NRM look forward to supporting this positive partnership and are excited to see future results.

That afternoon the team met with the Ledge Point Coast Care. After a meeting and a quick beach clean, it was time to visit past Pyp Grass management sites. Unfortunately, with a few years’ gap in Pyp Grass management, this invasive weed has grown back with vengeance. These sites really serve as a warning, showcasing the importance of ongoing, long term management of Pyp Grass.

On their final day down south, Mic and Tegan met with the Guilderton Progress Association for a tour of their past and recent revegetation and weed control sites that are all frequently monitored via NACC NRM’s Photomon App. Using the updated version, a new monitoring site was created for an area recently planted. After a quick snack of carrots and broad beans from the epic community garden, the team were on the road back to Geraldton.

This southern road trip proved that these committed coastal community groups have much in common and would really benefit from catching up and sharing experiences. To this end NACC NRM, with funding from CoastWest, are pleased to be able to assist in another Coastal Community Forum. This forum will be held in Jurien Bay, most likely taking place in early 2021.

NACC NRM would like to thank the network of dedicated groups and individuals that continue to passionately support and proactively work towards safe guarding this incredible coastline.  

Mic Payne & Tegan Knowles – Coastcare Support Officers

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In 2020-21 I talked about ‘raising the bar’. In 2021-22 we worked on setting the bar on fire. Over the last 12 months, the team at NACC NRM has not stopped.

The Sustainable Agriculture team has extended the program’s reach through collaborations with grower groups in the regions. Specifically, the Beyond Reasonable Drought project and Grower Group Alliance – South West WA Drought Innovation Hub – Geraldton Node project. The Beyond Reasonable Drought partnership with grower groups supported farmers across the region to improve the environmental sustainability of their agricultural production and drought resilience. The outcomes of this project have been consolidated through our successful Expression of Interest to the South West WA Drought Innovation Hub, with support from grower groups across the region, to host the Geraldton Node of the Hub. The program continues to focus on working with agricultural networks to share technical expertise and provide opportunities that will improve land management practices in agriculture across the region.

The conservation outcomes of ranger teams have expanded through work on several land tenures. Maintaining Heritage sites such as Willi Gulli, Racecourse Paddock and Buller River has long been a priority. During 2021-22, the teams have increasingly focused on threatened species and ecosystems.

To this end, Western Mulga rangers have improved management across 19,000 ha for the conservation of Malleefowl through firebreak and access management. They completed the maintenance of water holes and supported the monitoring of over 90 Malleefowl mounds.

Similarly, the Kwelena Mambakort Aboriginal Corporate ranger team have contributed positively to Carnaby’s Black Cockatoo populations by installing artificial hollows and habitat restoration.

All ranger teams have collected native seed, propagated native plants for restoration, and planted native vegetation in key locations across the NAR. Seed collection provides valuable industry experience and has facilitated the planting of over 100,000 seedlings during the year.   

In September 2021, the NACC NRM team delivered the WA Threatened Species Forum, held in tandem with the National Malleefowl Forum. Given the impact of COVID and the timing of this event, having more than 100 delegates from all over Australia was a significant achievement. The two Forums brought together 12 events over five days and featured 14 local artists, 25 businesses and 36 youth participants.

Following the successful relaunch of our updated NARvis, NACC NRM was invited to help lead a significant piece of strategic planning work for the region with Mid West Development Commission and the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development. With funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund, the consortia delivered a Regional Drought Resilience Plan covering the shires of Northampton and Chapman Valley and the City of Greater Geraldton, along with significant technical analysis of drought vulnerability for the South West land division. The development of this plan also included extensive community consultation to ensure that local knowledge and technical advice guided the development of priorities for action.

This planning work links to existing NACC NRM on-ground projects, including Beyond Reasonable Drought and the Chapman Catchment Collaborative regeneration project.

It was a busy year for events with face-to-face events becoming commonplace again. During 2021-22 we hosted events in Gingin, Moora, Dalwallinu, Cervantes, Jurien Bay, Walkaway, Nabawa, Perenjori, Kalannie and Morawa. We supported events in Karakin, Thundellara, Perenjori, Paynes Find, Wubin, Cataby, Warradarge, Northampton, Yuna, Dalwallinu and Dandaragan.

We also supported on-ground works throughout the region, including at the following locations Yuna, Dalwallinu, Dandaragan, Merkanooka, Goodlands, Kalannie, Bunjil, Yardarino, Canna, Kondut, Latham, Kadathinni, Nabawa, Red Gully, Sandy Gully, Waddy Forrest, Devils Creek, Perenjori, Bowgada, Ellendale, Wandana, Namban, Hill River, Warradarge, Gillingarra, Regans Ford and Moonyanooka.

Our region is vast – slightly larger than Tasmania, which for comparison, is serviced by three separate NRM organisations. Covering the NAR region and its many environmental threats is challenging. We continue to focus on partnerships and collaboration to address this challenge. We know that by working with our community through passionate delivery of collaborative on-ground projects and education, the community will value and actively protect our region’s natural capital.

This year we have launched a new Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). The RAP Working Group consulted widely and developed an Innovate RAP which Reconciliation Australia approved in March 2022. The activities to fulfil these commitments are now in full swing.

Sadly, at the end of 2021, we farewelled former NACC NRM CEO Shelley Spriggs, who lost a long battle with cancer. Shelley was an inaugural inductee to the NRM Leadership Honour Roll. I will always be grateful for her guidance and no-nonsense approach, not to mention her passion for life.

While we have said farewell to some, we have welcomed many new faces across all programs, including our Administration team. We have also hosted a school-based trainee from Nagle Catholic College who has been working towards a Certificate II in Conservation and Ecosystem Management. This trial position has been very successful, and we look forward to making this opportunity available again in 2023.

During 2022 we have taken on new projects that align with our organisational and program objectives, and we have successfully completed some great initiatives that support continued conservation and sustainability outcomes. I want to thank the whole team who continue to go above and beyond for the organisation and each other proving their ongoing commitment to our purpose and our values.