Coastlines Autumn Edition 2014

fin
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autumn edition 2014
Community monitoring of seabirds
2013 WA Marine Debris Report
Released!
Progress on coastal heath restoration
at Manning Park
Salty Summer proves as
popular as ever
“Coastwest - Helping
communities to care
for the WA Coast”
Inside
From my deckchair
Progress on coastal heath restoration at
Manning Park............................................................... 3
Welcome to the autumn
edition of Coastlines.
Coast to Coast Conference 2014 ................................... 3
Community monitoring of seabirds............................. 4
New fish tagging app helps fisheries science .............. 5
So here it is, the final printed edition!
Salty Summer proves as popular as ever...................... 6
Thanks to those of you who have contributed to this
special edition. All future editions will be distributed
electronically and also available online so we look
forward to reaching an even greater readership. If
you haven’t already subscribed and would like to
continue to receive Coastlines, please contact us at [email protected]. Please encourage
and remind others to subscribe too!
Beach Enclosure at Coogee Beach................................ 7
2013 WA Marine debris report released! ..................... 8
Wedge Island Spiny Rush eradication .......................... 9
Gardening the Bay-friendly way ................................ 10
Construction of new pathway to protect fragile
coastline in Green Head ............................................. 11
What Friends have done for Hardy Inlet .................... 12
One good Tern deserves another................................ 13
Reporting marine ‘strangers’ just got easier with
new Redmap app ....................................................... 14
Don’t dump that fish – keep aquarium fish
where they belong .................................................... 15
Much loved trail gets some TLC ................................. 16
Coastlines is produced quarterly and is distributed to communities all over the State.
It aims to bring coastal planning and
management groups, throughout Western
Australia, closer together, by informing them
about what events, activities and projects are
underway or have occurred around our coast.
Coastlines also provides information on the
Coastwest program to interested West Australians.
Coastal Zone Management Coordinator
Department of Planning
Phone: (08) 655 19000
Fax: (08) 655 19001
[email protected]
Coastwest is a State Government initiative
undertaken by the Western Australian Planning
Commission (WAPC) and the Department of
Planning (DoP). Coastwest aims to provide
opportunities for Western Australians to
learn about, conserve and protect our coast.
The quarterly publication of the Coastlines
magazine is one component of the Coastwest
program.
Coastwest Website: www.planning.wa.gov.au/coastwest
“Coastwest – Helping communities to
care for the WA Coast”
© Copyright State of Western Australia
Published by
Western Australian Planning Commission
Gordon Stephenson House,
140 William Street, Perth,
Western Australia 6000
tel: (08) 655 19000
fax: (08) 655 19001
email: [email protected]
www.planning.wa.gov.au
Keep on eye out for the 2014/15 Coastwest grants that will be opening soon! Make sure you allow plenty of time to prepare your application. Please visit www.planning.wa.gov.au/coastwest for further information including the
application form and guidelines.
In this edition, we examine five years of hard work by dedicated volunteers along
the Hardy Inlet foreshore. We take a look at some of the vast improvements
they’ve made to the environment and see how neighbouring gardens can form an
extension to the foreshore environment (see page 12).
A fairly rare bird has been sighted nesting along one of Perth’s southern beaches.
See page 13 to find out what it is and how you can help to protect them.
The annual Salty Summer school holiday program has proved to be as popular as
ever with more than 600 participants across 19 locations in the South Coast region
(see page 6).
A popular trail in the Meelup Regional Park that leads to a well-known surf and
fishing spot has benefitted from a significant upgrade. See page 16 for details on
how the trail has been improved.
We welcome your feedback and input to the magazine and are always pleased to
hear from you, so feel free to contact us if you would like to submit an article for the
next edition.
Christopher Lukes
Coastal Zone Management Coordinator
Disclaimer:
The views and opinions expressed in this Coastlines
magazine are those of the authors of the various articles
and do not necessarily reflect those of the WAPC or the
Department, neither should they be seen as coinciding
with any official policy of the WAPC or DoP unless clearly
indicated as such. Opinions contrary to the WAPC or
DoP’s policy or practice may be published in the interest
of critical debate.
While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure
that the contents of this magazine are factually correct,
the WAPC and DoP do not accept any responsibility for
the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this
magazine and shall not be liable for any loss or damage
that may be occasioned directly or indirectly through the
use of, or reliance on, the contents of this publication.
Contributions
We welcome readers’ contributions of
stories and photos. Please try to keep
stories brief, preferably no more than
650 words, as we may have to edit longer
items due to space restrictions. With
images, we require JPEGs of 300dpi or at
the highest resolution available in your
camera. This will allow good reproduction.
Thanks to Dr Nic Dunlop for supplying the
cover photo of Brown Noddies on Lancelin
Island.
Progress on coastal heath
restoration at Manning Park
Linda Metz, City of Cockburn
Coastal Tea Tree removed at Manning Park
In 2013, the City of Cockburn received a
Coastwest grant to undertake an intensive
weed control program targeting Coastal
Tea Tree to help promote biodiversity
values and restore coastal heath at
Manning Park, south of Fremantle within
Cockburn Sound.
This project was featured in the last edition
of Coastlines, and is a continuation of the
removal of Coastal Tea Tree across the site.
Since last year’s project, over half a hectare
of Coastal Tea Tree has been removed
through the efforts of contractors and
volunteers.
A seed collection workshop was held in
February 2014 as part of the project with
16 community members attending the
half-day session. Staff from APACE nursery
and the City of Cockburn explained the
legal requirements of seed collection, why
we do it and best practise techniques.
Seed collected during the
workshop was processed and
stored in the City’s seed bank
for future use in revegetation
programs.
A second community
workshop, part of the Great
Cocky Count, was held in
March. Birdlife Australia
ran the workshop which
was designed to inform
community members
Banksia sessilis se
ed collected durin
g the seed collecti
about the habitat needs of
on workshop
the black cockatoos and
the current restoration activities within
Manning Park.
The success of this project is measured
through enhancing the habitat value
for Carnaby’s black cockatoos through
establishment of native vegetation and
removal of Coastal Tea Tree.
For further information contact
Adam Harris at the City of
Cockburn on (08) 9411 3584 or
[email protected].
For further information contact the
Conference organiser: Promaco
Conventions on (08) 9332 2900 or
Email: [email protected].
Call for abstracts now open!
3
Community monitoring of
seabirds
Northern Agricultural Catchments Council
Sooty Terns. Photo by Dr Chris Surman
New research to discover where
seabirds are feeding is acting as
a predictive indicator of oceanic
conditions, with particular relevance
to fisheries and marine reserves.
to Brown Noddies at Lancelin
Island. Tracking data will be
collected over a number of
successive breeding seasons
before the project is finalised.
The research, coordinated by the
Northern Agricultural Catchments
Council (NACC), brings together experts
from around the world, including the
Conservation Council of WA (CCWA),
the Department of Fisheries, seabird
biologists Dr Jill Shephard and Dr Chris
Surman and the University of Amsterdam,
to engage coastal communities in
monitoring seabird foraging patterns
along Western Australia’s west coast.
Over the past decade WA
fisheries have experienced
substantial change as a result of
altered oceanic processes.
In the face of continued
changes, new bio-indicators
serve as tools in fishery and
biodiversity management.
Seabird foraging patterns are
linked to ocean productivity,
which means that seabirds can
be used to gather information
on fisheries.
According to Dr Nic Dunlop, seabird
biologist and Citizen Science Co-ordinator
at the CCWA, the project team recently
trialed the methodology by fitting tiny
radio trackers to two Sooty Terns at the
Abrolhos Islands. These terns spent days
feeding out at sea, and upon their return,
the GPS information from their trackers
was automatically downloaded to a base
station at the Saville Kent Centre on Rat
Island.
At the start of the next breeding season
later this year, more trackers will be fitted
to Sooty Terns at the Abrolhos Islands and
4
Sooty Tern tracking dat
a at
Provided by the Universit the Abrolhos Islands. y of Amsterdam
“The initial tracking data show
that the two Sooty Terns fed in
completely different locations,”
says Dr Dunlop.
“This was unexpected and
Sooty Tern with harnes
might indicate that two
s mount tracker. Photo
by Dr Jill Shephard
different foraging strategies
are employed by these birds
during chick rearing, known as biFor more information or to learn how you
modal foraging.”
“If this proves to be the case, it will be
the first time this behaviour has been
discovered in a tern species.”
can get involved, please contact Mic Payne,
NACC’s Coastal and Marine Coordinator at
[email protected] or (08) 9930 0123.
New fish tagging app
helps fisheries science
Department of Fisheries
Western Australia’s Department of
Fisheries has launched a new free
app that will make it easier for fishers
to report the capture of tagged
invertebrates and finfish directly to
the Department.
Fishers who download the FishTagWA
app will be able to use their iPhones
and iPads to upload photos as well
as details of the size, breeding status,
capture location and tag number of any
Department of Fisheries tagged species
they catch, including rock lobster,
blue swimmer crabs, deep sea crabs,
Australian herring, cobbler, pink snapper
and tailor.
Well-designed, scientific fish tagging
programs allow scientists to gather
vital information about the growth,
movement and breeding habits of some
species.
Reporting the
capture of fish
tagged by the
Department for
research has
never been so
easy.
This information in turn helps fisheries
managers to manage fish stocks
sustainably, ensuring there will be fish
for the future.
The app concept was developed initially
for commercial rock lobster fishers to
report recaptured tagged animals but
was quickly expanded to include other
species tagged by the Department, as
well as recreational fishers who may
catch tagged species.
Rock lobster research scientist Jason
How said, “This is a great development
for the Department of Fisheries and for
WA fishers – it provides a much more
efficient method for collecting data than
solely using a paper-based system.
opportunity to play a key role in the
sustainable management of Western
Australia’s fish stocks.”
Using the app, fishers are also given the
option of receiving information about
their recaptured fish or animal, such as
where it was released and how far it has
travelled, as well as how much it has
grown.
For sending in an image and details of
tagged rock lobsters, fishers will receive
a Lottery scratch card as a reward from
the Department and for recapturing and
reporting tagged Australian herring,
fishers can receive a cash prize up to $100.
FishTagWA is available to download for
free from the iTunes app store.
“It also makes it much easier for fishers
to provide us with their tagged fish
recapture details, giving them the
More information on
fisheries science in WA can be found online at www.fish.wa.gov.au.
5
Salty Summer
proves as popular as ever
South Coast Natural Resource Management
Graeme and Michael Simpson show
children how to build a mia-mia, Emu
Point, Albany. Photo by Brett Dal Pozzo
More than 600 participants have
taken part in 35 events at 19 locations
from Walpole to Esperance as part of
the popular Salty Summer community
engagement program.
This highly successful annual school
holiday program is run by the South Coast
Natural Resource Management (NRM) and
is designed to raise awareness about the
marine and coastal environment of the
South Coast region.
Local presenters delivered the events,
providing participants with a wealth of
knowledge specific to their particular
location.
The majority of this season’s events have
been based around the popular ‘Beach
Investigators’ theme, where participants
of all ages collect material washed ashore
and discuss identification, origins and the
processes leading to deposition.
The program also included cultural
heritage events, awareness displays,
guided bird walks and marine touch
6
pools which generated
much interest from the
broader community.
The messages
underlying all events
has been about
raising awareness
of conservation and
Kym Phillips running
the threats facing
a tou
Photo by Xanthe Bourn ch pool at Greens Pool, Denmark. species within our
e
coastal environment,
including local shorebird populations
which remain on beaches after an
which are facing significant challenges.
unexplained spring event washed dead
Discussions focussed on the impacts
birds ashore along the South Coast.
of driving on beaches, feral animals,
A great general observation from our
domestic dogs and disturbance to
Beach Investigators was the small amount
nesting sites. Participants were shown
of manmade rubbish on beaches.
how to recognise species that nest on
foreshores and are particularly prone to
disturbance, such as the hooded plover.
Some interesting finds included a mass
‘stranding’ of the buoy barnacle (Dosima
fascicularis), which is quite rare and
unique – it suspends itself on the ocean
surface by a float of its own construction
and numerous shearwater skeletons,
For more information on Salty Summer
activities contact South Coast NRM
Southern Shores project leader Brett
Dal Pozzo on (08) 9845 8505 or [email protected].
Beach enclosure at
Coogee Beach
City of Cockburn
As the community debate about
sharks continues, the City of
Cockburn is trialling a new beach
enclosure at the popular Coogee
Beach.
The City of Cockburn has more than
17 kilometres of coastline and Coogee
Beach is located midway along the
coast, about eight kilometres south of
Fremantle.
In 2013 the City was approached by
two companies, Eco Shark Barriers and
Form Designs, which were looking for
a site to trial a new beach enclosure
design. Because of its gently sloping
and relatively shallow sea bed and the
absence of swell-generated waves and
strong currents, Coogee Beach was seen
as the ideal location for an initial trial of
the beach enclosure and its ability to
withstand ocean conditions.
The enclosure is made from durable,
long-lasting polymers and has been is
designed to provide a safe swimming
enclosure for beach users without
harming sea creatures, the marine
environment or impacting on coastal
processes.
The City agreed to allow the trial
to go ahead subject to certain
approvals and permits being
obtained.
The City emphasised that the
trial was to test the product’s
abilities to withstand ocean
conditions rather than its
effectiveness to keep out sharks
as it didn’t want to give the false
impression of a shark problem
at Coogee Beach. In fact, there
is no record of any person being
seriously or fatally injured from
a shark attack in the vicinity of
Coogee Beach since records
began in the 1800s.
The beach enclosure was
installed at Coogee Beach in
December 2013 with the trial to
last until the end of April 2014
when it is due to be removed. It is located at the northern end
of the beach, is rectangular in shape and
supported by two pylons 300 metres
apart, each pylon being located 75
metres off the beach.
At the time of writing the enclosure has
only been installed for eight weeks. The
success of beach enclosure
and its impact on the
marine environment
and coastal processes will not be fully
known until the end of the trial. To date,
feedback from beach users has been
overwhelmingly positive, with many
expressing the view that this type of
enclosure has allowed them to swim in
the ocean with an increased feeling of
safety.
7
2013 WA Marine Debris Report
Released!
Tangaroa Blue Foundation
Happy volunteers sorting rubbish at Hillarys.
Photo by Jessamy Ham
Iluka Resources cleaned up
Minninup Beach near Cap
el as part of the WA Beach
Photo by Frank Doyle
Clean Up.
Storms, swells and erosion delivered
large quantities of plastic debris onto
Western Australian beaches during
2013.
The message is clear – there is a large
quantity of plastic polluting the oceans
and there is a large quantity of plastic
buried and embedded within the coastal
system. Most of this plastic is fragmented.
Plastic remnants make up almost half
(46 per cent) of the long-term average
proportion of debris in WA clean-ups.
Fishing items follow with 9 per cent.
Plastic fragments are therefore the main
legacy of growing levels of plastics
entering the ocean over the decades
since mid-last century.
8
Every day plastic items together with
fishing items continue to be discharged
into the system. Curbing this discharge
is not hard in the practical sense, but the
major challenge is to change behaviour
and overcome complacency and inertia
in ourselves, and in our governance and
business structures.
In the 2013 report we begin with an
update on several source reduction issues
where these challenges are evident. The
WA Beach Clean-up data summary looks
at the levels of plastic fragments entering
the system this year together with cleanup data from all sites.
Following this in the section on the South
West Marine Debris Project, data from
monitoring sites are compared to data
from less frequently cleaned sites along
the Capes coast to explore the impact of
long-term clean-ups on local sites.
We would like to acknowledge our
major project partners Coastwest, Keep
Australia Beautiful Council – WA, the
Department of Fisheries and the South
West Catchments Council for their
continued support of this event. Finally
a big thanks to all involved for your
enthusiasm, generosity and persistence.
To download a copy of the full report
please visit www.tangaroablue.org.
Wedge
Island
Spiny Rush
eradication
Annie Shaw, Kwelena Mambakort Wedge Island Aboriginal
Corporation
Example of area after slashing
In 2012, Kwelena Mambakort Wedge
Island Aboriginal Corporation was
awarded a weed removal project by
the Northern Agricultural Catchments
Council to eradicate areas of Spiny
Rush (Juncus Acutus) at Wedge Island.
Spiny Rush is from the monocot family
juncacae and genus Juncus. It grows in
freshwater and low wetland areas, saline
low-lying, and sub saline wetlands. In
Australia it is considered to be an invasive
weed which eliminates and impacts on
natural indigenous flora ecology.
Populations are distributed as far as north
of Geraldton and to Esperance in the
south. It is a brown and green tussock
perennial that can grow up to two metres
in height.
Five main sites of 10 x 10 square metres
were created as a format for monitoring
the final results of the eradication
program. Sites 1, 2, 3, and 4, where
the plants were between 1-1.5 metres
tall, were machine-slashed prior to an
application of herbicide. Site 5 was
utilised as a fire burn.
After slashing the Spiny Rush to ground
level, the leaf blades were raked up and
disposed of in black plastic bags to kill
the seed for three months, then burnt.
New leaves were left to grow to 125mm in
spring. Different measures and quantities
of herbicides were applied to each of the
monitoring sites.
• Site 1 – A specific formula of herbicide
was used at this site and was the most
successful application where only 10
per cent of seed came back and no
re-growth of old Spiny Rush plants.
This formula was applied to other sites
with great success. This combination
achieved the best outcome for the
slashing method.
Spiny Rush 10cm to 15cm in growth ready
• Site 2 – A different formula of herbicide
was used here but after treatment
the site had a 50 per cent success
rate, so the formula from the first site
was applied to extinguish the weed.
Herbicide was applied to Sites 1 and 2
on the same day with the same weather
conditions.
• Sites 3 and 4 – were treated as per
Site 1.
• Site 5 – After slashing, removing
cuttings, then fire-burning this site,
new Spiny Rush growth sprouted from
the remaining clumps a few weeks
later. The herbicide mixture from Site
1 was applied and as a result this was
the most successful site of all five sites.
Small maintenance continued with spot
spraying, and gradually the natural
indigenous species reappeared. The
burning method proved to be the most
effective in eliminating regrowth of the
Spiny Rush.
for herbicide application
Maintenance of the Spiny Rush for three
square kilometres (areas divided) has
continued; new seedling infestations
will be treated before the root system
develops into mature plants.
In 2013 the Coastwest program assisted
with funds for herbicides to eradicate
juncus acutus. Some evidence of reseeding has occurred in parts, but overall
the areas targeted are a success story.
Monitoring and maintenance of spot
eradication will continue for the next five
years. Some areas have been fenced off
to stop vehicle disturbance that could
re-infest areas that are presently free of
Spiny Rush.
For further information please
contact Annie Shaw at
[email protected].
9
Gardening the
Bay-friendly
way
Geographe Catchment Council
Have you noticed the striking new
low nutrient demonstration garden at
the Busselton Youth and Community
Centre on Bussell Highway?
This project shows local gardeners how
they can have a beautiful garden, while
protecting Geographe Bay and the
catchment at the same time.
Geographe Cathchment Council
(GeoCatch) has constructed the
demonstration garden to showcase low
nutrient and water efficient approaches
that can be used in your home garden to
reduce its nutrient output to waterways
and Geographe Bay. An interpretive sign in
the garden shows the garden design and
describes the key methods used.
The City of Busselton is growing rapidly
and its expanding urban area could impact
on the future health of the waterways,
wetlands and Geographe Bay. The
demonstration garden assists both old and
new home owners to include sustainable
principles into their gardens. This project
is expected to enhance the amenity,
environment, sustainability and culture of
private and public urban areas.
Lisa Massey, GeoCatch’s Bay OK Officer,
said the low nutrient demonstration
garden would reduce the environmental
footprint of the site and encourage a flowon effect in the community.
“This example of low nutrient garden
features will influence urban gardeners
and engage them in achieving sustainable
outcomes in their landscape projects,” she
said.
The Busselton Youth and Community
Centre site was previously landscaped
with grass turf which required a lot of
For more information on upcoming
GeoCatch events visit
www.geocatch.asn.au/events
10
maintenance, fertilising
and watering to keep it
healthy and attractive.
The low nutrient
demonstration garden
was designed by Josh
Byrne and Associates.
Most of the lawn has
been replaced with
landscaped native
plants and vegetated
swales have been
included to capture
water run-off. The
biodiversity value
of the site has been
increased by using local
plants and keeping
the existing mature
peppermint trees.
Before - The Youth & Community Centre was one of the City of Busselton’s top five
hated turf maintenance sites. The turf was sprayed twice to kill it prior to its removal.
The demonstration
garden design is
included in the new
Coastal Gardens
After - The low nutrient demonstration garden at the Busselton Youth &
Planting Guide for
Community Centre is establishing rapidly. Photo by Lisa Massey
Geographe Bay, available
from GeoCatch, South
West Catchments Council and the
The demonstration garden is now
Geographe Community Landcare Nursery.
establishing rapidly and soon the design
principles behind the garden will be
The demonstration garden showcases
obvious to passers-by. GeoCatch will
some of the low nutrient and water
continue to roll out the Bay OK Gardens
efficient landscape approaches that can
project targeting urban gardening
be applied to urban gardens. The key
behaviours in the coming year.
principles include:
• Using local native plants that are water
efficient and require minimal fertilising;
• Using coarse native mulch and organic
soil amendments to maximise moisture
retention;
• Incorporating vegetated swales to
capture stormwater, increase recharge
and reduce nutrient runoff; and
• Reducing the area of lawn and replacing
with local natives.
This project has been a partnership
between the South West Catchments
Council (SWCC), City of Busselton and
GeoCatch, funded by the State NRM
Community grants and the Australian
Government’s Caring for Our Country
program.
Stage 2 of the project about to get
underway features urban stormwater
retrofitting that will apply the garden’s
stormwater design principles to the
carpark at the rear of the site.
Construction of
new pathway to
protect fragile
coastline in
Green Head
West Midlands Group
The West Midlands Group (WMG)
has recently received a grant from
Coastwest to extend the walkway and
erect an access pathway at Three Bays
Walkway, Dynamite Bay and Green
Head.
Looking north to jetty area of 3 Bays
The WMG is working in partnership with
the Green Head Coastcare Group and the
Shire of Coorow to plan and develop the
pathway at the Cambewarra lookout.
“It’s wonderful to see the plans finally
being put in place and work being funded
in our local area,” said Peg Hodgson, Green
Head Coastcare Group.
The aim of the project is to maintain native
flora and fauna along the sensitive coast
and protect the dangerous limestone cliffs
unique to the West Midlands coast. There
will be two beach clean-up days and a
community planting day to revegetate
eroded dunes. Other work involves
brushing undefined tracks, and placing
rocks along the pathway. Everyone is
welcome to take part!
To celebrate the work achieved, a public
forum will be held and a guest speaker
invited. It is anticipated that this formalised
trail will minimise human impact on this
sensitive area.
The new pathway will link with the Cambewarra lookout and will give beachcombers a
designated walkway, whilst protecting native vegetation.
Swimmers, anglers, walkers and
beachcombers will have safer and easier
access to the beaches while still enjoying
the challenge of a walk trial. Photographers
and bird watchers will have areas where
they can safely stop and observe nature
and take unique photographs.
For further information about the
project, please visit:
Website: www.wmgroup.org.au
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/
WestMidlandsGroup
Follow us on Twitter: @WMG_WA.
Where the new pathway is planning to be constructed.
11
What Friends have done for
Hardy Inlet
Shire of Augusta Margaret River
Typha and Tarrow removal. Photo by Merryn Delaney
Friends of the Hardy Inlet Foreshore
and Augusta Community Nursery
have just completed five years of
volunteer work along the Hardy Inlet
that has made a huge improvement to
the foreshore environment.
In 2008/09 a formal walkway was
constructed along the foreshore.
Since then volunteers have worked to
manage weeds and revegetate the area.
Grants were sought, seed collected and
propagated at the Augusta Community
Nursery, contractors engaged to assist
with weed control and countless hours of
planting and hand weeding invested by
community volunteers.
In 2009 the foreshore contained large
areas of Kikuyu and other garden
“escapee weeds”. The Friends, who meet
weekly at the foreshore, have worked with
the Augusta Margaret River Shire and
Lower Blackwood Landcare collecting and
propagating local native seed, removing
Before
12
weeds and replanting
native seedlings back
into degraded areas.
“Today the vegetation
along the foreshore
walk way has been
greatly improved by
the community efforts
and work will continue Volunteers at Augusta Community Nursery - Hele
na Blom, Rodger Crabtree,
Jan White, Frank Blocksidge, Billy
Barbour, Gudrun Thiele, Joan Barb
to be undertaken,”
our.
Photo by John McKinney
said Merryn Delaney,
the Shire of Augusta
Margaret River’s Environmental Officer.
be revegetated with local native
seed. The seed was propagated by
“By using, collecting and growing seed
volunteers at the Augusta Community
local to the Augusta area we are able
Nursery and planted back into the
to protect the local native provenance
foreshore or surrounding reserves.
plants and improve the condition of the
local environment.”
Initially volunteers took part in seed
collection and plant propagation
workshops. These taught volunteers
correct seed collecting techniques and
also ensured that the foreshore would
The pond along the foreshore had a
major problem with fast-spreading Taro
and Typha. A mini bobcat and trucks were
required to dig out the weeds. The Taro
roots had to be completely removed so it
was a big and messy job but significantly
After - Current condition. Photos by Merryn Delaney
One good Tern
deserves another
Craig Wilson, Perth Region NRM, Coastal and Marine Program
A few fortunate beach walkers
recently sighted the rare, nesting
Fairy Terns (Sterula nereis) on a few of
Perth’s beaches.
Birdlife Australia’s estimate of only 1500
pairs in Western Australia (5000 pairs
Australia-wide) would rate these small
Terns as a rarity and their presence
should be appreciated and protected by
all members of the community.
Fairy Terns are usually sighted here in
the summer, as they breed during the
December to February period. They can
often be seen feeding along shallow
shoreline areas, diving for small fish
including hardy-heads and sprats.
Their nests are usually a shallow
depression in the sand, sometimes
surrounded by seaweed, close to the
reduced the problem. Ongoing weed
removal was required particularly for the
Typha.
Recently, an area of the pond was
covered with black plastic to solarize
the remaining weeds. The area has now
been densely planted with reeds grown
by volunteers in the local nursery and
the transformation of the pond has been
amazing.
Erosion was a problem in some areas
along the foreshore. Eco-logs were used
to stabilise the banks while reeds were
establishing. By the time the eco-logs
have rotted away, solid reed beds should
have established to protect the banks.
shoreline where they lay from
one to three eggs. When
nesting, the pair rotate their
time with one incubating the
eggs while the other rests on
the nearby shore or patrols
the area for fish.
At a secluded beach in Kwinana,
six nesting birds were sighted and
within two weeks, two chicks hatched.
Unfortunately, the chicks disappeared
shortly after hatching, possibly taken
by a pair of Black Shouldered Kites that
were seen regularly patrolling the beach.
Other threats to Fairy Terns in the Perth
area include disturbance by people and
dogs and predation by feral animals
including cats and foxes.
2008 photos show an infestation of Kyke
intermingled with reeds on the foreshore.
The infested areas were sprayed, allowing
native reeds and Centella to take over.
In some areas volunteers assisted by
transplanting additional natives. Ongoing
spraying was required to manage the
Kyke but some of these areas now require
very little spraying. The pathway provided
a valuable weed barrier to work up to (see
before and after photos).
Over the next 12 months the Friends
and the Shire hope to start working with
willing neighbouring landholders to
Photos by Kathryn Dikinson
If you see Fairy Terns nesting on your
beach, notify your Local Government
Environment Officer who may install a
temporary fence and warning signs to
protect the birds from disturbance.
For further information please contact
Craig Wilson on (08) 9439 0433 or
[email protected].
extend the revegetation work to the west
side of the pathway into the verge areas
and possibly neighbouring gardens.
“It would be great to be able to
demonstrate how people’s gardens
can be an extension of the foreshore
environment and help to provide
important habitat as well as an
aesthetically pleasing garden area for
landholders,” said Merryn Delaney.
For further information please contact
Merryn Delaney (08) 9780 5221 or
[email protected].
13
Reporting marine ‘strangers’
just got easier with new
Redmap app
Mike Burgess, Department of Fisheries
some remarkable discoveries, including
five large blue marlin (Makaira nigricans)
washed up on beaches between Augusta
and Albany.
The new phone application will make
reporting easier and quicker when
‘loggers’ come across marine species that
they think are unusual for their area of
the WA coast. Central to Redmap’s data
verification process is the submission
of good quality photographs that can
be validated by a network of marine
scientists around the country. Staff from
the Department of Fisheries, WA Museum,
Department of Parks and Wildlife and
Murdoch University have all offered their
time to help verify Redmap reports from
the public.
“We know that many people take their
mobile phones with them while they
are fishing, on the boat or down at the
beach. Increasingly, they are utilising the
phone’s high quality camera to take a
snap of any notable captures or anything
unusual to share with their family and
friends, including through social media,”
Dr Jackson said.
The Range Extension Database
Mapping Project, or Redmap for
short, has now launched a free phone
application to assist fishers, divers
and ocean users to report unusual
marine species with just a few clicks
of a phone.
Complementing the Redmap website
www.redmap.org.au, the app gives
users easy access to information on
which marine species to look out for in
Western Australia and allows “loggers” to
build their own maps and catalogue of
submitted sightings.
Redmap’s community observations are
helping scientists track marine species
that are shifting into new areas and
thereby extending their home range. This
change of marine postcode may be in
response to changes in ocean warming or
other extreme environmental events.
As Dr Gary Jackson, a Principal Finfish
Research Scientist at the Department of
Fisheries explains, getting the community
involved along the State’s extensive
coastline is crucial, as the waters off
the west and south coasts of Western
Australia are quite clearly warming up.
“The peak of the WA marine heatwave
broke summer sea surface temperature
records, as a pulse of abnormally warm
water moved down the coast in the early
part of 2011. Including this extreme event,
14
there have now been three consecutive
years of abnormally high sea surface
temperatures during summer off the WA
coast,” said Dr Jackson.
Dr Jackson said the launch of the phone
application offered an opportunity to
encourage all ocean enthusiasts to review
their catalogue of photographs for
species caught or spotted in the past few
years that might be worthy of logging on
Redmap.
During the peak, the Department of
Fisheries received a flurry of phone calls
and emails from the community reporting
fish kills on the mid-west coast and
strange catches of tropical fish species
further to the south.
“In addition to what people might
encounter in the future, we are certain
that there is a wealth of data in the
community sitting on computers
and phones that is just waiting to be
uncovered,” he said.
“The number of unusual catches by
fishers and sightings by divers sparked
our interest to be involved in the national
expansion of the Redmap project, which
until then was being run successfully in
Tasmania by the University of Tasmania
and Institute of Antarctic and Marine
Studies,” said Dr Jackson.
Become a citizen scientist and download
the free app at the iTunes App Store or
Google Play and Spot, Log, Map.
For further enquires email
[email protected] and connect with
Redmap Australia on Facebook and
through the quarterly e-newsletter.
Redmap was launched nationally in
December 2012, allowing Western
Australians for the first time to log
photographic reports of any encounters
with unusual marine species through an
updated national Redmap website. Since
then there has been 94 logged reports
with the number still growing.
The WA fishing and diving community got
on board the project early with red throat
emperor (Lethrinus miniatus) accounting
for the most sightings of one species nine sightings logged between Perth and
Augusta. As winter set in beachcombers
along the State’s south stumbled across
The Redmap app is supported
by an Australian Government
Inspiring Australia grant; the New
South Wales Environmental Trust;
and the Institute for Marine and
Antarctic Studies (IMAS) at the
University of Tasmania.
Don’t dump
that fish -
keep aquarium fish
where they belong
Department of Fisheries
The Department of Fisheries is urging
owners of unwanted or sick aquarium
fish not to dump them in toilets, in or
near waterways, drains or the ocean.
The ‘Don’t dump that fish’ campaign,
launched in October by Western Australia’s
Chief Scientist Professor Lyn Beazley, is part
of the Department’s program to improve
the State’s aquatic biosecurity defences.
The campaign will raise awareness of the
impacts of releasing unwanted aquarium
fish, snails and plants into waterways,
toilets, drains or the ocean and provide
advice on how to responsibly dispose of
such unwanted pets.
To help spread the word, ‘Don’t dump
that fish’ posters, brochures and fish bag
stickers have been distributed to aquarium
retailers around the State.
Professor Beazley said the wider
community was a huge resource in the
fight to prevent aquatic pests entering and
establishing in Western Australia.
“Industry supported programs, such as this
campaign, are powerful ways of engaging
many people on aquatic biosecurity
issues,” Professor Beazley said.
Department of Fisheries Director General
Stuart Smith with WA’s Chief Scientist
Professor Lyn Beazley at the campaign launc
h
with an aquarium, or seek
advice from their local pet
shop.
“If you are unable to find a new
home for your fish, or if the
fish are sick or diseased, please
dispose of them responsibly
and humanely.”
The ‘Don’t dump that fish’
campaign is supported by the
Department of Agriculture and
Food, the aquarium industry,
and the Perth Cichlid Society.
Advice on how to dispose of
unwanted fish is available on
the Department of Fisheries’
website at www.fish.wa.gov.
au/biosecurity or by searching
‘humanely euthanase fish’ at
www.kb.rspca.org.au.
“With millions of fish being
transported around the globe,
importation of aquarium fish
is potentially a major source of
invasive species.
“Given the difficulties in
eradicating pests once
they are established, the
Department’s focus is on
prevention by ensuring key
stakeholders, such as the
ornamental fish industry, have
access to relevant information.
“Fish owners who no longer
want their fish should give
them to other responsible
owners or an organisation
Sightings of suspected aquatic pests
should be reported to the department’s
FISHWATCH service on 1800 815 507, or
via email to [email protected],
or through the free WA PestWatch app
which can be downloaded from the App
Store and Google Play Store.
15
Much loved trail
gets some TLC
Mandy Polley, Meelup Regional Park Management Committee
After - Volunteers planting along the trail, and people
using the newly aligned trail to the left.
Photo by Mandy Polley
Enthusiastic volunteers planted nearly
2000 trees and shrubs and pruned back
overgrown vegetation for the new trail.
Contractors helped with weed control,
mulching, trail realignment and extra
planting.
The old trail has been blocked off and
hikers, surfers and fishers are now happily
walking the newly improved trail. With
last year’s exceptional winter most of
the plants are thriving, with many of the
Acacia saligna reaching around 1.5m high!
Before - Weeds and braiding on the Rocky Point trail prior
Photo by Mandy Polley
One of Meelup Regional Park’s oldest
and most beloved trails, the trail
leading to well-known surf and fishing
spot Rocky Point, got some much
needed TLC over autumn and winter of
2013.
to rehabilitation.
Over time, sections of this trail were
getting worse for wear, with soil
compaction, braiding (where people
created new trails to avoid overgrown
vegetation and puddling/muddy
sections), erosion and associated
vegetation loss.
The aim of the project was to close and
rehabilitate sections of the trail where
braiding had occurred, and widen the
foreshore vegetation for wildlife habitat.
16
Within the next couple of years the
vegetation will grow even more and
planted peppi trees will create a
pleasant shaded canopy overhead. This
project is partially funded through the
City of Busselton, and the South West
Catchments Council, through funding
from the Australia Government’s Caring
for our Country and the Government of
Western Australia.
For further information please
visit www.meeluppark.com.