The Blackwood Basin Group hosted an enthusiastic crowd to the official reopening of Perup: Nature’s Guesthouse on Saturday 2nd September. More than 55 locals from surrounding towns, visitors and key stakeholders gathered to meet new Caretakers Nick Hight and Gretta Free and to explore the rejuvenated facilities at Perup’s pristine, natural environment.

Under the management of the Blackwood Basin Group, Perup: Nature’s Guesthouse is once again welcoming guests for a unique wilderness experience.  Many of the participants at the Open Day, who commented that they had driven past many times but never been in to Perup: Nature’s Guesthouse, were amazed by the quality and range of facilities available.

 “The Blackwood Basin Group is excited about the many wonderful opportunities at Perup: Nature’s Guesthouse for the local community and visitors to engage with our fantastic biodiversity.” said BBG Chairman Dr Per Christensen. “It is the premier fauna reserve in the South West of WA and the only place where you are basically guaranteed to see at least one of our threatened or endangered mammal species.”

Surrounded by the 56,000 hectare Tone-Perup Nature Reserve, Perup: Nature’s Guesthouse is one of the best places in Western Australia’s south west to see native wildlife including numbats, ringtail and brushtail possums, quenda, woylies and chuditch. Guests utilising the range of accommodation and facilities at Perup: Nature’s Guesthouse are able to see local fauna such as the Tammar Wallaby, which live around the homestead buildings and feed on lawned areas at dusk.

Dr Per Christensen, was instrumental in the establishment of the Tone-Perup Nature Reserve in the 1970s, spoke about the facility’s history and its future opportunities. Cliff Winfield, South West Catchments Council Board Member, talked about some of the founders and their input; whilst Boyup Brook Shire President Graham Aird enthused about Perup: Nature’s Guesthouse as a valuable asset to the region. New caretakers Nick Hight and Gretta Free gave some background to their arrival at Perup and spoke of the exciting opportunities for the future including yoga and wellness retreats, corporate functions, hosting of school groups and welcoming the community back to utilising this wonderful resource.

The next events planned for Perup: Nature’s Guesthouse include a free Mental Health Retreat and a Women’s Wellness Weekend. There are also opportunities for spotlighting tours and wildflower walks.

For more information, please visit www.perupnaturesguesthouse.com.au or contact the Blackwood Basin Group on 9765 1555.

Media Release Contact: perup@blackwoodbasingroup.com.au or phone 9765 1555.

West Arthur Landcare Officer:  Karrie Williamson (Blackwood Basin Group) 9765 1555 or karrie@blackwoodbasingroup.com.au
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On Thursday the 31st of August and Friday the 1st of September two very special events were held by blackwood Basin Group in Darkan, one at the Darkan Town Hall and the other at the Darkan Primary School. Both events were designed to share knowledge and educate the community on the threatened Red-Tailed Phascogale.

Thursday’s workshop participants were delighted to receive informative presentations from Gen Harvey, NRM Officer (Wagin Woodanilling Landcare Zone) and Angela Sanders, Ecologist (Bush Heritage Australia). Both ladies talked about the ecology of the animal, with Gen giving a brief comparison between the Red and the Brush-Tailed Phascogales, along with how they have been involved in the preservation of this species.

The event was extremely successful with many participants showing interest in the species and their preservation along with volunteering to install nest boxes on their properties and join in any monitoring programs that become available within the area.

Friday’s event was a little different but still just as exciting and informative as Thursday’s workshop. Joe Tonga from Natsync Environmental came out to Darkan Primary School to teach the year 4,5,6 class how to build a Phascogale nest tube. This was held in conjunction with the school’s Father’s Day event, which saw 9 father’s attend from the class. There was much fun, mess and laughter throughout the nest building, with students and parents completing 10 nest tubes to be installed in Nanigup Creek reserve as part of the South32 Junior Landcare Project.

Joe went on to address the whole school at their weekly assembly, giving a fun and informative presentation on the Red-tailed Phascogale. The children were delighted with a special visit from Wagin Woodanilling Landcare Zones very own Red-Tailed Phascogale mascot throughout the presentation. She caused much stir and excitement sneaking into the assembly to give Joe a hand and later assisting Mrs Goss in handing out the School’s merit certificates.

Later in the evening after the Darkan Primary School’s P&C steak night, Joe took the students and their parents on a guided night stalk through the local Nanigup Creek Reserve in hoping to spot any native fauna out and about at dark.

Both the events held in Darkan were well received by all participants, The Blackwood Basin Group, the Shire of West Arthur and Darkan Primary School would like to thank all those involved in creating such special events for the West Arthur community. Either of the events would not have been possible without funding from the Australian Government, South West Catchment Council, Landcare Australia and South32.

Schwenkes Dam to receive Community Chest Funds
 
Member for Warren-Blackwood, Terry Redman today announced another grant recipient of the South West region’s Community Chest Fund, made possible by the Liberal National Government’s Royalties for Regions program.
 
The fund provides one-off grants of up to $50,000 to community, public and not-for-profit organisations to support local, demand-driven projects.
 
Mr Redman said the Blackwood Basin Group had been granted $50,000 to help fund Stage 1 of a Nature-Viewing Precinct Plan at Schwenkes Dam in Greenbushes.
 
“This grant will help to build a high quality boardwalk and trail to facilitate nature-based experiences that will benefit both tourists and the local community in Bridgetown-Greenbushes,” Mr Redman said.
 
“The improved facilities at Schwenkes Dam will build upon award-winning biodiversity conservation outcomes achieved at the site, and will provide disabled access to the boardwalk and a connecting trail to link with the established Greenbushes Loop trail network,” Mr Redman said. 
 
The Community Chest Fund provides voluntary organisations, educational institutions and community organisations with grants of up to $50,000 to support local projects.
 
"The fund supports locally driven projects that will help improve services and infrastructure for the benefit of regional communities," he said.
 
"Hundreds of diverse projects and organisations across regional Western Australia have benefited from the fund in recent years."
 
WA's nine regional development commissions oversee the projects, each being allocated an equal share from which to provide the Community Chest Fund grants.
 
The Liberal National Government, through the Royalties for Regions program, has invested $10 million into the Community Chest Fund over the next four years.
 
Fact File

• The Community Chest Fund aims to improve economic and community infrastructure, and services in regional WA
• WA's nine regional development commissions oversee the projects, each being allocated an equal share from which to provide the grants
• Contact your Regional Development Commission for more information or visit Bigger Picture - Regions

 

The Blackwood Basin Group, in partnership with the Bridgetown-Greenbushes Shire and Bridgetown-Greenbushes Landcare, is currently updating their strategy and the local landcare plans for each of the key areas across the Blackwood River catchment.
 
“This project lets us ask our community how they see the Blackwood region and landcare in 20yrs time, and to work towards that vision with an updated strategy and practical on-ground plans.” said Project Officer Kirsten Skraha. “It’s really important to get community feedback to make sure we are seeking funding for and delivering landcare projects that will make a difference and are what the locals want.”
 
The workshop will run from 9am until 1pm at the Bridgetown CWA Hall, 171 Hampton St, and includes a delicious morning tea provided by the Bridgetown CWA. It will be a great chance to discuss landcare in the region and have input into future plans.
 

For more information or to RSVP, please call :
Cheryl Hamence on 0428 723 111 or Kirsten Skraha on 0459 673 030
or email kirsten@blackwoodbasingroup.com.au by Tuesday 14th June.

The Blackwood Basin Group (BBG) in conjunction with Soil Restoration Farming (NSW)
are excited to be co-hosting Agro-Ecologist, Educator and Systems Thinker
– Nicole Masters from New Zealand as well as Walter Jehne – Soil Microbiologist
and Soil Ecologist from the ACT, in their first appearance on their WA tour at a Soil Health Forum in Boyup Brook on Thursday the 17th of March.

The forum ‘Answers and Actions for Healthy Soils in a Western Australian Climate’
will showcase the increasingly talked about theme of protecting and enhancing our soil microbiology in order to combat limiting factors in plant performance in our climatically
- changing farming environment and looking towards versatile tools to address stagnant problems and unlocking the potential in yield, quality, food nutrition and profit, now and for the future.

Nicole is the director/owner of Integrity Soils, New Zealand and has extensive practical and theoretical experience in regenerative/holistic farming practices. She has been communicating these methods throughout Australasia and North America since 2003; helping to inspire and guide farmers into new and innovative ways to produce food with soil as a major driver for ecosystem health.

Walter is the co-founder of Healthy Soils Australia and has extensive field and research experience at a national (CSIRO) and international (UN) level in the management of soil biology for regenerating soil health to improve productivity and resilience in agricultural systems. Last year he spoke at a UN conference in Berlin, Germany celebrating the Year of the Soil.

“This is an exciting opportunity for food producers to draw on international knowledge and
tools from soil health experts that are passionate about unlocking the potential and harnessing what their soils have to offer in this ever demanding economic climate” Says
Sara Weir, BBG Project Officer. “This topic of the importance of a cleaner growing, safer and
more versatile farming system is becoming increasingly talked about and it’s great to be able to open communication channels to give WA farmers a chance to work more
towards a sustainable farming ecosystem.

The packed cropping and mixed farming forum will look into combining the best of chemistry, physics, biology and microbiology with sound on-ground farm practices. Attendees will also hear from Agronomic Consultant, Deb Archdeacon from Agronomica, who will introduce a local (Boyup Brook) stubble and fish emulsion project and speak on how stubble retention fits into building soil carbon, productivity and resilience. Running from 9am-5pm at the Boyup Brook Football Club, with a cost of $50 per person or $90 per couple, completing the day with a sundowner, the day is sure to be of benefit to any one that attends.

Please download your registration form from www.soilrestorationfarming.com.au/events
and send back to soilrestorationfarming@gmail.com to secure your opportunity to attend this exciting soil health forum. Or contact Sara Weir from the BBG on 9765 1555 or
sara@blackwoodbasingroup.com.au for more details.

If you miss Nicole and Walter in Boyup Brook, they will also be making an appearance in York and Dandaragan in the following days.

This project is generously sponsored by Nutirsoils, EcoGrowth, Hi-Tech Ag Solutions, Healthy Soils Australia, Best Environmental Technologies, and supported by the South West Catchments Council, through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Programme.

The Blackwood Basin Group and Talison Lithium (or licensed contractor) intend to lay 1080 poison baits at Schwenke’s Dam and the active mine site including the Southampton and Austin’s Dam areas for the control of foxes and rabbits. We intend to commence baiting on 15 February 2016 and complete the baiting program 18 March 2016
 
Please be advised that 1080 is highly toxic. The consumption of an animal that has ingested a lethal or sub
-lethal dose of 1080 poses a serious risk of secondary poisoning to humans and other species. Taking of carcasses, removal of hides, and shooting or trapping animals (for human or animal consumption) is prohibited during the baiting period and for at least 14 days after the completion of the baiting program.
 
Please ensure children and other persons in your care are restricted from entering the site of baiting. Please restrain your pets, working dogs, and stock to avoid the possibility of poisoning through direct baiting or through eating 1080 poisoned animals.
 
If you would like further information about this proposed baiting program please contact the BBG on 9765 1555 . Alternatively, you can speak to a Biosecurity Officer at the Department of Agriculture and Food WA (DAFWA).
 
More information about the use of 1080 is available from DAFWA’s website:
www.agric.wa.gov.au