What do you get if you put 60 keen environmentally minded people together for 24hrs in the Midwest bush? A bioblitz of course! The weekend of the 23^rd/24^th September served as the date for the Midwest’s inaugural bioblitz organised by the Moore Catchment Council (MCC), Yarra Yarra Catchment Management Group (YYCMG) and the Northern Agricultural Catchments Council (NACC). A bioblitz is a 24hr event involving rapid collection of ecological data at a particular site which provides a snapshot of the species that occur in that area. The event attracted around 60 people aged 7 to 70 from all over the region from Perth to Geraldton, and was held at Bunjil Rocks in the Shire of Perenjori. Rachel Walmsley, MCC’s Community Landcare Coordinator said “It really was a fabulous weekend. We based ourselves at Latham to take advantage of the free and well equipped Shire camping facilities and community hall. Participants camped in swags, tents and camper vehicles in the bush camping area adjacent to the oval. We also picked the same date to camp there as 80 members of the 4WD club Trackcare which nearly doubled Latham’s population for the weekend !”

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Moore Catchment Council are celebrating after winning the prestigious and much coveted Fairfax Community Landcare Group award at the WA Landcare Awards held on Wednesday 30th August in Perth. MCC staff Helen Watkins and Rachel Walmsley, and MCC committee Tony White and Kaye McGlew were all in attendance to see if MCC could clinch the award from the other worthy finalist Kalgoorlie-Boulder Urban Landcare Group. Rachel said “We were all on the edge of our seats in anticipation as MC Verity James announced the winner. When our name was called we were elated, so appreciative that MCC had been chosen. Now it’s on to the National Landcare awards next year. Maybe MCC will get recognised at a national level – how exciting!

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The North Guilderton dunes were once again buzzing with action on Sunday 11th June for a community planting day. The event was part of Moore Catchment Council’s project to rehabilitate the north dunes, funded through Northern Agricultural Catchments Council’s Coastal Community Grants 2016-2017 funding by the Australian Government through the National Landcare Programme.

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Carnaby’s Black Cockatoo received an extra boost to their habitat range with five farmers around the Moore region fencing off nearly 65ha of native remnant bushland as well as recently revegetated land. Rachel Walmsley, Moore Catchment Council’s NRM Officer said “This was all made possible with funding received through Northern Agricultural Catchment Council’s biodiversity program funded through the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program. Fencing is an expensive job and so to receive a financial incentive from the Government ensures these projects are carried out.”

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The National Landcare conference held in Melbourne on 21st to 23rd September was an incredible event with many like-minded people telling their stories that are so similar to our own. Landcare in Australia is a movement and that movement is gaining moment with many young people now getting out and doing wonderful things in the community.

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Ever come across witches fingers or fairy wands poking out of a woodland floor, or know what a curry punk, russler, slippery jack or dung button is? Or seen a bug that looks like a bee but isn’t a bee – only mimicking a
bee? Or maybe seen a strange fungus that turns from a small puffball to a strange lattice basket upon touch? All this and more was discovered at the Magic of Mushrooms and Beauty of Bugs day organised by Moore
Catchment Council 30th August.

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This is Wally Kerkhof’s guide to constructing nesting logs for Carnaby’s Black Cockatoos from fallen trees. Wally has spent over 30 years designing and constructing these artificial logs for placement in the Carnaby breeding areas of Moora and Mogumber.

With the shortage of suitable natural nesting trees, this work has been essential in helping to recover the endangered Carnaby’s Black Cockatoo population.

Since 1983, 50 of these logs have been erected in Moora with around 80 chicks born every year from the artificial logs and natural hollows.

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The north Guilderton dunes were a hive of activity on 12th June as nearly 50 people aged 5 to 93 gave up their Sunday morning to volunteer their time at the annual planting event. Rachel Walmsley, Moore Catchment
Council’s NRM Officer said “Despite the chilly start and the threat of rain, we once again had a fabulous turn out of volunteers including local and nearby residents, plus members of The 4WD Club of WA who have a keen membership wishing to take part in rehabilitation projects up and down the coast.” This is the second community planting event on the north dunes since an area was fenced off from vehicular access in 2014.
Natural revegetation of the degraded tracks is occurring slowly but these extra native seedlings planted will help move things along.

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After grey skies and a deluge of rain the day before, the weather couldn’t have been better for the official opening of the Jingemia Cave new signage and footpath upgrade on 8th June. The cave is on the south eastern edge of Watheroo National Park and managed by Department of Parks and Wildlife (DPaW). Over 40 people, many who haven’t visited the cave before, braved the slippery access road to get to the cave and were greeted by a hot cuppa and pumpkin soup.

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Eco trails Booklet – Shire of Moora

Figuring out which plant species will attract Carnaby’s Black Cockatoo on your property can be difficult. Sarah Mason of Carrah Farms, Calingiri decided to share her experiences to help inspire others by running an info day on Friday 13th May as part of the Moore Catchment Council’s WA Natural Resource Management Program
Carnabys project.

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