2021 Albany Show
We had a blast at this year's Albany Agricultural Show. We had a steady flow of people attending our display, with many kids eager to play with our catchment model shooting down feral animals and seeing how water flows through the landscape. They were then awarded the chance to play the "taste-test" lolly game. This game demonstrates the importance of having diverse bushland for native animals versus it being weed infected. While the kids were busy with the games there was plenty of information for the adults to read up on and posters illustrating the wide variety of activities Oyster Harbour Catchment Group carries out and members can be involved with. This lead to many interesting talks and even a couple of new members.Welcome on board!
We had a few new additions to the display: a farm planning whiteboard, an example of DIY soil testing equipment and a new possum pal. In particular, the possum puppet (that was donated to us) and Bruce's corresponding squeaky voice was a new crowd favourite. It got a lot of laughs, helping us with the display helping to teach the younger kids about Ringtail possums and feral animals.
We were thankful that we could participate in such a great show, that everyone seemed to enjoy our stall and are really proud of receiving the best community group stall of 2021.
|
|
It was the perfect way to spend the morning boarding the Kalgan Queen with the Oyster Harbour Catchment team inviting collaborators in discussions and reflection on the health of the Oyster Harbour.
Firstly we set sail to the mouth of Yakamia creek where Natalie Reeves (South Coast Natural Resource Management) gave a summary of the problematic creek line and the implementation of her project putting into action a community awareness program for the coming year. If you would like to be involved, please contact Natalie via email: natalier@southcoastnrm.com.au. This then led to a general conversation on monitoring of the Yakamia creek and Yakamia sewage facility with recent contamination issues.
Passing Green Island and heading to the Leeuwin Coast Oyster farm Geoff Bastyan explained the early trials and of planting Seagrass in the mid-1990s with the broad-scale recovery seeming to be well underway into the future. There is no doubt the labour of passion and determination Geoff. These early works must be recognized for the current aquaculture activities now taking place in the Oyster Harbour. Acknowledging the collaborative effort OHCG, Government, Community and Groups in the catchment assisting with improved heath of Oyster Harbour for over 30 years.
Kim Walsh (DPIRD) covered the ‘Albany Aquaculture Development Zone’ with the consultation of WA’s aquaculture industry and key stakeholders identifying suitable areas for shellfish farming in Oyster Habour with actives within the zone, benefits to community and region and management and practices established to ensure the industry remains environmentally sustainable. For frequently asked questions go to: http://www.fish.wa.gov.au/Documents/Aquaculture/Albany Aquaculture Development Zone FAQs.pdf
Jude Tyzack: Projects & Community Engagement Officer office for Leeuwin Coast) explaining the befits of new technologies in the development of the new Oyster lines with the wide spacing not only increase yield but the added befit to the fishery and water quality, positioning of the lines and the movement of lines decreasing the shadowing effect on Seagrass. Removal of all treated pine poles from the previously acquired holdings had been completed and upgraded. Leeuwin Coast is excited about the role the oyster lines will play in encouraging fish species back into the area as has occurred in other sites around the world with local anglers already trying their luck in between the lines. The Leeuwin Coast team has been assisting with several cleanups along beaches and other hot spots.
Brue Radys delivered the good news that the declining water quality from the late 1970s and 80s had significantly improved and seagrass recovery was remarkable. This was largely due to a decrease in nutrient runoffs. Although monitoring of the catchment is critical to the future of the health of the catchment the full report can be accessed by this link: https://www.wa.gov.au/government/publications/oyster-harbour-miaritch-condition-of-the-estuary-2016-19
Nikoli Sykora from the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation for the planning of intensive industries.
Before heading back to mooning a pleasant cruise up to the Kalgan Bridge drinking Tea or Coffee and eating damper with Captain Bruce taking over steering the boat. It's fair to say all had a very educational and pleasant morning on the Oyster Harbour and Kalgan River.
An enormous thank you to, stakeholders and presenters that joined the cruise, the productive conversations that followed all with a common goal ‘The Health of Oyster Harbour and Catchment’.
The best in the world and Oyster Harbour is ours to take care of!
|
|
Our small dedicated group has been regularly removing the Acacia pycnantha wattle seedlings and regrowth from around town and along the firebreaks near the railway line south of the town. This is undertaken by walking and manually cutting, brushing the stumps with roundup and some collar spraying with diesel access.
The main focus for our group is the Eastern State woody weeds, mostly the Acacia pycnantha (golden wattle) but also a few stray Acacia longifolia (Sydney golden wattle). Other significant weeds in and around Kendenup are the tagasaste, freesias (which are spreading) and the ubiquitous bridal creeper. A few new locals are wanting to help with the freesias next winter.
The Shire was going to spray along Chauvel Road as there was a very large mass of regrowth of silver wattle after they removed some huge trees a few years ago. At this stage, it looks like it will not be done as they have handballed it back to us. Noche Murdoch has focused on the eradication of regrowth areas of tagasaste and Acacia pycnantha along Jutland, Beattie and Toone Rd which was more than our group could handle. This was a great help.
We have arranged for the Plantagenet Shire to take over the responsibility of weed management and maintenance of the town gardens and skate park recreation area due to the dwindling volunteer base. There has been a good rapor with the gardening team who have consulted regularly with us regarding fragile areas of native vegetation.
With the influx of newcomers arriving and developing their small blocks now there is a real need for constant weed education and also to promote the value and the uniqueness of the remnant native bush. The native vegetation on the verges is also in danger of disappearing with all this new development here. This awareness has mainly been through dialogue, positive local interaction and discussion but we feel a letterbox drop is the best way to reach everyone here. Maybe in the New Year, we will focus on a way forward with this.
We wish everyone a Happy Christmas and a positive, fruitful and enthusiastic start to the New Year 2022.
Regards
Val Saggers
Kendenup Bushland Management Group.
|
|
Native Oyster Update
We have recently been updated by the Nature Conservatories and UWA's Sonja Pascho. See below.
|
|
The Nature Conservatory also had an update about the new Oyster Habour native oyster reefs recently. They have just launched a very bold initiative to build 60 reefs alongside communities including expanding on their Albany project. Making Australia the first nation in the world to recover a critically endangered marine ecosystem. This is great for the Albany community who has been one of the only estuaries in the world that have been able to restore our seagrass.
Project officer Brett Dal Pozzo was a welcome and familiar face that used to work at South Coast NRM. It was great to see him refreshed and passionate about the next reef going in.
See more here at www.natureaustralia.org.au
The next steps for this project are:
> incorporate community and stakeholder feedback into our planning. This will include finalising proposed locations and reef designs.
> continue consulting directly with stakeholders, working with our Technical Advisory Group and seeking relevant approvals through regulatory authorities. In the meantime, they would love to hear your thoughts on the proposed plans. Please fill out our quick 3 minute survey.
|
|
Oyster Harbour Bivalve Research Project UWA Albany, Marine Biology Honours
Our investigation into the bivalve food web in Oyster Harbour is making good progress.
|
|
Winter weather conditions delayed the first round of sampling but the first of the potential bivalve food sources were collected in August. We scraped the sediment for benthic algae, collected periphyton (algae growing on rocks and other hard surfaces) and sampled water from around Oyster Harbour as well as from the lower reaches of the Kalgan and King Rivers and Yakamia Creek. Using stable isotope analysis, these samples will give us an indication of the range of ‘stable isotope signatures’ of different foods that shellfish in the estuary might be consuming.
After collecting potential foods, it was time to hunt for cockles. With the help of a number of volunteers, we covered eight sites in Oyster Harbour and two in Princess Royal Harbour over six days in September. Sometimes it took a lot of digging and sieving but we managed to reach our sample quota (a minimum of 15 individuals) at every site, except the mouth of the Kalgan River where we only found aquatic snails and two pippis.
Afternoon low tides gave us access to the flats for cockle collecting and meant some of us caught some spectacular sunsets. Other days felt like a battle with the elements. At Emu Point, Kathy and Ben (who have been amazing, regular volunteers) braved almost howling wind and rain that felt like hail (and maybe was hail!). The wind tipped over our floating bucket twice and we had to chase down a small mess of escaped equipment. It was a field lesson learned. After that day the rule is to always have a weight in the bucket to keep it steady whatever the conditions.
Research always includes challenges and discovery. We found our target species Katelysia scalarina wasn’t at every site, however other species (Katelysia rhytiphora and Katelysia peronii) were. Finding Katelysia throughout the estuary confirms the genus has potential as a bioindicator for estuary health in Oyster Harbour. The genus is found across southern Australia in sheltered bays so it may also prove useful in other regions, depending on our results.
Distinguishing Katelysia species can be difficult, so we’ve enlisted the help of Dr. Lisa Kirkendale from the WA Museum to help us with identification. Dr. Kirkendale is the head of Aquatic Zoology and a mollusc specialist. With her support, shells and genetic material from our sampled cockles will be added to the museum’s collection of bivalve material.
The project has earned additional recognition and backing in the last few weeks. I’m happy, humble and grateful to have been awarded the Keith Sheard travel prize for UWA marine biology honours for semester 2, 2021. This will give me the opportunity to stay on campus and make the most of my time at the West Australian Biogeochemistry Centre where I will be preparing samples for stable isotope analysis. Travelling to Perth will give me to the opportunity to meet Dr. Kirkendale and other Perth-based specialists and academics in person.
Some of our samples have now been analysed and I’m excited to see the data come through. Our initial stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis of particulate organic matter (POM) from filtered water samples shows terrestrial or riverine POM (Kalgan River, King River and Yakamia Creek) and marine POM (Emu Point) have distinct ‘signatures’ (see figure below). The grouping of values for the northern, eastern and western sites suggests currents are affecting the mixing of POM in the estuary. Still, these are only our very first results and the picture may change with more data. More than ever, I am now looking forward to starting my full analysis once the summer round of samples is completed.
During the last months of 2021, I’ll be preparing more samples stable isotope analysis. This means dissecting cockles, drying gill and muscle tissues and cleaning and drying the other potential bivalve foods we collected. The summer round of fieldwork is scheduled for January and February so I’ll be preparing for that as well. It feels like 2022 is just around the corner. Onward and upward!
Sonja Pascho - Progress report, Nov 2021
This project is supported by the Oyster Harbour Catchment Group, the Jock Clough Marine Foundation, the Arjen Ryder Scholarship, GSDC NRM Sustainability Scholarship, Destinations Australia Scholarship and Keith Sheard Travel Award.
Thanks to additional supporters: Albany Shellfish Hatchery, the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (Albany), Dr. Lisa Kirkendale (WA Museum), Tracey Brothers (Albany Senior High School), Geoff Bastyan (Environmental Consultant), Dave Tunbridge (Scientific Officer, UWA) and many wonderful volunteers. Project supervisors: Greg Skrzypek and Harriet Paterson
This work, including images, is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
|
|
Heartland Journeys is an exciting new online guide to the places, people and nature of the Great Southern: www.heartlandjourneys.com.au. Aiming to take visitors beyond the scenic and recreational values of the Great Southern and provide deep dives into this biological wonderland, while also showcasing community efforts to restore ecosystems and farmland to health. HEARTLAND JOURNEYS is intended for visitors and locals who have these interests.
It features audio and video stories from Heather A, Peter L, Tim Saggers, Lucia and others. There are quite a number of places listed in the Oyster Harbour catchment and Ranges Link with more to come. Our ‘Nature insights’ segment includes ‘What is a biodiversity hotspot’, ‘Remarkable plants’, ‘Kwongan’, ‘Honey possum’, Invertebrates’, ‘Life on granite’, and more of these ‘fact sheets’ are being
Produced by Gondwana Link, this guide is for visitors and locals wanting to learn more about the natural wonders and cultural richness of the Great Southern, as well as the globally significant landcare and eco-restoration programs underway.
Heartland Journeys brings together an interactive map, self-drive journeys, biodiversity information, and a trove of multi-media stories, including a podcast for on-the-road listening. Hear from Noongar Elders, landcarers and people passionate about the natural values of this region.
All this information will help visitors take a deep dive into this biological wonderland and hear directly from the people who know it best.
We’re adding more Great Southern stories, information, places and journeys. Please contact Marg Robertson if you have any feedback or suggestions: margaret@gondwanalink.org
|
|
Protect the Porongurup Range campaign
The Friends of the Porongurup Range are deeply concerned about the Porongurup National Park Trail Masterplan being proposed by the Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions (Parks and Wildlife) without consideration of its impact on the Park’s fragile ecosystem.
The quite recent tragic destruction of the Juukan Gorge Cave in the Pilbara, containing evidence of human occupation going back 46,000 years, is a timely and vivid reminder of how such culturally and scientifically important indigenous sites must be protected against any development. The biodiverse and cultural significance and ecological fragility of the Porongurup National Park are different to the Pilbara, but wanton damage is unnecessary.
It is the strong opinion of the Friends of the Porongurup Range that bike trails should not be considered either by the Project Reference Group or the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA).
see more...
Dr Kingsley Faulkner AM
Friends of the Porongurup Range
Project Reference Group representative
Trails Concept Masterplan Porongurup National Park
8 December 2021
|
|
|
|
|
|
