Supporting the Moore River Catchment Area
The Moore River and its catchment is about to become a victim of State and Federal natural resource management budget cuts unless the public voice can be heard.
Come and find out about the iconic but endangered Carnaby’s Black Cockatoo and what you can actively do to help save this species from extinction……FREE TO ATTEND
Where – Guilderton Community Hall
When – 27th October
Time – 10am – 2pm
RSVP Contact – Rachel Walmsley 9653 1355 or mcc.nrmo@bigpond.com
In recent months people may have noticed a number of sick looking trees along the railway line reserve from Gillingarra all the way up along the Midlands Road to around Geraldton. This reserve is not only an important ecological corridor for native flora and fauna – including
a designated Important Bird Area for the endangered Carnaby’s Black Cockatoo around Moora and Gillingarra, it is also a huge drawcard for tourists who enjoy the area for its native vegetation.
Carnaby’s Black Cockatoo are endemic to WA but are rapidly in decline. Estimates put total population to be below 60,000.
The Northern Swan Coastal Plain Important Bird Area (IBA) supports up to 15,000 Carnaby’s Black-Cockatoo in the non-breeding season and a small number of breeding pairs. The birds are attracted to this area because of the presence of feed species in remnant vegetation containing Banksia heath and woodland, scattered marri (Corymbia callophylla) and tuart (Eucalyptus gomphocephala) trees and Pinus spp.
An eagle eyed (or should that be Black Cockie eyed??) Julia White spotted this article in Parrots – an international magazine for the Parrot enthusiast.
They’ve picked up a MCC’s Carnaby’s Black Cockatoo feed species 2013 project media release and put it in their magazine. Its brilliant to see that this project has attracted international recognition !!
Prepare a bushfire survival kit before the bushfire season starts. This will help you get through the first few days after a fire. Make sure you have transport and a bushfire survival kit ready regardless of whether you are going to leave or actively defend your house.
“How do I manage weeds on my property” and “Where do I get a soil test done” were just two of the many questions asked at the Heavenly Hectares workshop in Gingin on Saturday 23rd November.
The Moore Catchment Council organised the event in partnership with The Forever Project, Avongro and Northern Agricultural Catchments Council with funding through the Federal Caring For Our
Country initiative, DAFWA, and The Natural Disaster Resilience Program. Rachel Walmsley of MCC said “Chris Ferreira from The Forever Project is well known on the sustainable living circuit and he delivered an entertaining and fast paced introduction to creating sustainable rural properties. I’ve worked with him before and witnessed his enthusiast style so I knew he wouldn’t disappoint.”
On Tuesday 16 July, Moore Catchment Council, with funding provided through the State NRM Office, held an informative workshop on Carnaby’s Black-Cockatoos.
The event was a great success with more than twenty-five people attending. Attendees were impressed with the presentations by Wally Kerkhoff from the Kerkhoff Carnaby Group, Sarah Mason, a farmer and keen Carnaby enthusiast and Paula and Kylie from Kaarakin Black-Cockatoo Conservation Centre. The highlight of the day was meeting Chasey the Carnaby, brought up from Kaarakin, who wasn’t shy for the camera.
The Moore Catchment Council is delighted to announce that they were successful in obtaining funds through the Caring For Our Country (CFOC) Community Landcare Grants for their ‘Demonstrating different establishment techniques of perennials in deep sand’ project.
This small project was the brainchild of a Koojan farmer who visited the MCC office on the offchance that there was funding available for his idea. Luckily, it was the day before the application closing date so MCC NRM officer Rachel Walmsley helped draft out the idea and wrote up the project quickly before the deadline.
John Isbister is a very happy farmer. His newest perennial grass plantings at Ranfurly Park south of Moora, have turned two gutless white sand paddocks (over 100ha) into green lush pasture for his sheep.
