In the Wake of the Storm – Environmental Recovery and Preparedness

In collaboration with key partners and the support of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, NACC NRM’s Midwest Aboriginal Ranger Program was launched in September 2017. This program is providing opportunities for Aboriginal people across the Mid West region to engage in Natural Resource Management (NRM) activities while delivering on-ground conservation with a strong cultural emphasis on Caring for Country.

Name 4

Position 4

  • No Phone Number
  • No Phone Number

Jarna Kendle

Biodiversity Program Coordinator

Name 2

Position 2

  • No Phone Number
  • No Phone Number

Name 1

Position 1

  • No Phone Number
  • No Phone Number
Home 🞂 Our Work 🞂 Projects 🞂 In the Wake of the Storm – Environmental Recovery and Preparedness

On the 11th of April 2021 Tropical Cyclone Seroja (TC Seroja) hit the Midwest coast of Western Australia in an unusually extreme weather event.

Initially making landfall upon the town of Kalbarri, TC Seroja continued inland through the Shires of Northampton, Mingenew, Morawa and Perenjori bringing record-breaking wind speeds that caused widespread environmental debris and damage. Many of the communities within the Northern Agricultural Region (NAR) were significantly impacted by TC Seroja and are still grappling with the recovery of environmental conditions.

 

These events have highlighted the need for improved preparedness as climatic conditions increase the risk profile in the Midwest. In an effort to support local communities in the environmental recovery post-TC Seroja, NACC NRM has partnered with the Shires of Mingenew, Morawa and Perenjori to develop management strategies in preparedness for future extreme events. By working with experts and local communities a set of guidelines will be based on the re-establishment of natural environments to support a broad community. While also aiming to reduce the impact on the built infrastructure of future severe weather events, therefore improving community safety, responsiveness, and resilience.

 

Each local government partner will select a demonstration site that will be revegetated and restored based on the set of guidelines. These three sites will be used to evaluate the guidelines recommendations and any revisions made prior to printing. It is planned that in 2025 a set of non-technical guidelines will be published and available for local government and landholders to view, with a roadshow planned to promote these across the NAR.

This project is supported by NACC NRM in partnership with the Shires of Mingenew, Morawa and Perenjori through funding from the Australian Government’s Preparing Australian Communities – Local Stream grant.

In the Wake of the Storm: Emergency Planning for Natural Asset Recovery and Resilience

For more information, please contact NACC Personnel

  • Phone 1
  • Mobile 1
  • Phone 2
  • Mobile 2
  • Jarna Kendle
  • Biodiversity Program Coordinator
  • Phone 2
  • Mobile 2
WORK WITH US

Share

1314
[related_projects]

Building a Buzz for Beneficial Bugs

  • Sustainable Agriculture Past Project

Small Landholder Guide

  • Sustainable Agriculture Past Project

Growing Great Ground

  • Sustainable Agriculture Past Project

Regional Agricultural Landcare Facilitator

  • Sustainable Agriculture Past Project

Chapman Catchment – Collaborative Landscape Scale Regeneration

  • Sustainable Agriculture Past Project

Gnow or Never: Supporting Communities to Save Malleefowl

  • Biodiversity Past Project

Stabilising Soils

  • Sustainable Farming

Future Farm Foundations

  • Sustainable Farming

“Dreamtime” by Amangu Artist Wayne Ronan

  • Aboriginal Custodianship

Midwest Aboriginal Ranger Program

  • Aboriginal Custodianship

South West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub

  • Sustainable Farming

Regional Drought Resilience Planning Program

  • Sustainable Agriculture Past Project

Stabilising Soils

  • Sustainable Farming

Future Farm Foundations

  • Sustainable Farming

South West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub

  • Sustainable Farming

Sustainable Agriculture Facilitator

  • Sustainable Farming

CEO’s Report

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.