We foster a prosperous, vibrant community for present and future generations within the Oyster Harbour Catchment through natural resource management.
Oyster Harbour catchment covers 3,000 square kilometers and stretches from Albany in the south to Tenterden in the north. It contains some of the Great Southern's best natural assets.

​As an organisation we coordinate ​many native and agricultural management projects: increasing awareness, encouraging best practices for all land uses, carry out landscape scale on-ground works and collaborate with others through out the community. 

New
​Stories

Our Seagrass

Oyster Harbour's seagrass was reported to healthy and dense, growing down to 8m deep until the 1980s when the seagrass population went through a period of excessive loss. No longer found deeper then 2m and becoming sparse due to deterioration in water quality and increased phosphorous causing algal blooms, which suffocated the seagrass causing untold damages to the whole system. The community has since implemented numerous catchment project to increase water quality and limit excess phosphorous, as well as a seagrass restoration program.

Thanks to everyone's effort in our 3000km2 catchment from the Stirling Ranges to the City of Albany, recent surveys now show the area of seagrass has expanded to 663ha at a generally high density, seen down to 5.5m. This is a huge achievement and something to be celebrated indicating a sustained and healthy estuary system for the environment, industry and recreation.

Read the report http://ow.ly/yMpp50DoM9X

Feral Animal Control

We would like to wish FeralScan a happy 10th birthday having used them previously due to their educational resources we highly recommend farmers and other community members report sighting dead or alive to the app.
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FeralScan has marked its tenth anniversary with a major upgrade to the free Centre for Invasive Species Solutions community pest management resource, which will enhance pest animal management programs across Australia.

FERALSCAN CONTAINS DATA ENTERED BY MORE THAN 25,000 PEOPLE, MAKING IT THE LARGEST COMMUNITY-DRIVEN PEST ANIMAL MONITORING PROGRAM IN AUSTRALIA,” MR WEST SAID.

Continuous input from farmers, community groups, professional pest animal controllers, industry and government biosecurity organisations has delivered an important resource which informs pest animal management programs across the country.

FERALSCAN WORKS THROUGH A USER-FRIENDLY WEBSITE AND PHONE APP AND MR WEST HAS TRAVELLED ACROSS AUSTRALIA TO CONSULT WITH AND SUPPORT LANDHOLDER AND COMMUNITY GROUPS TO ENSURE THEY ARE GETTING THE FULL BENEFITS OF THE RESOURCE.

In 2016, FeralScan was recognised with a national Banksia Foundation Award for its contribution to enhancing environmental outcomes within Australia through science and research innovation.

FeralScan can be found online, https://feralscan.org.au/ and the app can be downloaded by searching for ‘FeralScan’ in Apple or GooglePlay stores.

Preparing for Summer

​What a landholder has to think about.
There’s a lot to consider if you’re thinking about managing your rural land, especially when preparing for summer. Landholders need to start thinking about bush fires and decreased water supply, and how that relates to their legal responsibilities for managing declared pest animal/plant and livestock welfare. https://www.legislation.wa.gov.au/legislation/prod/filestore.NSF/FileURL/mrdoc_41976.pdf/$FILE/Biosecurity%20and%20Agriculture%20Management%20Act%202007%20-%20%5B02-c0-01%5D.pdf?OpenElement

Managing Pests
Controlling invasive species on your property not only satisfies your legal obligations but limits their imposed risk to your property and livestock/crop as well as potential fuel loads.
Livestock Welfare
Nothing tests your ability to assess your property stocking rate capacity than a hot summer. Assess if you have enough feed/water before the season hits. Do you have an excess? Should you buy more stock. Is it limited? Should you destock now or is it going to be worth carting water/buying feed? Especially as under the BAM act their welfare is your legal responsibility. *Small property owners might not have this livestock responsibility but can help out their communities by limiting water wastage see https://www.watercorporation.com.au/Waterwise 


Bush Fire Preparations
  • Make a Bushfire survival plan (including what to do with livestock) and rehearse with your family.
  • Make a bushfire survival kit including a portable battery-powered radio and spare batteries to enable you to listen to bushfire warnings.
  • Maintain a defendable space of at least 20 m around your home and 5 m around sheds and garages (greater if on a slope). Check fire breaks.
  • Remove leaves from gutters.
  • Slash stubble near sheds/buildings.
  • Check reserve water supplies.
  • Monitor fire danger ratings.
See more details here https://www.dfes.wa.gov.au/safetyinformation/fire/bushfire/BushfireManualsandGuides/DFES_Bushfire-Homeowners_Survival_Manual.pdf
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Contact Us

Find Us
Phone: (08) 9851 2703
Mobile: 0419 646 390

Email 
Plantagenet Landcare Centre,
Old Railway Station.
Po Box 118
Mt Barker WA 6324
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​Office Hours: Mon-Fri 0830 - 1700 hrs
​(Office may be unattended as we are often in the field)

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