Our Vision is to foster a prosperous, vibrant rural communities for present and future generations within the Oyster Harbour Catchment.
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 natural resource management projects, on-ground works and educational workshops. 

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Our Local Cats

Please take 5 minutes to complete this survey. All responses and information gathered are anonymous.

The purpose of this is to gain a better understanding of cats in society and the environment and cats behaviour and owners management in the City of Albany and the Cranbrook, Denmark, and Plantagenet Shires. This information will be used to inform us about the community and the cat’s needs to adopt the best cat management.

Feral Animal Control

Local Champion 
Local Volunteer Shooter, Patrick
In Australia, feral animals typically have few natural predators or fatal diseases and generally have high reproductive rates. As a result, their populations have not naturally diminished and multiply rapidly if conditions are favourable. Feral animals impact on native species and agriculture by predation, competition for food and shelter, destroying habitat, increase erosion, and by spreading diseases. Local volunteer shooter such as Patrick and property owners that facilitate them. They not only protect our unique native animals and overall ecology but also local farmers productivity.  This takes time and costs them personally in resources with little compensation/ broader community recognition.

Patrick: "The farmers are very appreciative and willing to host me on their farms. I don’t hear from the town folk nor do I need too.  Everyone’s just got to play their part and this is mine."

OHCG: What impact have you had? 

​Patrick: "Last year (2019) was the first year I started counting foxes killed (besides doing competition). Mostly I just shoot in the immediate area consisting of 5 odd properties (with explicit permission). Despite the small catchment area still managed to control 187 foxes. Piggeries are a goldmine for foxes, they are everywhere due to the constant food source. Doesn’t matter if I have just shot there the previous night, I will still find some more."

"I use a thermal scope which is much more effective than a spotlight and I can knock out a lot more of the resident population which limits the greatest impact on the environment/livestock rather than only getting the opportunistic roamers. For example, I help control foxes on the Yellinup piggery, and though I haven’t managed to permanently get rid of their foxes since I can only manage to do a quarter of the property when I visit, I end up getting 10-12 a night in that one spot. The manager said the months in which I was shooting they got the best yields. Ended up protecting farmers productivity and the surrounding environment."

"Just on my property a lot of pygmy possums have come back and even some brush-tailed phascogales but I think that was more from getting rid of a couple of feral cats. Foxes tend to be more opportunistic eaters of the weak and young. Rather target easy prey such as birds and livestock then hunt down the harder to catch native mammals."

If you wish to do your part and think like Patrick, then protecting farmland and the environment might be your forte. Please do so (with owners permission) you have OHCG's appreciation. Also if you'd like to map/record your effort got to https://feralscan.org.au/default.aspx It's easy to run via their app while out and about with support available and confidential. 

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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