Waterbird Conservation Group

The Waterbird Conservation Group is a volunteer non-profit organisation. The group is made up of people who share the love of waterbirds and who strive to protect their habitat. The Group is registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC). The link to the ACNC Group’s profile is here. https://www.acnc.gov.au/charity/charities/f083cb30-38af-e811-a963-000d3ad24077/profile

The Group formed in the summer of 1983/1984 in response to a severe outbreak of botulism in waterbirds at Thomsons Lake Munster, south of Perth. Hundreds of sick and dying birds including pelicans, swans, ducks and wading birds were rescued during the outbreak across Perth for many summers to come. The Group members took these sick birds home and rehabilitated them for release back to healthy wetlands. This was an enormous task and the Group were very successful in the survival of the waterbirds.

The group’s initial focus was on the rescue and rehabilitation of sick, injured and orphaned waterbirds. In the early 1990’s the group moved its attention to addressing the causes of waterbird deaths, such as the loss of wetlands, their degradation, pollution and poor management, rather than the symptoms.

Group Profile.  (Download)

Perth is home to over 50 species of native waterbirds including ducks, pelicans, herons, egrets, swamphens, swans, grebes, rails, spoonbills and cormorants.

In addition to lobbying local and state governments to protect the environmental values of all wetlands in Western Australia the Group manages two wetlands in Baldivis. The Group has had vesting of two wetlands in Baldivis, east of Rockingham since 1993 and manage these wetlands for the protection of native vegetation. These wetlands, Folly and Maramanup Wetland, are situated along the Peel Main Drain. During the winter months their waters eventually end in the Peel Inlet – Harvey Estuary in Mandurah.

The Group is actively restoring these wetlands by fencing, planting native vegetation, weeding, managing access to the wetlands and managing freeway impacts. Members are working down on the wetlands every month. 

In 2011 between May and November members and volunteers planted almost 15,000 native seedlings at Folly and Maramanup Pools. This was a huge effort and was sponsored by Caring for Our Country Community Acton Grants, Conservation Council of WA grants, Department of Environment and Conservation’s Environmental Community Grants, generous individual sponsorships and supported by City of Rockingham, SERCUL and WaterCorp.

In October 2011 the Group was the proud recipient of the Conservation Council of WA’s Len Howard Community Group Conservation Award. The award was presented to members at the Conservation Council of WA’s awards night by CCWA patron Josh Byrne.  This award was established in honour of Len Howard, who founded one of WA’s most successful conservation groups, Peel Preservation Group, which he led for 20 years. The recipient of this award is a community group which has demonstrated an outstanding commitment and success in the conservation of the Western Australian environment.

Our members continue to actively manage the wetlands increasing the diversity of flora and fauna. Since receiving this award the Group has continued to restore 30 hectares of wetlands in Reserve 41683 through a variety of funding support and many volunteer hours each year and as a result of our achievements the wetlands have been reclassified to conservation category wetland, a higher wetland management category, with greater protection. After the freeway was extended south of Safety Bay Rd the Group has strengthened its efforts on restoring the adjacent wetlands between Maramanup Reserve and the freeway in conjunction with the Western Australian Planning Commission.

In 2023 the Group celebrated 30 years of restoring Folly and Maramanup Wetlands, 40 years of Landcare in WA and our Group’s 40th year at the Wetlands Centre Cockburn, Bibra Lake. Photo: Celebration at the wetlands centre.

The wetlands are a sanctuary for wildlife, are securely fenced and therefore access is limited and managed.

So if you want to view these wonderful wetlands please join in our workdays or join our Group.

Contact the Group on [email protected] to find out more. Workdays include planting, watering, weeding, guard removal, fencing and more.

Contact

[email protected]

Membership

Membership is open to all people who support our objects which are to:

1. (a)  promote the need to conserve wetlands, their functions, waterbirds and associated flora and fauna
2. (b)  conserve, rehabilitate and manage all wetlands and wildlife contained within areas managed by or vested in the Association
3. (c)  manage a Wetland Trust Fund for acquiring wetlands for conservation purposes, creating artificial wetlands, managing or rehabilitating wetlands or promoting public awareness about wetlands and wetland rehabilitation
4. (d)  endeavour to make representations to Local, State or Federal Government authorities and other bodies to promote both responsible management of existing wetlands and their preservation as inalienable reserves
5. (e)  endeavour to work jointly with authorities managing wetlands and to offer them assistance if possible
6. (f)  continue to support the cessation of duck shooting seasons and the game hunting of waterbirds in Western Australia

If you would like to join our Group please fill in the membership form below and submit to the Group.

Membership Application Form.  (Download)

Waterbird Conservation Group Gallery