River Action Plan for the Cape Naturaliste Streams
2006
GeoCatch River Action Plan for the Cape Naturaliste Streams
Jingarmup Brook, Meelup Brook, Dolugup Brook, Dandatup Brook and Dugulup Brook
2006
Prepared for the Geographe Catchment Council
by Kirrily White, trading as Naturaliste Environmental Services
Funded by the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality through the South West Catchments Council Acknowledgments
The development of this River Action Plan would not Dr David Morgan and Steve Beatty from the Murdoch have been possible without the contributions made by a University Centre for Fish and Fisheries Research range of individuals and community groups. Special conducted a native fish and fauna survey on the brooks. thanks are due to Jen Mitchell from GeoCatch for Leo Clifford from the Shire of Busselton provided project management and advice throughout the course information on land tenure, vesting and property of the project. Ron Glencross, Lisa Massey and Robin owners. Hammond provided background information about the waterways and provided community representation on This River Action Plan has drawn extensively on the the project steering group. work by Genevieve Hanran-Smith in the Margaret River Action Plan and by John McKinney in the Gunyulgup All landholders that participated in the field River Action Plan. assessments of foreshore condition on their properties or that provided additional anecdotal information about Funding for this plan was provided by the National waterway issues in the local area are gratefully Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality via the South acknowledged for their time. West Catchments Council Regional Investment Plan for 2005-2006. Lisa Massey, Don Hanran-Smith and Margaret Wynchcombe spent many hours walking the Meelup Reference details and Dolugup Brooks to assist with the survey of these waterways. Don also provided much appreciated and The recommended reference for this publication is: expert photographic assistance during these surveys the Cape to Cape Catchments Group 2006, River Action photographs of Meelup Brook (including the cover Plan for the Cape Naturaliste Streams, Department of photo) and Dolugup Brook were taken by him. Water, Perth.
GeoCatch 72 Duchess St, Busselton PO Box 269, Busselton, 6280 Ph: 9781 0111 Fax: 9754 4335 Email: [email protected] Web: http://www.geocatch.asn.au
ISBN: 1 920947 96 5
Cover photo: Meelup Brook, photo by Don Hanran-Smith i How to use this river action plan
This River Action Plan (RAP) was prepared for the Geographe Catchment Council (GeoCatch); landholders within the catchments of the study area; and organisations or community groups involved in managing these stream foreshores. It contains a detailed description of the current health of the waterways, provides information on current management issues, and recommends strategies to address these issues.
Landholders may find this a useful tool to manage their waterways, while community groups may find it helpful in prioritising actions to make the best use of limited resources. For others, it will provide background information to aid decision making.
For landholders
Landholders should turn to the relevant map in Chapter 7 and read the associated management issues and recommendations. They should then read Chapter 5 to determine why these issues are considered to be a priority for remediation, and Chapter 6 to determine the most appropriate actions to address the issues. Information on the general study area, methodology used to develop this action plan and background information about stream ecology can be found in Chapters 1, 2 and 3.
For the Geographe Catchment Council
Chapter 5 provides detailed information on management issues for each stretch of the waterways. Chapter 6 provides technical advice on how to best address and manage these management issues, and relevant pages should be read carefully prior to implementing any actions.
Four appendices provide further information that may be useful to landholders and community groups. • Native vegetation species found on each stream foreshore. • Common weeds that were found. • Advice for planning projects. • Useful contacts for further information and assistance.
Acronyms
LCDC Land Conservation District Committee DEC Department of Environment and Conservation GeoCatch Geographe Catchment Council DoW Department of Water DAFWA Department of Agriculture & Food RAP River Action Plan SoB Shire of Busselton UCL Unallocated Crown Land
Disclaimer
GeoCatch is proudly supported by the Department of Water. However, this publication does not necessarily represent the views of the Department of Water or the State Government.
ii iii Contents
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS...... i
HOW TO USE THIS RIVER ACTION PLAN...... iI
CONTENTS...... iv
SUMMARY...... 1 Key issues identified ...... 1 General recommendations to improve the health of the Cape Naturaliste streams ...... 2
1. INTRODUCTION ...... 4 Background ...... 4 Study aims...... 4
2. STUDY AREA...... 5 The waterway systems and catchments...... 6 Climate...... 7 Landforms and soils...... 7 Flora and Fauna...... 7 Heritage...... 9 Population dynamics and landuse change...... 10 Community action ...... 10
3. STREAM ECOLOGY...... 11 Habitat...... 11
4. STUDY METHODOLOGY ...... 14 Community involvement ...... 14 River foreshore condition assessment...... 14
5. MANAGEMENT ISSUES ...... 19 Weed invasion...... 19 Clearing of streamline vegetation ...... 19 Removal of large woody debris...... 19 Erosion ...... 20 Stock control...... 20 Dams and their management ...... 20 Water quality...... 21
6. MANAGEMENT ADVICE ...... 22 Where to start ...... 22 Stock control...... 22 Water quality...... 24 Managing dam flows...... 25 Erosion control ...... 25
iv Regeneration and revegetation...... 28 Revegetation techniques ...... 28 Weed control...... 30 Feral animal control...... 34
7. STREAM FORESHORE CONDITION AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MANAGEMENT ...... 35 Using the maps ...... 35 Management recommendations ...... 36 Index map ...... 37 Jingarmup Brook Map 1...... 38 Jingarmup Brook Map 2...... 40 Meelup Brook Map 3 ...... 42 Dolugup Brook Map 4 ...... 44 Dandatup Brook Map 5...... 46 Dandatup Brook Map 6...... 48 Dandatup Brook Map 7...... 50 Dandatup Brook Map 8...... 52 Dugulup Brook Map 9 ...... 54 Dugulup Brook Map 10 ...... 56 Dugulup Brook Map 11 ...... 58
8. REFERENCES ...... 60
LIST OF APPENDICES Appendix 1. Native vegetation of Cape Naturaliste streams...... 62 Appendix 2. Common weeds found in the study area...... 66 Appendix 3. Planning advice for a project ...... 68 Appendix 4. Useful contacts...... 70
LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 Study area ...... 5 Figure 2 Stream fauna of south-western Western Australia...... 13 Figure 3 The four grades of river foreshore condition – (A) pristine to ditch (D)...... 16 Figure 4 The correct placement of fences in relation to the river valley ...... 23 Figure 5 Outside bend bank erosion ...... 26 Figure 6 The use of structural works will prevent the process of undercutting...... 26 Figure 7 The process of bank slumping caused by excessive weight and lack of support ...... 27 Figure 8 Repositioning large woody debris ...... 27
LIST OF TABLES Table 1 Summary of foreshore condition rating for Cape Naturaliste streams ...... 1
v Summary
This river action plan provides advice about the current • Incremental clearing or degradation of fringing health and management needs of the Jingarmup, vegetation on all waterways except the Dolugup Meelup, Dolugup, Dandatup and Dugulup Brooks Brook; flowing from Cape Naturaliste into Geographe Bay. • Removal of large woody debris from the stream The Pen-Scott Foreshore Condition Assessment Method channel, particularly on the upper north branch of (Pen & Scott, 1995) was used to undertake assessments the Dandatup Brook; of the foreshore of these waterways with local • Erosion and sedimentation of the waterways, landholders and community members between especially the upper reaches of the Jingarmup and September and December 2005. A summary of the Dandatup Brooks; foreshore condition ratings of each brook is presented in Table 1 below. • The absence of foreshore fencing on all except one location where stock currently have access to the Key issues identified foreshore. Stock management is needed on the The key issues of concern identified during the Jingarmup and upper Dandatup Brooks and part of foreshore assessments and community consultations the Meelup Brook; were: • The prevalence of dams and the need to effectively • Invasion by weeds, especially garden escapees on all manage flows from these structures; waterways; • Water quality degradation, particularly on the Dugulup Brook.
Table 1: Summary of foreshore condition rating of Cape Naturaliste streams
Condition Jingarmup Meelup Dolugup Dandatup Dugulup
Length % Length % Length % Length % Length %
A (pristine) - - 8.5 30 1.2 95 1.4 10 0.85 15 B (weedy) 3.5 20 9.2 34 0.05 5 5.2 36 2.7 50 C (erosion prone) 7.9 45 10.2 36 - - 5.2 36 1.9 35 D (ditch) 5.9 35 - - - - 2.5 18 - -
page 1 General recommendations to improve the health of the Cape Naturaliste streams
It is recommended that landholders and land managers consider the following:
1. Undertake control of weeds identified in this plan using the advice provided.
2. Ensure weed control is followed by replanting with local native species to prevent re-invasion.
3. Where controlled burns are undertaken near foreshore areas, ensure that these are followed by weed control and monitoring of weed invasion; and ensure that a sufficient period is allowed between burns to enable recovery and seed germination of native species. A minimum of four years is recommended though a longer period may be needed for some species.
4. Retain and protect the remaining riparian vegetation of the Cape Naturaliste streams, including along drains and tributaries.
5. Retain woody debris in the stream channel and use the advice provided to re-position (rather than remove) debris where needed.
6. Where stock are present fence the river to enable control of stock access.
7. Use available funding to defray the costs of fencing or rehabilitation projects.
8. Where there are bypass valves on dam walls, open them at first flows and keep them open during all low flow periods.
9. Where there are no bypass valves (for example on older dams), install a siphon system to allow environmental flows.
10.Plant vegetation corridors that support the movement of wildlife and re-create their habitat. This includes working with neighbours to provide continuous habitat for native fauna.
11.Revegetate dams and waterways with local native species, noting the specific advice about dam rehabilitation in this plan.
12.Implement management techniques that minimise soil erosion and nutrient loss to waterways such as: buffer strips, soil testing and fertiliser management plans and maximising vegetation cover on the soil.
13.Where deep sewerage facilities are available, connect your property as soon as possible to reduce your contribution of nutrients and bacteria to local waterways, groundwater and Geographe Bay.
page 2 It is recommended that GeoCatch consider the following:
1. As a key priority, work with the Shire of Busselton and the Department of Water to identify and implement methods of improving the long term protection of local riparian vegetation. Areas of good quality riparian vegetation are still being cleared or degraded and it is more cost effective to protect these areas now than to restore them later after further degradation has occurred.
2. Coordinate a weed control program that assists landholders to achieve control of priority weeds at the same time. This will vastly increase the efficiency and effectiveness of weed control measures in the catchment.
3. Provide targeted information to landholders of the Cape Naturaliste streams about garden plants with potential to become invasive weeds on waterways; and on more alternative landscaping plants including local native species.
4. Provide support to community groups working on river restoration projects in the catchment.
5. Provide support to landholders to undertake revegetation using a diverse suite of local native species (including trees, shrubs, sedges, rushes, herbs and native grasses).
6. Encourage and support community efforts to fence the rivers to restrict stock access.
7. Apply for further funding to continue to subsidise the cost of revegetation projects and fencing.
8. Work with landholders and engineers from the Department of Water to address erosion and sedimentation in the catchment.
9. Seek funding to undertake further surveys of native fish and freshwater crayfish in the Meelup Brook, since this waterway was only surveyed at its mouth.
10.Work with Ribbons of Blue and other community organisations to increase community awareness and knowledge of the Cape Naturaliste streams catchment, focusing on natural assets, values, and threats.
11.Work with the Department of Fisheries to eradicate the population of the introduced aquarium fish Rosy barb from the Jingarmup Brook. This is expected to be feasible since the population is currently confined to the lower reaches of the brook.
Funding assistance and technical advice to implement management recommendations is now available through GeoCatch. For more information, please contact GeoCatch on 9781 0111.
page 3 1. Introduction
Background Study aims
Since 1997 the Geographe Catchment Council The primary aims of this River Action Plan are: (GeoCatch) has led an ongoing program of river • To produce a detailed description of the current state restoration within the Geographe catchment in of Cape Naturaliste streams and identify priority consultation with local Land Conservation District actions to guide works to improve the health of these Committees and community groups. The program has waterways; focused on the development and subsequent implementation of River Action Plans for individual • To help increase the community’s awareness of the waterways, with extensive landholder and community importance of healthy waterways and riparian involvement at all stages of the process. Waterway vegetation; restoration has continued to be a priority area of action for GeoCatch over this time and to date there are nine • To provide a benchmark against which the local River Action Plans undergoing implementation. These community’s future work to protect and rehabilitate include plans for the Capel, Abba, Sabina, Ludlow, Vasse the waterways can be gauged; and Carbunup Rivers in addition to the Yallingup • To provide guidance on the use of funding and Brook, Gynudup Brook and Tren Creek. assistance available for fencing, weed and erosion In 2005 the Geographe Catchment Council received control, and the planting and rehabilitation of native funding from the National Action Plan for Salinity and vegetation; and Water Quality (NAP) to develop this new River Action • To provide a sound technical basis for future funding Plan for the streams flowing from Cape Naturaliste into or project submissions. Geographe Bay and to contribute to implementation of the above existing plans. NAP funding for this project was provided as part of a joint partnership between GeoCatch, Department of Environment, Cape to Cape Catchments Group, Leschenault Catchment Council and the Warren Catchment Council via the South West Catchments Council Regional Investment Plan for 2005-2006.
page 4 2. Study area
The study area of the project included the primary • The Dandatup Brook, which flows through the channels of five waterways flowing from Cape Dunsborough town site; and meets the ocean at Naturaliste into Geographe Bay. These were: Vincent Street.
• The Jingarmup Brook, which meets the ocean at • The Dugulup Brook, which also flows through the Eagle Bay; Dunsborough town site and meets the ocean near the intersection of Gifford Road and Geographe Bay • The Meelup Brook, which meets the ocean at Meelup Road. Beach;
• The Dolugup Brook, which meets the ocean at Castle Rock Beach;
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page 5 The waterway systems and catchments of Meelup Beach Road and flow alongside Castle Rock Road before entering the ocean at Castle Bay. Under Jingarmup Brook normal circumstances the vegetation along this waterway is too dense to penetrate for the purposes of The Jingarmup Brook is the longest creek system in the survey; however a recent control burn in the area study area. The headwaters rise on farmland on the provided the opportunity to include this waterway in eastern slopes of the Leeuwin – Naturaliste ridge in the foreshore assessments. Existing disturbances to the proximity to Vidler Road. From this point the brook foreshore and catchment of Dolugup Brook are flows northwards with two main tributaries extending minimal. These include an old gravel pit within its to the east before passing beneath Cape Naturaliste catchments, and recreational use of the area around the Road. It then continues through farmland in a north- mouth of the brook. The Dolugup Brook provides a easterly direction with one tributary to the north-west useful reference site to compare the condition of other and three tributaries extending to the south-east before waterways in the study area that are associated with passing through the Eagle Bay town site where it meets more extensive human disturbance such as agricultural the ocean near Fern Road. and residential development. The majority of the catchment and foreshore of this system has been extensively cleared for agricultural Dandatup Brook development, although the western portion of the The Dandatup system has three main branches that join catchment lies within the Leeuwin-Naturaliste National at Cape Naturaliste Road. The northerly branch rises Park. Most of the Jingarmup Brook foreshore is grazed south of Dandatup Place in the Meelup Hills rural by sheep and/or cattle, yet stocking rates are relatively residential development. This branch flows in a south- low. Clearing within the catchment of the brook has easterly direction through these ‘lifestyle lots’ with one increased the velocity of water flow and accordingly the tributary flowing into this branch from the west. The lower reaches have become incised over time. middle branch is known locally as ‘Butterworth Springs’. This and the most southern branch both rise Meelup Brook on farmland to the east of the Cape Rise residential The Meelup Brook rises on a small reserve that adjoins development and flow eastward to join the north branch the eastern side of Cape Naturaliste Road near its at Cape Naturaliste Road. From this point the brook intersection with Eagle Bay Road. From here the brook flows through the Dunsborough town site behind Curtis flows through farmland and a winery before passing Street then between Beach Road and Bushland Close through the Meelup Regional Park, a Class ‘A’ Shire before meeting the ocean at Vincent Street in old reserve. There are a number of minor tributaries that Dunsborough. An additional old tributary to the join the brook from within the park. Dandatup Brook flows alongside Norfolk Street and Sayers St before entering a roadside drain at Beach Rd Roughly half of the Meelup Brook catchment is that flows into Geographe Bay. While this tributary no contained within the Meelup Regional Park. Aside from longer joins the Dandatup Brook, it was included within a number of walk trails, firebreaks and old gravel the study area, given that it was historically part of the extraction sites, Meelup Regional Park is completely overall system. vegetated. The vegetation is for the most part in excellent condition throughout and there is a high The majority of the upper Dandatup Brook has been diversity of species including a number of rare plant cleared for agricultural development. Extensive species. Large areas of foreshore within park area are in development of the middle catchment has occurred for excellent condition. rural residential development, involving creation of two to three hectares ‘lifestyle lots’. This type of Dolugup Brook development has also seen the construction of numerous on-stream dams. The lower reaches of the The Dolugup Brook is the smallest of the waterways brook are surrounded by residential development and within the study area and lies entirely within the the hydrology of this section has been extensively Meelup Regional Park. Its headwaters rise to the south modified by the creation of artificial drains; piped page 6 sections of the waterway; and increased flow velocity Within each land system there are a number of soil resulting from the extensive areas of hard pavement that landscape subsystems. The channel and foreshore of the come with residential areas. Despite these Meelup, Dolugup, and Dandatup Brooks, and the lower modifications, there are still some small sections of Jingarmup Brook lie within the Wilyabrup valleys soil public foreshore that are in surprisingly good condition subsystem. Upstream of Cape Naturaliste Road, the on the Dandatup, given their location within the centre Jingarmup Brook soil subsystems are split between of a town site. Cowaramup gentle slopes, Cowaramup vales and Cowaramup flats. The upper Dugulup Brook occupies Dugulup Brook the Metricup rocky valleys subsystem which is also part of the Cowaramup soil system. The lower reaches flow The Dugulup Brook rises on farmland to the east of through the Yelverton deep sandy flats which is part of Vidler Road, about one kilometre north of Caves Road. the Spearwood soil system of the Swan Coastal Plain. A From here it flows through private land, including the description of the key soil types found within each of site of the old Banamah Wildlife Park, then through a these soil subsystems as described by the Department of number of small lifestyle lots where it is joined by a Agriculture (2003) AgMaps Land Profiler CDROM is small tributary to the south flowing from Big Rock presented below. Reserve and surrounding properties. From here the brook continues east on private land and enters Wilyabrup Valleys Soil System foreshore reserve between Caves Road and the Naturaliste Heights residential subdivision. From here • Wilyabrup valleys: Loamy gravels, duplex sandy it passes beneath Cape Naturaliste Road near the police gravels, stony soils, brown deep loamy duplexes and station and flows behind the existing shopping centre friable red/brown and brown loamy earths. car park. It then continues within foreshore reserve to its mouth near the intersection of Gifford Road and Cowaramup Uplands System Geographe Bay Road. • Cowaramup vales: Minor v-shaped valleys with Climate loamy gravels and duplex sandy gravels. • Cowaramup gentle slopes: Loamy gravels and duplex Cape Naturaliste experiences a Mediterranean climate sandy gravels. with hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. The average rainfall is approximately 825 mm (Bureau of • Cowaramup flats: Loamy gravels, duplex sandy Meteorology, 2006). This average has declined over the gravels, semi-wet soils and grey deep sandy duplexes. past few decades. The State Water Strategy (Government of Western Australia, 2003) notes that • Metricup subsystem rocky valleys: Shallow gravels ‘Climate change has contributed to a 10-20 percent with loamy gravels and duplex sandy gravels. reduction in rainfall in the south-west of the State over the last 28 years, a subsequent 40-50 percent reduction Spearwood Land System in run-off into our dams and reduced recharge of • Yelverton deep sandy flats: Pale deep sands, gravelly groundwater’. pale deep sands, and yellow deep sands and sandy earths. Landform and Soils
The Cape Naturaliste streams flow from and are Flora and Fauna predominantly contained within the Leeuwin Block Vegetation complexes geomorphic zone. The lower reaches of the Dugulup Brook extend into the southern margins of the Swan Mapping of vegetation complexes shows that the Coastal Plan. Two main land systems of the Leeuwin dominant vegetation system occurring along the Block occur in the study area: the Cowaramup Uplands waterways of this plan is the Wilyabrup Ww2 System and the Wilyabrup Valleys System. On the Swan vegetation complex, comprising a tall open forest of Coastal Plain the Spearwood Land System occurs within Marri (Corymbia callophylla) and Peppermint (Agonis the study area (Dept of Agriculture, 2003). flexuosa) on flats and valleys (Mattiske and Havel, page 7 1998). This description matches much of the vegetation to provide shelter from predators such as vegetation communities observed during the field foxes and feral cats in addition to raptors such as the surveys, although there were certainly variations to this wedge-tailed eagle. This is particularly true for small on each waterway. For example the Jingarmup, birds and for arboreal (tree dwelling) marsupials. Dandatup and Dugulup Brooks had extensive areas near The endangered Western Ringtail Possum the coast that were dominated by Stout paperbark (Pseudocheirus occidentale) is dependant upon habitat (Melaleuca preissiana) and Freshwater paperbark provided by peppermint woodland, which is common (Melaleuca rhaphiophylla). The upper reaches of the along the streams of Cape Naturaliste. Other Jingarmup Brook foreshore extends into the marsupials known to occur in the area include the Cowaramup Cw2 complex, which is characterised by a Quenda or Southern Brown Bandicoot (Isoodon woodland of Jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata subsp. obesulus), Brushtail Possum (Trichosurus vulpecular), marginata), Marri (Corymbia callophylla) on slopes and Brush-tailed Phascogale or Wambenger (Phascogale a low woodland of Stout paperbark (Melaleuca tapoatafa) and of course the Western Grey Kangaroo preissiana) – Swamp banksia (Banksia littoralis) on (Macropus fuliginosus). There is anecdotal evidence of depressions (Mattiske and Havel, 1998). The Cw2 the presence of the native Water Rat (Hydromys complex is a ‘poorly represented’ system, meaning that chrysogaster) along these streams and it is possible that there is less than 30% remaining of its original pre- the Chuditch or Western Quoll (Dasyurus geoffroii) and European settlement extent (Connell et al. 2000). the tiny Western Pygmy Possum (Cercartetus concinnus) could also occur in the general area. Flora A range of waterbirds were observed during the field The study area supports a highly diverse range of flora assessments and these included Pacific Black Duck species and many occurrences of declared rare flora, a (Anas superciliosa), Maned Duck (Chenonetta jubata), number of which are orchids. These include critically Musk Duck (Biziura lobata), Black Swan (Cygnus endangered species such as the Dunsborough spider atratus), Sacred Ibis (Threskiornis spiniocollis), Darter orchid (Caladenia visidescens). There are also a number (Anhinga melanogaster) and the White-faced Heron of flora species that are endemic to Cape Naturaliste (Ardea novaehollandiae). (i.e. they grow naturally only at this location) including the Shire of Busselton’s floral emblem the bottlebrush A variety of frogs are known to exist in the area, with Calothamnus graniticus subsp. graniticus. The high their presence noted by their distinctive calls. These prevalence of rare and endemic flora in the Cape include the Western Banjo Frog (Limnodynastes Naturaliste area emphasises the need to preserve dorsalis), Moaning Frog (Heleioporus eyrei), Motorbike remaining stands of intact vegetation communities, Frog (Litoria moorei), and Slender Tree Frog (Litoria including those that occur along the foreshore of adelaidensis). A recent survey of the freshwater fish and waterways. crustaceans in the Cape Naturaliste streams found that the native freshwater Marron (Cherax cainii) occurred Fauna only in the Meelup Brook, but Gilgies (Cherax quinquecarinatus) were found in all of streams except A wide range of native fauna species are known to occur the Meelup Brook, which was only sampled at the in the Cape Naturaliste area and remnant riparian mouth (Beattie, Morgan, Mitchell and Jury, 2006). The vegetation provides good habitat for many of these same survey found no native freshwater fish, but a species. Riparian vegetation is particularly important population of the introduced aquarium species Rosy where it has been retained on cleared land and in urban Barb (Puntius conchonius) was located on the Jingarmup areas as these strips of vegetation frequently provide the Brook (Eagle Bay town site). This is the first known only connecting corridors of habitat between larger wild population of the Rosy Barb to be found in Western areas of bushland. While certain native species such as Australian and is highly likely to be a result of the the kangaroo can successfully move over large areas of deliberate release of aquarium fish (Beattie, Morgan, cleared land, others are dependant on dense native Mitchell and Jury, 2006).
page 8 Heritage European history and heritage
Indigenous heritage The following summary of European historical events has been based on information from the report: ‘From Prior to European settlement, Cape Naturaliste was Quedjinup to Dunsborough’: A Brief History Compiled inhabited and used extensively by Aboriginal people. by Claire Guiness (1979). Information about the The Aborigines of the South West Region formed a Bannamah Wildlife Park was drawn from newspaper socio-cultural group collectively known as Nyungar records held by the Dunsborough Library; unfortunately (O’Connor et al., 1995). The group of Nyungar people reference details for these clippings had not been that occupied the coastal areas of the Geographe Bay recorded. Catchment were known as the Wardandi people, ‘the people that lived by the ocean and followed the forest The first recorded European visitors to Cape Naturaliste paths’ (Collard, 1994). This group of people used local were French explorers aboard the ships ‘Naturaliste’ and waterways as a key food resource in summer, catching ‘Geographe’ in 1801 and Point Piquet was named during fish, turtles and frogs from the rivers and streams and this visit. When in 1830 Governor Stirling and John collecting edible plants from the foreshore (O’Connor et Septimus Roe visited the area in search of land suitable al., 1995). for settlement, they anchored in Eagle Bay and named this location after their 108 ton schooner ‘Eagle’. The Wardandi people gave many local places on the American whalers frequented the Geographe Bay coast Cape the names that are still used today. For example regularly, using the sheltered waters for repairs and ‘Meelup’ means ‘place of the moon’ and ‘Quedjinup’ replenishment. There were many hundreds of these means ‘place of the quenda’ (bandicoot) (Collard, ships whaling off the coast of Geographe Bay during the 1994). Wardandi people used the name Quedjinup to 1830s. European settlers took up land in the area in the refer to the location occupied by the Dunsborough town mid 1930s after settlers in Augusta experienced site and this term is still in general use today to refer to hardship. George and Henry Chapman walked overland the hills that rise to the south-west of the town. Other to Vasse and then took up land at Bunker Bay for cattle place names have been replaced by European names, for grazing. American whaling gave way to local whaling example Cape Naturaliste was known to the Wardandi operations following a ban on American fishing within people as ‘Kwirree Jeenungup’ meaning place of three miles of the Geographe Bay coast in 1844. beautiful scenery (Collard, 1994). William Seymour started the Castle Bay whaling station in 1846 and this continued until 1872. Remnants of the Fifteen Aboriginal sites registered with the Department whaling station are still present at Castle Bay near the of Indigenous Affairs occur within the Cape Naturaliste banks of the Dolugup Brook. The Seymour’s homestead streams catchment area. These include artifacts scatters, in Dunsborough was also used as a staging house for the middens, scarred trees, camps, mythological and coach service to Caves House, then the only ceremonial sites. A large number of sites are also accommodation for visitors to Ngilgi Cave in Yallingup. registered from Bunker Bay and Yallingup as well as a Passengers would be served tea and scones while fresh range of locations south of the catchment area. Clearly horses were harnessed, thus signifying the the Cape Naturaliste area was used by the Wardandi commencement of tourism in Dunsborough. people over a long period of time and is of importance to remaining community members. Waterways in The Dunsborough town site was officially gazetted in general have particular spiritual importance to 1879, but land there had been set aside for this purpose Aboriginal people, and accordingly consultation with since the 1830s. It is believed that Dunsborough Aboriginal community representatives is required prior (originally spelt ‘Dunnsbro’), together with Dunn Bay to undertaking any activities that may disturb the bed or and Point Dalling, are named after Captain Richard banks of waterways. Dalling Dunn, under whom Stirling served on the ‘Hibbernia 120’. The local population did not increase significantly until 1957 when Henry Yelverton started a timber mill in Quindalup.
page 9 In 1970 Aubrey and Cath Chugg opened the Banamah Community action Wildlife Park on the banks of the Dugulup Brook; at one stage the largest private wildlife park in Western There is already a strong and active community Australia. The park housed more than 40 species of involved in the management of the Cape Naturaliste animals including kangaroos, wallabies, quendas, streams and this indicates a bright future for the health quokkas, eagles, owls, a variety of small birds as well as of these waterways, providing the management issues tammars, deer, fox, camel, guinea pigs, possums and identified in this action plan can be addressed by all donkeys. One such resident of the park was a large partners. wedge tailed eagle named ‘Tom’ who became famous as A range of Eagle Bay residents and landholders involved the subject of a petition of 27,000 people to save his life with the Residents of Eagle Bay Association (REBA) are from vermin protectors in Albany. The petition was actively involved in the restoration of the Jingarmup successful in preventing his destruction and while Tom Brook. A number of initiatives within the town site was not granted complete freedom, he lived for the rest such as weed mapping, weed control and dune of his days in the park. The park has since closed and rehabilitation have already been commenced by this the only commercial use of the property is a garden group. REBA is also involved in commenting on nursery occupying a small corner. development proposals that have potential to impact on the health of the Jingarmup Brook. Population dynamics and land use change Meelup Regional Park, containing both the Meelup and Population within the Cape Naturaliste area is Dolugup Brooks, is managed by the Meelup Regional increasing rapidly in line with the remainder of the Park Management Committee (MRPMC). This Shire of Busselton. At the last census of 2001 the Shire comprises local community members and Shire Council had an average annual growth rate of 5.1% (Shire of representatives. The MRPMC have already implemented Busselton, 2005). The Dunsborough town site is the extensive management works throughout the park key growth area on the Cape and is continuing to including rehabilitation; weed control; dieback mapping expand on its southern and western margins. Some of and management; trail construction; and access this expansion is in close proximity to or immediately management. A detailed restoration program to address adjoining the Dugulup and Dandatup Brooks. Land use erosion on the Meelup Brook is currently underway in change in the area is continuing to intensify and in some response to the draft recommendations of this plan. cases this led to removal of riparian vegetation as part of development of dams, access tracks, and service The Dunsborough and Districts Coast and Land Care infrastructure; or simply in order to improve views to group (DCALC) have achieved extensive rehabilitation the waterways. Such disturbance and fragmentation of works on the Dugulup and Dandatup Brooks within the habitat poses a significant threat to the health of the Dunsborough town site. These works have included re- Cape Naturaliste streams. contouring of deeply incised banks and construction of rock – riffle – pool sequences to arrest erosion problems; The Cape Naturaliste area is a popular holiday replanting of the foreshore with local native species; and destination and many of the dwellings in the area are weed control programs both prior to and following used for holiday accommodation. The recent increase replanting projects. The Dugulup Brook foreshore in land prices has also made property in Cape downstream of Naturaliste Terrace has been a focus area Naturaliste an attractive investment option. Excluding and detailed planning is in progress to achieve urban residents of the Dunsborough town site, over fifty restoration and improved community access from this percent of the landholders on the Cape Naturaliste point upstream to Cape Naturaliste Road. Re-planting streams do not live in the local area. The high and weed control works have also been undertaken by proportion of ‘absentee’ landholders creates a this group on the Dandatup Brook. management challenge since many of the landholders have limited time available for activities such as weed control as they may not visit their property regularly throughout the year.
page 10 3. Stream ecology
To increase understanding of the values, stream Floodplains and backwaters function and condition of the Cape Naturaliste streams In terms of habitats, floodplains are generally broad some information about stream habitats is provided areas of low flat land adjacent to the main floodway of below. This section has been based on a summary the river. Each year floodplains are inundated to some prepared by Genevieve Hanran-Smith for the Margaret degree by floodwater, creating a seasonal habitat which River Action Plan (2003) and is drawn from Managing may be used for feeding and breeding by a variety of Our Rivers by Dr Luke Pen (Pen, 1999). animals such as tiny crustaceans, birds, frogs and fish. Habitats Floodplains may also be part of broader wetland systems which in winter become very swampy through There are a great diversity of habitat zones and elements groundwater rise or the build up of rainwater over a clay in a natural stream. This variety of habitats supports a layer. Floodplains are an integral part of the stream diverse range of plants and animals. River and stream ecosystem. There is an exchange of water, nutrients, fauna of the south-west is illustrated in Figure 2. Flora and living creatures between the stream and its of the Cape Naturaliste streams is listed in Appendix 1. floodplain, which is essential to the proper functioning of a healthy stream ecosystem. Habitat zones When secondary channels become disused and form Stream pools pools they are referred to as backwaters. The still or slow flowing water in the backwater is often the In many years there are very few stream pools on the preferred habitat of species that are unable to cope with Cape Naturaliste streams since these are ephemeral fast flow. (seasonal) waterways. Over the summer any water remaining occurs in deep stream pools, usually confined Habitat elements to the lower reaches of these streams. The pools provide an essential summer drought refuge for many stream Habitat elements are found within the zones outlined fauna, including waterbirds, turtles, water rats, fish, above in differing combinations to provide a large crayfish and shrimp, and are integral to the survival of variety of habitats. many aquatic animals. Undisturbed stream pools are usually surrounded by dense fringing vegetation and are Riparian vegetation well shaded and provided with snags and woody debris In regard to habitat, fringing native vegetation is along their edges. important as it contributes hard tannin-rich leaves to fuel the food web, and provides shade throughout the Riffles, rapids and cascades year helping to keep water temperature low. These habitats occur where water flows swiftly over an irregular stream bed, over and between rocks and from Snags and woody debris one rocky terrace to another. As well as providing Snags are fallen trees and large branches lying in the habitat for particular macroinvertebrates they have two stream channel. They are important to the ecology of very important functions. They help to oxygenate the the stream systems. Apart from generally helping to water and the sound they make enables some species to slow the flow of water, woody debris alters its flow, find their preferred habitat. creating eddies and small isolated zones of turbulence or still water which provides ‘microhabitats’ for a range Runs and low flow channels of tiny animals and plants. Furthermore, tree trunks Long reaches of unobstructed stream flow, where the and branches add a huge surface area to a stream flowing water has a flat surface, are often called runs. In environment, creating a woody habitat for certain the south-west they are the low flow channels that wind species to use for all or part of their life cycle. Tree their way across the floodplains between pools. The low trunks lying close to or on the stream bed provide cover flow channels are often well supported and overhung by or a sturdy roof for burrowing animals such as marron fringing and in-stream native vegetation. and gilgies.
page 11 Shade Rocks and stones
Shade provides an essential refuge for aquatic animals to Although vegetation dominates stream habitats in the escape the heat of the sun, as well as generally keeping south-west, rock and stone are important habitat the water temperature down. elements. Rocks create a myriad of microhabitat elements in which a broad range of animals and plants Aquatic vegetation can find a home. Rock also limits the growth of trees and shrubs over water and creates sunlit habitat. Aquatic vegetation includes plants that are found Finally, the water flow over rocky stream beds helps to submerged in, floating on or emerging from water. It oxygenate the water, improving the quality of habitats provides a specialist habitat for certain animals, such as downstream. fish and hunting spiders, as well as cover for fish, shrimps and crayfish, and valuable breeding and Useful references on stream and river ecology nursery habitat for fish during spring. Pen, L.J. (1999) Managing Our Rivers. Water and Rivers Leaf litter Commission, Perth.
Leaves and twigs collect in pools or in areas of still or Water and Rivers Commission (2000) Stream Ecology. slightly flowing water and form an important Water and Rivers Commission River Restoration Report microhabitat for a large range of aquatic organisms. No. RR7. These range from large crayfish to microscopic bacteria Water and Rivers Commission Water Note 8, Habitat of and fungi which break down organic material and Rivers and Creeks. initiate the natural food web. Piles of leaves and twigs can also provide cover for certain fish species, aquatic Water and Rivers Commission Water Note 9, The Value insect larvae and juvenile crayfish, but only if there is a of Large Woody Debris (Snags). slight flow of water through the material to maintain well oxygenated conditions. Water and Rivers Commission Water Note 12, The Values of Riparian Zones.
page 12 Figure 2: Stream fauna of south-western Western Australia.
page 13 4. Study Methodology
Community involvment A grade foreshore Community involvement is an integral component of the development and implementation of River Action A1: Pristine Plans. Every effort was made to involve the community The river embankments and/or channel are entirely at each stage of the process from initial assessments to vegetated with native species and there is no developing management recommendations. evidence of human presence or livestock damage. This category, if it exists at all, would be found only Many of the foreshore assessments were undertaken in the middle of large conservation reserves where with landholders or land managers, and they were able the impact of human activities has been negligible. to provide important background information about the streamlines and associated catchments. They were also A2: Near pristine able to identify issues of concern to them relating to the health and management of the waterways. Native vegetation dominates but introduced weeds are occasionally present in the understorey, though Other consultation processes included individual phone not to the extent that they displace native species. calls, articles in local and regional newspapers, and Otherwise there is no human impact. A river valley in community workshops. Once the foreshore assessments this condition is about as good as can be found today. were completed, a community meeting was held to present initial findings and to seek feedback about the A3: Slightly disturbed project and management recommendations from the Here there are areas of localised human disturbance community. where the soil may be exposed and weed density is relatively heavy, such as along walking or vehicle River foreshore condition assessment tracks. Otherwise, native plants dominate and would quickly regenerate in disturbed areas should human The Pen-Scott method of riparian zone assessment was activity decline. used. This system provides a graded description of the river foreshore from pristine (A grade) through to ditch (D grade). A summary of the grades of the Pen-Scott system follows (Pen & Scott, 1995; Water and Rivers B grade foreshore Commission, 1999a). These are illustrated in Figure 3 B1: Degraded - weed infested and photos on the following pages. This method allows In this stage, weeds have become a significant comparisons of waterway health across the south-west component of the understorey vegetation. Although of Western Australia, and can be used to prioritise native species remain dominant, a few have probably actions. been replaced or are being replaced by weeds.
B2: Degraded - heavily weed infested In the understorey, weeds are about as abundant as native species. The regeneration of some tree and large shrub species may have declined.
B3: Degraded - weed dominated Weeds dominate the understorey, but many native species remain. Some tree and large shrub species may have declined or have disappeared.
page 14 C grade foreshore D grade foreshore
C1: Erosion prone D1: Ditch - eroding While trees remain, possibly with some large shrubs Fringing vegetation no longer acts to control erosion. or grass trees, the understorey consists entirely of Some trees and shrubs remain and act to retard weeds, mainly annual grasses. Most of the trees will erosion in certain spots, but all are doomed to be be of only a few resilient or long-lived species and undermined eventually. their regeneration will be almost negligible. In this state, where short-lived weeds support the soil, a D2: Ditch - freely eroding small increase in physical disturbance will expose the No significant fringing vegetation remains, and soil and render the river valley vulnerable to serious erosion is completely out of control. Undermined erosion. and subsided embankments are common, as are large sediment plumes along the river channel. C2: Soil exposed Here, the annual grasses and weeds have been D3: Drain - weed dominated removed through heavy livestock damage and The highly eroded river valley may have been fenced grazing, or other impacts such as recreational off enabling colonisation by perennial weeds. The activities. Low level soil erosion has begun, by the river has become a simple drain, similar if not action of either wind or water. identical to the typical major urban drain.
C3: Eroded Soil is being washed away from between tree roots, trees are being undermined and unsupported embankments are subsiding into the river valley.
page 15 Figure 3: The four grades of river foreshore condition - (A) pristine to ditch (D). page 16 A) A1 – A2 grade foreshore on the Meelup Brook within Meelup Regional Park showing all of habitat zones in tact and undisturbed (Photo by Don Hanran-Smith).
B) A2 Grade foreshore on the Meelup Book. Fringing vegetation provides back support, shade and leaf little while a riffle oxygenates the water (Photo by Don Hanran-Smith).
C) A Grade foreshore on the Dandatup Brook. Rushes and sedges provide important bank support and there is a wide band of adjoining healthy vegetation.
D) B1 Foreshore on the Dandatup Brook. The Melaleucas and native rushes and sedges remain dominant but arum lilies have invaded the understorey.
page 17 E) B2 – B3 Foreshore on the Dandatup Brook. Weeds dominate the understorey.
F) C1 Foreshore on the Dugulup Brook. Grasses dominate the foreshore and while there are a few trees, there is no sign of regeneration.
G) C2 Grade foreshore on the Dugulup Brook. There are very few native species and soil is exposed. The processes of erosion have commenced.
H) C3 grade foreshore on the Dandatup Brook. Native vegetation is absent and erosion is active with a head shown here migrating upstream.
page 118 5. Management issues
The relative importance of these issues to each brook to be highly invasive and have the ability to spread varied, though there were a number of common themes rapidly. Both species are dominating the foreshore across all of the systems. The main issues needing vegetation where they are found; are displacing native management attention on the Cape Naturaliste streams plant species; and provide no food resources or habitat are outlined below. An explanation is provided value for native fauna. There are many local native flora regarding the specific waterways affected by each issue. species that can be planted on stream foreshores that both look fantastic and will not harm the riparian Weed invasion ecosystem.
The number one priority issue on the Cape Naturaliste Clearing of streamline vegetation streams was invasion of exotic plant species (weeds). There were over 60 different species of invasive weeds As with all of the streams flowing into Geographe Bay recorded from these waterways. Weed invasion is the stream foreshore vegetation plays an important role particularly severe on the Dugulup and Dandatup in reducing sediment and nutrient loads into Geographe Brooks, which had over 40 species each. Weeds displace Bay by filtering fine sediment and by reducing bank native species by out-competing them thereby reducing erosion. Protection of stream foreshore areas is a habitat value; they make rehabilitation difficult; they priority everywhere in the Geographe Catchment for can change a diverse ecosystem into a simple one with this reason. The streams are important ecosystems in only a few dominant species; they reduce food themselves and provide valuable habitat when the availability to native fauna; and can increase fire hazard. foreshore vegetation is intact. Habitat is important for Weeds are a major threat to biodiversity values aquatic animals such as gilgies and frogs but also for throughout the south-west region. small marsupials and birds that might use these areas. This is particularly important on cleared land or in Weeds of particular concern included arum lily, urban areas where the stream corridors might be the blackberry, dolichos pea, tree ferns, Tangier pea, wavy only links between larger areas of bushland. gladioli, sweet pittosporum, edible fig, Myrtle leaved milkwort, Japanese honeysuckle and the exotic rushes There are some excellent areas of foreshore remaining Juncus microcephalus and Isolepis prolifera. A complete on the Cape Naturaliste streams, however incremental list of weeds found on each waterway is presented in clearing of the riparian zone on the Cape Naturaliste Appendix 2. Specific locations of weeds on each streams is continuing to occur as a result of land use waterway are identified on the maps in Chapter 7. change or from clearing to obtain better views of the waterways. This is a particular problem on the Dugulup Many landholders were unaware of the presence of and Dandatup Brook where large areas of the foreshore invasive species on their properties, indicating that are retained in the private ownership of many small some of the problem species are not being recognised as landholders. Extensive removal of riparian vegetation weeds. The majority of weeds identified were common has already occurred in the area as part of the garden plants that have ‘escaped’ from the backyards of development of numerous small dams and from people living in close proximity to the waterways. historical agricultural clearing. Continued removal of Many of these species are still commonly planted in riparian vegetation is seriously fragmenting the habitat gardens today and therefore continue to invade of these waterways. Clearing of the riparian zone also bushland and waterways. In some cases birds spread leads to erosion and sedimentation as a result of bank the seeds of weed species from locations far removed disturbance. from the foreshore area. In the case of tree ferns, spores from the plant are transported by water and they travel Removal of large woody debris downstream where they lodge in the bank to start a new cycle of infestation. There were a number of sites, mainly on the Dandatup Brook, where extensive removal of large woody debris Some of the weeds identified in this plan were viewed by from the stream channel has occurred. Removal of large some landholders as holding particular aesthetic values. woody debris is sometimes undertaken by landholders This is particularly the case for both arum lily and tree trying to address minor erosion problems or to improve ferns. Unfortunately both of these species were found
page 19 the flow of water through their properties. causes water to overtop the floodway in high rainfall Unfortunately, the removal of large woody debris can events; often exacerbate erosion problems since the absence of • increasing the channel width; and debris in the channel accelerates water velocity. Large woody debris provides important habitat for in-stream • loss of valuable agricultural land and top soil. In fauna such as gilgies, native freshwater fish, frogs and a severe cases the loss of fencing infrastructure and variety of macro-invertebrates. The loss of habitat for riparian vegetation can also occur. such fauna ultimately leads to the loss of these species from the stream ecosystem. Macro-invertebrates play an Stock control important role in breaking down organic matter from within the stream and grazing on algal growth, As part of existing agricultural use of the area, cattle and accordingly they can help to maintain better water sheep currently have access to the foreshores of the quality. Also a number of macro-invertebrate species Jingarmup Brook upstream of the Eagle Bay town site, feed directly on the larvae of insects such as mosquitoes. and the upper reaches of the south branch of the Overall, a healthy waterway is much more pleasant to Dandatup Brook. There is also a section on the upper live next to, so there are many advantages to retaining Meelup Brook where cattle have access to the foreshore. the streamline habitat in a natural form. In total this represents a large proportion of the study area that is currently grazed without foreshore fences in Erosion place to manage stock access. Unrestricted stock access contributes to nutrient enrichment and erosion of Erosion in the form of channel incision and the waterways in addition to leading to loss of riparian formation of head cuts was identified in a number of vegetation through trampling. Stock can also spread locations during the foreshore assessments. These weeds and cause soil compaction problems on the problems were particularly common on the Dandatup foreshore, making it difficult for native plants to Brook, which has possibly been the most extensively regenerate. As discussed above, it is very difficult to modified of all of the streams in the study area. This arrest existing erosion problems while stock still have type of erosion occurs when the stream velocity access to the problem area. increases, usually as a result of catchment clearing. The loss of riparian vegetation and large woody debris has Dams and their management also contributed to localised areas of bank slumping. Dams have been constructed on all of the waterways The upper reaches of the Dandatup and Jingarmup within the study area except the Dolugup Brook, which Brooks show signs of severe gully erosion. While these is located entirely within the Meelup Regional Park. areas were only assessed from aerial photos, gully The Dandatup Brook in particular had a high prevalence erosion could be seen clearly in a number of locations. of dams constructed within the Meelup Hills rural The absence of streamline vegetation and fencing to residential development. A number of landholders manage stock access at these locations is likely to make expressed concern about an observed decrease in flow the task of addressing these erosion problems difficult. on the waterways and believe that this is related to the It should, however, be noted that the landholder has size and number of on-stream dams constructed. In the advised that works are underway to manage sites of absence of long term flow data from these streams it is severe erosion on the upper Dandatup Brook. not possible to ascertain whether such reductions have occurred as a result of reduced rainfall or increased Erosion causes a number of problems including: water use/water retention, yet the most likely scenario is • sedimentation of the waterways further downstream, that both have contributed to some extent. which can result in loss of deep pools that provide Ideally the construction of gully wall or on-stream dams important habitat for marron and gilgies; should be minimised where possible since they usually • loss of these deep pools also reduces the flood result in removal of riparian vegetation and may also attenuation capacity of the stream channel, which block the passage of native freshwater fish on their
page 20 annual migration upstream to spawn. Once these dams The Dunsborough municipal waste management facility are in place it is vital that flows from the outlet are is near the headwaters of the Jingarmup Brook. Some managed appropriately. In the majority of cases the landholders along this brook expressed concern about construction of a dam requires approval from the Shire the potential for water contamination from the facility. of Busselton so it is important to contact the Shire prior Advice from the Shire of Busselton is that regular to planning a new dam. All gully-wall dams approved monitoring of groundwater bores around the landfill by the Shire are required to have an under wall bypass have not shown any levels of nutrient, chemical or pipe installed that should be open during all periods of heavy metal contamination above the recommended low flow. The management of these pipes is discussed guidelines (ANZECC,2003); a deep layer of high further in the following chapter. phosphorous retention clay separates the groundwater layer from the base of the facility thereby providing an Water quality effective barrier to groundwater pollution (Barbour, pers. Comm., 2005). Results from monitoring are There is little long term monitoring data available for provided annually to the Department of Environment the Cape Naturaliste streams, however recent sampling and have also previously been provided to concerned of the Dugulup Brook by the Shire of Busselton landholders on special request. identified high levels of faecal coliform bacteria that exceeded the criteria for safe recreational use of waterways (Barbour, pers. comm., 2005). Given the relative absence of stock on the Dugulup Brook it is highly likely that septic systems from adjoining residential and light industrial development have contributed to these levels.
page 21 6. Management advice
The information in this chapter is largely taken from River Action Plan for the Sabina, Abba and Ludlow Rivers ‘Ideally, fences should be placed above the river valley (GeoCatch, 2002) by Genevieve Hanran-Smith. (Figure 4). Depending on the steepness of the embankment, the fence should be placed 5 m to 20 m Where to start back from the edge of the river valley (Figure 4 A). Five metres is sufficient for a shallow valley a couple The main principles for riparian management are: of metres deep but a broader zone, greater than ten • conserve the best areas first; metres, is required for valleys deeper than five metres. The purpose of fencing off the shoulders of the river • move on to those reaches showing signs of recovery; is to enable trees on the upper part of the and embankment and those above the river valley to anchor the adjacent land, and thereby prevent • then treat the more degraded parts of the system. subsidence. This advice applies to both individual properties and the In the case of shallow river valleys, there is little system as a whole. chance that embankments will subside. Nevertheless, It is most cost effective to protect areas still retaining fence-lines should be located above the river valley native vegetation. These areas are the most stable and (Figure 4 B). This is because fences and firebreaks the most likely to regenerate naturally. Assisting natural located within the river valley will be damaged and regeneration is a lot cheaper and easier than restoring eroded by floodwaters. When they occur, firebreak degraded areas. washouts can be severe and contribute large quantities of sediment to the river system. Work on the more degraded parts will be easier if the creek upstream is in good condition. Erosion and weed If the river valley is particularly broad and floodplains infestations impact on areas downstream. have been cleared for grazing, fencing them off may mean sacrificing good farmland. In this case it is Both the Cape to Cape Landcare Companion (Cape to necessary that only those areas that are prone to Cape Catchments Group, 2004) and the Geographe water erosion or stock damage, such as embankments Catchment Companion (GeoCatch, 2004) contain and secondary river channels which only flow excellent advice on planning a restoration and strongly at times of flood, need to be fenced off revegetation project. These manuals are available free, (Figure 4 C). Some of these fence-lines will be prone or at very little cost, from CCG and GeoCatch. This to flood damage, but this can be minimised if fences advice and the lessons learnt from the implementation run, as much as possible, parallel to the direction of of other River Action Plans should be applied during the floodwaters. planning and prioritisation of individual on-ground activities. The Vasse River Action Plan contains In the flatter and broader valleys it may be acceptable excellent advice on planning a restoration and to use fences to control the level of grazing rather revegetation project. than to exclude it altogether. A careful watch would need to be kept to ensure that the grazing is Stock control sustainable and is not so heavy as to prevent the regeneration of native trees, shrubs and sedges.’ The control of livestock access is the most important management tool in the protection and restoration of Fencing may be used to exclude stock entirely from the waterways and vegetation. Fencing is the best method to stream foreshore, or to allow restricted grazing. Once achieve this. native species have regenerated or been re-established it may be appropriate to allow careful grazing for short APACE Green Skills & Pen (1997) provide good advice periods to control weeds. Grazing may also be used to on the placement of fences alongside waterways: control weeds prior to planting. Heavy grazing that would degrade the riparian zone and ultimately eliminate native plant species should be avoided. Total page 22 Figure 4: The correct placement of fences in relation to the river valley: (A) the deep river valley, (B) the shallow river valley and (C) the broad river valley with broad floodplain (APACE Green Skills & Pen, 1995).
page 23 exclusion of stock will be necessary where the bank is Dam walls should not be planted with trees as their steep and sandy, or prone to collapse, or where the roots may undermine the structural integrity. They can objective is to maintain high quality riparian habitat. A be safely planted however with a variety of rushes, longterm weed management and revegetation plan sedges, groundcovers and shrubs. The same species needs to be developed prior to fencing off riparian land. should be planted on the edges and dam entry point, with the addition of local native trees. If stock are In areas where stock are not present, there is no need to present on the property, the dam should be fenced to fence. However on properties where stock are present, prevent them damaging the vegetation, and a corner of even for only part of the time, it is important to restrict the dam be left open for their access. stock access to the banks. GeoCatch now has funds available to landholders to restrict stock access to Vegetative buffers waterways. These funds may be used to erect fencing, provide alternate watering points and construct stock Vegetated buffers alongside waterways can intercept and and vehicle crossings. For more information, please slow runoff and thereby trap suspended sediment, contact GeoCatch. including organic material. Research has shown that vegetative buffers 10-50 m wide can achieve Useful references on stock control phosphorus and nitrogen filtration rates in the order of 50-100% (Pen, 1999). A vegetative buffer need not be of • Water and Rivers Commission Water Note 18, native vegetation and can be a simple grassy strip that is Livestock Management: Fence Location and Grazing fenced off to control grazing. The nutrients assimilated Control. by the vegetation can be utilised by crash grazing or • Water and Rivers Commission Water Note 6, preferably in hay production since the latter does not Livestock Management: Construction of Livestock involve livestock returning nutrients to the grassy Crossings. border as urine and manure.
• Water and Rivers Commission Water Note 7, Vegetation within the waterway itself forms a Livestock Management: Watering Points and Pumps. longitudinal buffer which, similarly, slows the flow rate, reduces erosion and traps soil, sediment and organic • Water and Rivers Commission Water Note 19, Flood matter. Proofing Fencing for Waterways. Farming practices (from Kingdon, 2000) Water quality To reduce soil erosion, the key is to keep reasonably Waterways in agricultural areas receive large quantities high levels of vegetation on the soil for as long as of nutrients, either dissolved in water, adhering to small possible, and especially during times of high erosion soil particles eroded from the land, or in dead plant and risk. Achieving these conditions requires: animal material, including manure washed from paddocks. Outlined below are a number of ways to • use of reduced tillage and direct drilling; improve water quality (Pen, 1999). • use of crop and pasture rotations that include well managed perennial grasses and legumes; Vegetated dams • in row cropping, use of permanently raised beds and Dams and constructed soaks can become a healthy and controlled traffic; vibrant ecosystem if they have fringing vegetation, as in a natural creek system. Not only will riparian vegetation • managing organic matter by retaining stubble and clean the water and provide habitat to aquatic including pastures in a crop rotation; and organisms such as marron and native fish, it may add • ensuring vigorous plant growth through appropriate considerable value to the property as vegetated dams are soil, crop and water management. aesthetically pleasing.
page 24 Cultivation along the contours, rather than at right Managing dam flows angles to them, will slow the rate at which water flows across the land, reducing soil erosion by as much as 50% A gully-wall dam on an ephemeral (seasonal) stream (Pen, 1999). can have significant impacts upon the timing and amount of flow downstream of it. One way to address Soil testing and fertiliser use this issue is the low-flow or bypass valve. This is a valve at the bottom of a dam wall that can be used to let flows Fertiliser is generally applied according to traditional through to the creek at any time. In the past valves have practice, usually some time before the winter/spring primarily been used to flush out saline water or growing season. Today, we know that after a number of sediment that has collected in the dam, however they years of fertiliser application, many soils are rich in can easily be used to negate the environmental impact of nutrients but may be deficient in a few trace elements a gully-wall dam and they are a requirement of all dams (Pen, 1999). Soil should be tested to determine fertiliser approved for construction in the Busselton Shire. The requirements and avoid excess application of nutrients, valve should be opened at the start of the season (as a portion of which will find their way into waterways. soon as water is flowing into the dam). The dam will GeoCatch has a project called ‘Nutrient Smart’ which is still fill over the winter months and, once it is full to designed to assist landholders to better manage their overflowing, the bypass valve can be closed. This fertiliser use through soil testing. A paddock-scale ensures that the riparian ecosystem downstream of the fertiliser plan will be produced, allowing landholders to dam receives water when it is meant to. The rest of the better target soil deficiencies and improve yields. For flows will safely dilute any salt or sediment that has more information, please contact GeoCatch. built up in the dam over summer.
Mycorrhizal and soil bacteria testing is another related If an existing dam does not have a bypass valve tool. Past farming practices have led to the gradual installed, it is possible to set up a simple siphon system sterilisation of soils. Soil organisms interact with the where a length of piping is laid over the top of the dam root hairs of pasture and native plants and assist with wall and extends into the deepest part of the dam (and nutrient uptake. A number of landholders in the is secured via a weight) and down the dam wall past the catchment are trialling the use of organic and level of lowest water depth. A tap can be placed at the biodynamic solutions to improve soil health, with an end of the pipe and it can be turned on and off as ultimate goal of reducing fertiliser, herbicide and required. If the tap is turned off (but the pipe left in pesticide use whilst maintaining or improving yields. place) once the dam has overflowed, water will be Contact the Department of Agriculture & Food for retained in the pipe and there will be no need to prime more information. the siphon in subsequent years. Retrofitting a bypass valve to a dam is likely to be a very difficult and costly Useful references for protecting water quality exercise. through farming practices Erosion control • Kingdon, B.K. (2000) Fertiliser Use Guidelines for the Swan Coastal Plain of WA. Vasse-Wonnerup LCDC, Erosion is an issue requiring attention in parts of the Busselton, WA Cape Naturaliste streams, with areas showing signs of severe incision, undercutting and bank slumpage. • Prosser, I., Karssies, L., Ogden, R. & Hairsine, P. (1999) ‘Using buffers to reduce sediment and It should be noted that a detailed river geometry survey nutrient delivery to streams’. In: Riparian Land and a variety of calculations are required for the correct Management Technical Guidelines: Volume Two: On- design of engineering works. It is also important to ground Management Tools and Techniques, Price, P. & remember that rivers are part of a dynamic system, that Lovett, S. (eds). LWRRDC, Canberra. is, they are in a constant state of change. Care should therefore be taken when attempting to predict the outcome of alterations to channel form and capacity. Site-specific technical advice should be obtained prior
page 25 to commencing any form of physical modification to the Undercutting river channel. GeoCatch and engineers from the Undercutting often occurs in conjunction with the Department of Environment can assist with providing formation of point bars. Material is scoured from the toe technical support. of the bank, resulting in loss of bank support; this often A number of approaches to erosion control as outlined results in subsidence as illustrated in Figure 6 (Raine & in the Capel River Action Plan by Kirrily White and Gardiner, 1995). Previous experience has shown that Sarah Comer (GeoCatch, 1999) are discussed below. supporting and protecting the toe of the bank can prevent undercutting. Generally undercutting will occur Point bars where there is a meander. If this is the case, only the outside bends need to be supported as the flow velocity Once a river bank becomes disturbed to the point where on the inside bend is much lower. Once an outside bend it is actively eroding, there is potential for this to create is stabilised, the corresponding inside bend will usually further erosion downstream through the formation of adjust its width to cater for the change in flow. point bars. Currents remove material from the outside banks of meanders and deposit it on the inside banks where water moves more slowly, forming a point bar (Raine & Gardiner, 1995). Over time these sand bars trap more sediment and continue to accumulate, to a point where they may even start to support in-channel vegetation growth. Some point bars are located and shaped in such a way that they actually divert the river flow onto the opposite bank further downstream, thus creating a new erosion point on the next outside bend. This cycle of erosion and deposition often continues downstream, and is a classic sign of a river in which the hydrological balance has been disturbed (Figure 5).
Removal of point bars may sometimes be needed in order to halt the progression of the erosion downstream. Generally, this should be undertaken in conjunction with other forms of restoration and care must be taken not to exacerbate the disturbance to the river channel. As discussed previously, a detailed river geometry survey of the problem areas is essential before this type of restoration procedure should be contemplated. Figure 6: The use of structural works, such as a rock toe, will prevent the process of undercutting (adapted from Raine & Gardiner, 1995).
Bank slumping
Bank slumping can occur when poorly drained material within the bank becomes heavy with saturation and collapses into the river channel (Figure 7). This can occur with or without prior undercutting. It will often Figure 5: Outside bend bank erosion occur in response to the loss of native deep rooted – Arrows mark the direction of flow showing that riparian vegetation which is critical to bank stability. outside bends have the greatest erosion potential, so the The best way to manage this problem is to exclude stock meanders migrate downstream (Raine & Gardiner, 1995). with fencing set well back from the river channel, and
page 26 revegetate the foreshore with suitable species. Raine and Gardiner (1995) provide the following advice on this process:
• Replant the toe with species that can withstand high flow velocities (e.g. native sedges). This replanting should be dense with spaces between plantings of less than 1 metre;
• Replant the middle to upper bank areas with fast growing, deep rooted trees and large shrubs. These will hold the bank together, enhance drainage and remove excess moisture through transpiration;
• Vary the species that are planted to ensure differing root structures; and
• Extend plantings from the toe to the floodplain. If a narrow band of trees is planted, this may serve only to add to the weight of the bank without providing the necessary network of root support.
Large woody debris
Snags, or large woody debris, are a natural component of the river system. They play an important role in river ecology by providing a range of flow conditions within the channel and habitat for aquatic life forms. Occasionally snags can divert the flow onto the bank and subsequently cause erosion in areas lacking support Figure 7: The process of bank slumping caused by excessive from native vegetation. While de-snagging rivers has weight and lack of support (adapted from Raine & been a common practice in the past, the current Gardiner, 1995). management emphasis is to leave as much woody debris as possible. Rather than removing large woody debris from the channel, it should be repositioned at an angle of 20° to 40° to the stream bank (Figure 8). This action will minimise the effect of the snag on flow levels and direction, whilst maintaining the habitat available for plants and animals that benefit from low flow conditions. Large woody debris can also be added to deflect flows from unstable areas.
Figure 8: Repositioning large woody debris (Gippel et al., 1998).
page 27 Useful references on erosion control found in the area. Species for revegetation projects in the catchment should be selected from this list. • Pen, L.J. (1999) Managing Our Rivers. Water and GeoCatch can assist with species selection. Rivers Commission, Perth.
• Water and Rivers Commission (2001) Stream Revegetation techniques Stabilisation. River Restoration Report No. RR 10. Good site preparation is crucial to successful • Raine, A.W. & Gardiner, J.N. (1995) Rivercare — revegetation. Elements that need to be considered are Guidelines for Ecologically Sustainable Management of weed removal; soil amelioration; and preparation of the Rivers and Riparian Vegetation. Land and Water soil surface for direct seeding or planting. Ongoing pest Resources Research and Development Corporation, and weed control will need to be part of the project. Canberra. Planting and sowing at the right time of year and at the appropriate depth will influence the success of the Regeneration and revegetation revegetation effort. Different revegetation techniques are outlined below. In areas that still retain native trees and understorey, natural regeneration is the cheapest and easiest Direct seeding management option. Control of stock access and invasive weeds is essential to this strategy, and should be Direct seeding involves placing seeds directly on or into the first step taken. Natural regeneration can be assisted the soil on the site, either by hand or with machinery. by making small piles of branches and burning to For individual farm sized projects a mix of local seeds promote germination through smoke and heat. Smoke can be prepared in clean (weed free) sand and sown into water can also be applied to encourage germination. lightly cultivated or raked soil. For an increased cost but Another technique to assist regeneration involves laying higher success rate, tree bags can be placed over these the seed bearing parts of native plants directly onto the areas to protect seedlings from dehydration, wind and ground, allowing seeds to fall from them. This is called predation. These bags will also help to identify and brushing, and works best after weed control measures protect plants during follow-up spot spraying for weeds such as spraying to reduce competition once the over the coming seasons. Several areas in the catchment seedlings start growing. have been identified as having good potential for the collection of local provenance1 seed. More information Sections of riparian vegetation that have been heavily on seed collection and propagation is available from grazed and cleared generally contain more weeds and GeoCatch. have a diminished seed bank. Options for these areas include: direct seeding; brushing with woody natives Direct seeding has a few distinct advantages over other that contain seed; pre-seeded matting; and planting of revegetation methods: tube stock. The riparian zone should be planted in a • it is less time consuming and requires less labour wide band with a diverse suite of species including than planting tube stock; trees, shrubs, sedges, rushes, herbs and native grasses. This not only improves the habitat value of the • a mixture of trees, shrubs, sedges and groundcovers foreshore, but also provides a matrix of different root can be planted at the same time, resulting in a plant structures that will improve bank stability and assist in community with a more natural look, and better erosion control. Where possible, seed should be resilience due to increased diversity and synergy; collected from nearby representative remnant vegetation • seeds will germinate over several years, giving a range communities, as this will ensure that the species used of ages and growth forms, resulting in a more natural are suitable, local and part of the existing ecological look; web. Appendix 1 provides a list of species that were
3 The term provenance is used to identify the geographic origin of seeds or parent plants. Often, genetically distinct local forms or varieties of a plant have evolved to suit a specific range of conditions, including soil, climate and water regimes. Direct seeding with local provenance seed ensures that the resulting plants will be suited to the localised environmental conditions and maintain the ecological integrity of existing native plant communities (GeoCatch, 1999). page 28 • it is less expensive than using tube stock; and spread seed and assist with erosion control simultaneously. Brush should be harvested from plants • the natural root development of seedlings grown at seed maturity and laid immediately on the from seed usually results in plants developing deeper revegetation site. Brush along the embankment should taproots, requiring less follow-up care. be secured in place. Species suitable for this technique However, direct seeding can be less reliable than are those that retain seed on the plant, but shed it when planting, due to predation, specific germination the plant dries out. This includes many of the requirements not being met, and poor conditions for myrtaceous species (peppermints, tea trees, Melaleucas, direct seeding. Direct seeding may not be possible when and Eucalypts such as marri, jarrah and flooded gums). there are high winds or strong water flow. Brushing is easy to combine with other revegetation activities such as direct seeding, and provides shelter to Planting plantings, increasing seedling survival rates.
Planting is an appropriate technique for embankment Pre-seeded matting and in-stream revegetation, and where direct seeding is difficult due to insufficient seed, excessive weed Pre-seeded matting involves sowing seeds onto competition, or other factors. In these cases, nursery appropriate fibre mulch, and laying the mat on-site in tube stock is ideally supplied from local provenance early winter after germination. This technique is seed. A rule of thumb guide for planting densities is 3-4 excellent for steep embankments, since it provides rushes per 1 m2, 1 shrub per 1 m2, and 1 tree every 3 m2. erosion control and revegetation in a single step. It is When selecting plants and designing the revegetation of generally only suitable for seeding with rushes and an area, it is also important to take into account the sedges, since matting usually requires rolling for budget for follow-up management; the availability of transport to the site once seeds have germinated (like water over summer; the range of species available; instant lawn). It can be difficult to source matting with existing vegetation cover such as tree canopy; soil types; seeds of local provenance. and the intended weed management approach. Division and transplanting of rushes and sedges Rushes and sedges should be planted in spring, when the water table is beginning to fall and the soil is still Many rushes and sedges propagate very well by moist. Other seedlings should be planted when the vegetative division – plants can be easily split into surrounding soil is moist and follow-up rain is likely individuals plants (ramets) every two months or so (usually between May and July). Care should be taken under good conditions. With planning the prior year to ensure that specimens are not root bound, and that and a small initial outlay, a large number of these minimal damage to the roots occurs when removing difficult to propagate (from seed) species can be raised from pots. Planting requires significant prior planning, by division. Some species of rushes and sedges such as as local seed can be collected and given to the Juncus, Carex, Isolepis and Schoenoplectus are suitable for community nursery to raise in time for planting in the growing from seed, but others are difficult to propagate. following wet season. Seedlings can also be purchased Farmers often grub out or spray rushes and sedges in from the Geographe Community Nursery in Busselton paddocks as they may limit options for crop cultivation. which specialises in growing local native plants for In some circumstances, paddocks adjacent to revegetation purposes. For more information, contact restoration sites may contain large numbers of these GeoCatch. rushes and sedges that could be transplanted with success. This can be a cheap, but labour intensive form Brushing of revegetation. Care must be taken to minimise erosion Brushing is an excellent technique for all zones apart and not spread dieback when transplanting. from the channel bed. This technique can be used to
page 29 Useful references on natural regeneration and • Weeds thrive in disturbed areas and on bare ground. revegetation • Fire promotes weeds. Burning a remnant that is weed • Bradley, J. (1988) Bringing Back the Bush: The Bradley infested can make the weeds worse, unless there is Method of Bush Regeneration. Lansdowne Press, follow-up weed control and revegetation. Native Sydney. plants cannot compete with the rapid regrowth of weeds, which then become a greater fire hazard. • Buchanan, R.A. (1989) Bush Regeneration: Recovering Australian Landscapes. TAFE Open Training and • Aggressive perennial weeds that spread readily along Education Network, Strathfield, NSW. riparian corridors should be eradicated first, for example, arum, bridal creeper, blackberry, and • Scheltema, M. (1993) Direct Seeding of Trees and pennyroyal. Shrubs. Greening Western Australia, Perth. • If weed control is carried out, revegetate to prevent • Water and Rivers Commission (1999) Revegetation: further weed invasion in the bare soil. Revegetating Riparian Zones in South-west Western Australia. Water and Rivers Commission River • Some native plants look and act like weeds. Do not Restoration Report No. RR4. begin weed control until you are sure a plant is a weed. • Water and Rivers Commission (1999) Revegetation: Case Studies from South-west Western Australia. Water Chemical control of weeds on waterways requires and Rivers Commission River Restoration Report No. careful planning. Issues which must be considered prior RR5. to any type of chemical control include the effects of the herbicides on native flora and fauna, and on water • Water and Rivers Commission (1999) Using Rushes quality. If you decide to use a herbicide, choose one that and Sedges in Revegetation of Wetland Areas in the has a modified surfactant to reduce impact in waterways South West of WA. Water and Rivers Commission and wetlands, such as Roundup® Biactive. In surface or River Restoration Report No. RR8. sheet erosion prone sites, spot rather than blanket • Water and Rivers Commission (2000) Water Note 20 spraying can help to reduce erosion from loss of weed Rushes and Sedges. cover whilst still providing opportunities for planting.
• Geographe Catchment Council (2004) Geographe In some cases it may be appropriate to use restricted Catchment Companion. grazing to control weeds. Where banks are steep and sandy or prone to collapse, or where the objective is to • Cape to Cape Catchments Group (2004) Cape to maintain high quality riparian habitat, grazing should Cape Landcare Companion. be avoided. However, where the riparian zone has a history of grazing and the exclusion of stock would lead Weed control to an explosion of weeds, maintenance of the zone by light grazing is an option. The landholder should keep Weed invasion of native vegetation is a major threat a careful eye on the riparian zone to see that it has an along the Cape Naturaliste streams, and in the adequate cover of a mixture of native and pasture plant catchments as a whole. Fencing the streams and species and that erosion is not occurring. restricting stock access will result in the need for extra weed control. Weed control should be coordinated Troublesome major weeds should be identified at an across the whole catchment for any action to be really early stage and eradicated immediately (Pen, 1999). effective. In foreshore areas, removal or control of weeds must take account of the erosive power of water. Specific notes on certain weeds Clearing weeds in an unplanned manner could result in erosion in the river channel. Weed control principles to A number of declared weeds (under the Agricultural and keep in mind include: Related Resources Protection Act 1976) were found in the study area. They are: arum lily, blackberry, and
page 30 pennyroyal. According to legislation, declared plants or Metsulfuron as flowers start to wither is most need to be controlled or contained depending on their effective. Little effect will be noticeable immediately, status, and reported to the local Agricultural Protection however the following year very few plants will come Officer. More information on the requirements for up. Glyphosate is not an effective control. Blanket or control and treatment is available from the Department hockey stick wipers should be used near waterways to of Agriculture & Food. Weeds of concern in the prevent spray drift or runoff. In areas with very dense catchment are listed below, with suggested control infestations, multiple applications will be required to methods. ensure any new seedlings are controlled.
Information on these weeds and other priority weeds in Blackberry Rubus spp. the catchment is provided below. It is sourced from Southern Weeds and their Control (Moore & Wheeler, A perennial plant with arching prickly stems (canes) 2002), Bushland Weeds: A Practical Guide to their that was introduced from Europe as a fruit crop. Highly Management (Brown & Brooks, 2002), and Declared invasive, especially along creeklines. Mechanical control Plants Handbook: Recommendations for the Control of is difficult except for small infestations. Care must be Declared Plants in Western Australia (Department of taken to ensure that all root material is removed. Agriculture, 2002). Herbicide control is most effective, with Triclopyr and Triclopyr plus Picloram having good results, but care Southern Weeds is a useful guide for landholders in the must be taken near waterways with the latter. Some south-west and provides information on weed success has been had with mixtures of Metsulfuron and identification and control. It is available from Glyphosate. Further research is currently underway to Department of Agriculture & Food offices. Also useful develop effective biological controls with some trials in for weed identification is Western Weeds (Hussey et al., local areas expected to commence mid-2005. 1997). Blue periwinkle Vinca major Agapanthus Agapanthus praecox A sprawling groundcover with dark green opposite A succulent strap leaved garden escapee from South leaves with a shiny surface and singular blue flowers Africa, agapanthus is a perennial with similar ecological with a white throat. Blue periwinkle is native to the requirements to arum lily. It is a weed of national Mediterranean region and is a common garden plant in significance. It seeds freely and the clumps can exclude Australia. The plant spreads rapidly by producing new all other vegetation. It has the potential to become a roots where the stems have contact with the ground. very serious weed in south-west Western Australia (R. Effective control can be achieved in early to late spring Randal, pers. comm., 2003). Prevent seed set yearly, and by first raking the vine to lift it off the ground, and dig out clumps ensuring no root fragments are left mowing or cutting the vine then spraying the regrowth behind. The most successful chemical control is likely with Glyphosate or Dicamba. Several applications every to be Chlorsulfuron or Metsulfuron Methyl. three months are required. The last remnants will need to be removed manually or by spot spraying as these Arum lily Zantedeschia aethiopica will start a new infestation. Some control is achieved A tufting perennial with dark green, shiny leaves arising with hot fires and solarisation. from a tuberous root. Easily recognised by large white ‘flower’ with a central yellow column of minute male Bridal creeper Asparagus asparagoides and female flowers. Toxic to stock and introduced as a A perennial climber with wiry stems that was garden plant. Berries are spread by birds and along introduced from South Africa as a garden plant. It is watercourses. A serious threat to riparian vegetation. extremely invasive and spreads very rapidly, eventually Slashing, if undertaken regularly (at least three times smothering native vegetation. A variety of bio-control per season) over a long period, may be effective but is methods seem to be having good results in the area. A very time and labour intensive. Chemical control with small (2-3 mm long) leafhopper and a ‘rust’ (fungus) are low rates (0.5 grams per 10 L of water) of Chlorsulfuron
page 31 available for release. Contact GeoCatch for more A robust perennial climber with alternate leaves divided information and release locations. into 3 broadly triangular leaflets each 2-7 cm long. Dolichos pea has numerous large pea flowers that are The rust appears to be spreading well, and was found on white or pink to purple, 8-15 mm long. Manual most bridal creeper infestations. In many places where removal is difficult since the root system may re-sprout previously bridal creeper was extremely thick, the rust when damaged. While small plants can be hand pulled, has worked very well. However care must be taken not the larger ones tend to re-sprout. Slashing is not to become complacent about bridal creeper. Due to the effective. Burning encourages germination of seed, and nature of biological controls, the rust will never although a hot fire can kill the plant re-shooting may eradicate bridal creeper, it will just make it manageable. occur after a moderate fire. Chemical control is likely to Now is the time to implement other control methods reduce infestations to levels that can then be controlled such as wiping individual stems with a 1:2 Glyphosate by hand removal. Most effective chemical control solution as they emerge. options will damage native plants. Wipers should be used near waterways to prevent spray drift or runoff. Budding club rush (Isolepis prolifera) and Juncus Tordon, Lontrel and Metsulphuron have all provided microcephalus effective control, but none of these are suitable for These are two introduced rushes from South Africa. selective control in bushland. Both inhabit damp soil or shallow, slow moving water. Isolepis prolifera is a pale green fleshy short (to 50 cm) Easter lily Amaryllis belladonna perennial that often reproduces by forming new plants A perennial herb, dying back to a large bulb. Leafless (budding) at the end of a stem. Juncus microcephalus is a when flowering. Large pink to white flowers in autumn. robust rush to 1.2 m with flowers in dense upright Leaves are green and strappy. A garden escapee native to clusters and leaves divided by transverse (horizontal) South Africa and common around old settlements. partitions. Both thrive in disturbed damp areas and can Spraying with a 1:100 solution of Glyphosate after become a problem, restricting flow and causing flowering as new leaves emerge is the most effective sedimentation. Manual control (removal) is best. control. Manual removal of bulb results in significant Herbicides are not generally suitable unless the plants soil disturbance and further weed invasion. grow in areas that dry up over summer. Edible fig Ficus carica Bulrush Typha orientalis A large tree with distinctive lobed leaves and fleshy A perennial emergent aquatic plant, native to the fruit. A garden escapee that tolerates damp conditions. Eastern States and Asia, up to 4 metres tall. There is also Takes root readily from cuttings and root fragments, and a native bulrush (T. domingenis) that is easily confused birds and animals disperse seeds. Hand pull seedlings, with T. orientalis, with the two readily hybridising. Both inject larger specimens with 50-100% Glyphosate in species were found during the foreshore assessments. summer. Can be treated with the cut and paint method, Manual control through slashing in late summer and however all branches, twigs and fruit must be removed then drowning can be very effective, as can cutting the and burnt. stem 15 cm below the waterline 2-3 times a year, including at flowering. Chemical control needs to be Kikuyu (Pennisetum clandestinium), buffalo grass very carefully executed as the potential for runoff or (Stenotaphrum secundatum), couch (Cynodon dactylon) drift into the water is very high. Glyphosate with a and water couch (Paspalum distichum) modified surfactant (such as Roundup® Biactive) could These perennial introduced grasses all spread from be used in late spring to summer. runners or rhizomes and are invasive in damp situations. Manual control (except large scale scalping) Dolichos pea Dipogon lignosus is not effective, and care must then be taken to minimise
page 32 erosion. A spray-burn-spray regime using Glyphosate These have been grouped together as growth form and appears to work well in areas where water levels recede, control methods are similar. All are tufted bulbous allowing the use of herbicides and fire. species from South Africa with erect sword shaped Myrtle-leaved milkwort Polygala myrtifolia leaves, tall and spike-like white, pink, yellow or orange flowering stems. Manual control (digging out) of A garden escapee originally native to South Africa and African cornflag and watsonia can be effective in small now invading coastal bushland areas. This is a shrub, areas but is very labour intensive and requires many about 2.5m high with light green elliptic leaves and years of follow-up. Manual control of wavy gladioli clusters of pea-like pink to purple flowers. Remove should not be attempted as numerous cormels will seedlings and small plants by hand. Larger plants can break off and cause a worse problem than before. simply be cut off at the base and tend not to re-grow. Spraying with Glyphosate or 2,2-DPA just prior to Burning can kill adult plants if hot enough but will flowering gives best results. In sensitive areas, using a result in larger infestations if there is not follow-up sponge glove or a hockey stick wiper is best. control as the seeds will germinate. Glyphosate can also be used for effective control. More information on weed identification and control is available from the Department of Agriculture & Food Pennyroyal Mentha pulegium and GeoCatch.
A slightly succulent rhizomatous perennial that favours Useful references on weed identification and method damp conditions such as along paddock drains and of control creeklines. Has a strong mint-like smell when crushed. Chemical control using Glyphosate when actively • Brown, K. & Brooks, K. (2002) Bushland Weeds: A growing is effective. Caution should be used when Practical Guide to their Management with Case Studies applying Glyphosate near waterways. Spray only when from the Swan Coastal Plain and Beyond. flows have receded or stopped. Environmental Weeds Action Network, Greenwood, Western Australia. Deciduous trees, tree ferns and other woody weeds • Department of Agriculture (1999) Wetlands not Woody weeds such as deciduous species like Willows Weedlands. Weed Note No. 1/99, Department of (Salix sp.) and Poplars (Populus sp.) can be controlled Agriculture, Perth, Western Australia. using stem injection or cut and paint with undiluted • Department of Agriculture (2002) Declared Plants Glyphosate (‘cut-stump’ method). The tree ferns found Handbook: Recommendations for the Control of along the Dandatup Brook can be controlled with the Declared Plants in Western Australia. cut-stump method. To stem inject, holes should be drilled around the trunk and spaced no more than 5 cm • Dixon, B. & Keighery, G. (1995) ‘Suggested methods apart into the sapwood (just beyond the bark, but not to control weeds’. In: Managing Perth’s Bushlands, into the heartwood) and herbicide injected immediately. Scheltema, M. & Harris, J. (eds). Greening Western The tree may take up to 3 months to die and can then Australia, Perth, WA. be felled or left as habitat. To cut and paint, the tree should be felled with a chainsaw as close to the ground • Hussey, B.M.J., Keighery, G.J., Cousens, R.D., Dodd, as possible and painted immediately with undiluted J. & Lloyd, S.G. (1997) Western Weeds: A Guide to the herbicide. All material must be removed and monitoring Weeds of Western Australia. Plant Protection Society for suckers should occur for at least 2 years after of Western Australia, Victoria Park, Western control. Australia.
• Hussey, B.M.J. & Wallace, K.J. (1993) Managing Your Watsonia (Watsonia sp.), Gladioli (Gladiolus sp.) and Bushland. Department of Conservation and Land African cornflag (Chasmanthe floribunda) Management, Como, Western Australia.
page 33 • Moore, J. and Wheeler, J. (2002) Southern Weeds regeneration and revegetation. Landholders and and their Control. Department of Agriculture, managers are encouraged to control rabbits through Bulletin No. 4558. Perth, Western Australia. baiting, shooting, fumigation and destruction of warrens. • Water and Rivers Commission (1999) Revegetation: Revegetating Riparian Zones in South-west Western The value to native fauna of vegetated corridors along Australia. the rivers is undermined by the presence of foxes and feral cats. Large numbers of landholders were • Water and Rivers Commission River Restoration concerned that foxes and feral cats preyed on native Report No. RR4. fauna which has limited habitat options in the area. • Water and Rivers Commission Water Note 22, Baiting and shooting can control foxes. Feral cats are Herbicide Use in Wetlands. more difficult to control, although some success has been had with wire cages baited with sardines. Cages • Water and Rivers Commission Water Note 15, are available from rangers at the Shire of Busselton. Weeds in Waterways. The effectiveness of fox and feral cat control is greatly improved if undertaken on a large scale, involving as • Water and Rivers Commission Water Note 25, many landholders as possible. Further advice and Effects and Management of Deciduous Trees on assistance is available from GeoCatch and the Shire of Waterways. Busselton. Feral animal control
Rabbits were evident in parts of the catchment. Rabbits severely damage native vegetation, hindering
page 34 7. Stream foreshore condition and recommendations for management
Using the maps
The following pages provide an index for the individual maps, and an overview of the condition of Cape Naturaliste Streams. For a summary of the condition rating and percentage of Cape Naturaliste Streams that is fenced to exclude stock, please see Table 1 and Table 2 in the Summary.
Maps 1 to 11 show the entire Cape Naturaliste Streams catchment, the main channel and tributaries, and adjoining land titles.
The maps show the foreshore condition of the waterways as assessed using the Pen-Scott method (see Chapter 3 for details of the method of assessment). Fencing status, weeds and management issues are also shown. A legend is provided.
The background aerial photos of the maps were taken in 2003 and are available from the Department of Land Information www.dli.wa.gov.au. Management recommendations
The notes accompanying each map contain background information and management recommendations.
A recommended set of catchment-wide priority actions is provided in Chapter 7.
These priority actions should be considered alongside the specific recommendations listed for each map. Prior to actions being undertaken, consultation should occur with stakeholders and relevant agencies, such as GeoCatch, the Department of Water and the Shire of Busselton.
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page 37 Map 1 Jingarmup Brook
Map 1 shows the southern half of the Jingarmup Brook catchment with a number of minor tributaries running east. The whole of this catchment area was assessed from aerial photos since access to this part of the brook for an on- ground assessment was not possible at the time of the survey.
Issues Comments
Land use While under separate titles, this part of the Jingarmup Brook is owned and managed by one and fencing landholder and is used for sheep grazing, though with low stocking rates. There is no foreshore fencing on any of these locations. Landform, soils Gully erosion is present where riparian vegetation is absent. This is visible on the aerial and erosion photograph of Lots 1303, 1050 and 223. Soils are part of the Cowaramup Uplands Soil System comprising loamy gravels, duplex sandy gravels, semi-wet soils and grey deep sandy duplexes. The presence of duplex soils is likely to have made this area more susceptible to gully erosion. Native A survey of existing vegetation was not possible for this section of the brook. Regional vegetation vegetation mapping indicates that foreshore vegetation is comprises of the Cowaramup Cw2 complex, or a woodland of Jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata subsp. marginata), Marri (Corymbia calophylla) on slopes and a low woodland of Stout paperbark (Melaleuca preissiana) – Swamp banksia (Banksia littoralis). This is a poorly represented vegetation complex. Weeds Arum lily is present along the creek line on this property and the landholder currently undertakes annual control of this weed. The incidence of other weed species is not known as a survey was not undertaken on the ground. Other comments, There is a small, partially vegetated wetland or damp land area near the headwaters of the special features brook on Lot 1303. There are very few intact wetlands remaining within the Cape Naturaliste area and accordingly this area should also be given a priority for fencing from stock. The presence of poorly represented vegetation on this section of foreshore emphasises the need for fencing.
Map 1: Management recommendations and advice • Implement a staged fencing program on all locations to restrict stock access, including construction of stable stock crossings and provision of stock watering points away from the brook to minimise bank damage and protect water quality. Since this would be a large fencing project, priority should be given to areas of the foreshore where riparian vegetation is still intact, i.e. preserve the areas of better quality foreshore first and work outwards from these points. • Continue and expand the current weed control program for arum lily and monitor outbreaks of other invasive species described in this plan. Ensure arum lily control is undertaken when the plants are actively flowering for maximum effectiveness. • Undertake targeted erosion control measures to reduce further sedimentation and channel incision. It may be necessary to construct pool and riffle sequences to manage current active erosion. Technical advice should be sought prior to undertaking control of severe erosion and should only be undertaken following implementation of stock control measures. • Undertake targeted revegetation around the areas of better quality foreshore, which appears to be on Lot 223. Revegetation should also be undertaken wherever erosion control measures are implemented.
page 38 54 55 349 560
C1-C3 152 660 53
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4825 C3 D1-D3 59 2 D1-D3 C3 D1-D3 58 D1-D3
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L Jingarmup BrookE Map 1 Cape Naturaliste foreshore assessment: Map 1 - JingarmupR Brook J:\RS\SW\69204\0008\Map1_Jingarmup_A4.mxd page 39 Map 2 Jingarmup Brook
Map 2 shows the northern half of the Jingarmup Brook catchment with a number of larger tributaries running east. The area between Lots 349 and 1348 inclusive were assessed from aerial photos since access to this part of the brook for an on-ground assessment was not possible at the time of the survey.
Issues Comments
Land use Boundary fencing of the foreshore reserve is in place either side of Reserve 213 at the mouth and fencing of the brook and at Reserve 4936. There is no foreshore fencing established on any other locations. Sheep grazing and cattle grazing occurs on Lots 349, 70, 1350, 143, 1348. Land use downstream of this area is rural residential and residential. Landform, soils Soils in this area are within the Wilyabrup slopes, Wilyabrup deep sandy slopes and and erosion Wilyabrup valleys land units all with gravely well drained soils. At the coast the brook passes through the Wilyabrup Wet Fertile Flats land unit, which has poorly drained deep alluvial soils. Gully erosion and channel incision is evident on Lots 51 and 70. At the lower end of the brook the channel is incised and showing signs of bank erosion as a result of increased flow velocity from catchment clearing. Native The upper catchment areas were not surveyed on the ground, though regional vegetation vegetation mapping shows this area as dominated by marri (Corymbia calophylla) and peppermint (Agonis flexuosa). Through the town of Eagle Bay, vegetation is dominated by flooded gum (Eucalyptus rudis), peppermint (Agonis flexuosa) and freshwater paperbark (Melaleuca raphiophylla). At the coast this changes to mainly peppermint with boobiala (Myoporum insulare) and golden wreath wattle (Acacia saligna). Weeds Arum lily is present throughout, though with varying densities depending on the level of control. Gladioli, watsonia and fig are problematic in the lower urban areas. There are occasional light infestations of bridal creeper in the lower foreshore reserves. Upstream and downstream of Fern Road there is a dense infestation of the introduced grass Phalaris paradoxa and black wattle is also present here. Other grasses such as kikuyu, blow fly grass, wild oats and couch are a problem in the lower reaches. At the coast sea spurge (Euphorbia paralias), dune onion weed (Trachyndra divaricarta), rose pelargonium and hares tail grass have invaded the dune areas. Other comments, The introduced aquarium fish Rosy barb was found in Reserve 4396. This is the only known special features wild population of this feral fish in WA. A water and sewerage pipeline located along the boundary of lots 50 and 1348 is eroding and exacerbating sedimentation of the brook. The outlet of a dam located on the boundary of lot 1348 is also causing localised erosion. Arum lily control has been effective in some areas but is hampered by patchy landholder involvement.
Map 2: Management recommendations and advice • Coordinate a community weed control program on public and private land involving all landowners and land managers (i.e. target weed control of species such as arum lily at the same time to maximise effectiveness). Remove existing populations of fig, black wattle and Phalaris paradoxa as a high priority and provide ongoing control of arum lily, watsonia and wavy gladioli. Ensure all minor outbreaks of bridal creeper are infested with the rust fungus to provide biological control. • Implement a staged fencing program on Lots 349 to 1348 to restrict stock access, including construction of stable stock crossings and provision of stock watering points away from the brook to minimise bank damage and protect water quality. Since this would be a large fencing project, priority should be given to areas of the foreshore where riparian vegetation is still in-tact, i.e. preserve the areas of better quality foreshore first and work outwards from these points. • Stabilise erosion of the water pipeline alignment and the outlet of the dam at the boundary of Lots 50 and 1348 to reduce further sedimentation of Jingarmup Brook. • Undertake revegetation of rushes, sedges and understorey species at reserve 4396 to improve bank stability. • Work with the Department of Fisheries to eradicate the introduced fish Rosy barb from the Jingarmup Brook. page 40 4970 0 250 500 750 1,000
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R onion weed N hare's tail grass R bridal creeper (l) D 4954 arum lily 48 black wattle Fumaria fig kikuyu 683 B1 pelargonium C1 euphorbia C3 wild oats B1 D2 C3 213 B2 1110 C1 C3 50 bank subsidance C3 B1 8 D2 9 watsonia 214 4971 3 50 13 arum lily (l) C1 4936 fig 264 122 123 arum lily undercutting at bridge 120 wavy gladioli 4595 C2 119 arum lily (h) 264 4936 C1 C1 kikuyu T wavy gladioli S SY 1314 severe erosion B2-B3 arum lily (l) P GY along steep track D1-D2 undercutting on tight bends (water pipeline alignment). B2- 106 101 11 8 1 B3 bank incision 140 136 9 2 135 D1-D2 4 142 37 133 38 36 16 1348 132 18 C1-C2 131 19 B1-B3 17 B1-B3 22 C1-C2 23 24 arum lily 5125 D1-D3 B1-B3 arum lily C1-C3 50 D1-D3 D1-D2 C3 C1-C3 0 B2-B3
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page 41 Map 3 Meelup Brook
Map 3 shows the Meelup Brook from its headwaters just east of Cape Naturaliste Road, to its mouth at Meelup Beach. Locations 55, 54 and 7 were assessed from aerial photos since access to this part of the brook for an on-ground assessment was not possible at the time of the survey.
Issues Comments
Land use Locations 55, 54, 7 and 293 are sheep grazing and lifestyle lots and these are unfenced. The and fencing foreshore has been fenced on location 101, which is used for viticulture and tourism though a small number of sheep are also present. Downstream the brook flows through the Meelup Regional Park, which is an ‘A’ class recreation and conservation reserve. Landform, soils Meelup Brook is located within the Wilyabrup valleys land unit and comprises typical and erosion gravelly soils on a steep ‘V’ shaped drainage depression. There are a number of head cuts within Meelup Regional Park, one over a hundred metres long in the upper reaches, though possibly now stabilising. There are also smaller head cuts and bank subsidence at the lower end. A number of disused water supply dams were noted in the park and water diversions around these have created some minor erosion problems. Minor erosion is present at the outlet of a dam on location 293. Native The upper catchment is dominated by peppermint (Agonis flexuosa) and some marri vegetation (Corymbia calophylla) though with limited understorey remaining. Where the brook flows through Meelup Regional Park the vegetation is in excellent condition huge diversity of species. Here the dominant overstorey is marri (Corymbia calophylla) with some jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata), and peppermint (Agonis flexuosa) more abundant towards the coast. Weeds Arum lily is present throughout and blackberry occurs on location 293 and spreading into location 101. A wide variety of other invasive environmental weeds also occur on location 101. These include black wattle, dolichos pea, sweet pittosporum, bridal creeper, typha and Juncus microcephalus. Weed invasion in Meelup Regional Park is worst near the boundary of location 101, where weeds common to both locations are found. At the lower end of the brook there is also wavy gladioli, bridal creeper and blackberry nightshade. Where the brook flows through the middle of the park, there are few weeds, though plantain, white fumitory and wavy gladioli could be found at most sites of minor disturbance. Other comments, There are some short sections of A1-A2 quality foreshore of exceptional quality within special features Meelup Regional Park and a high diversity of flora species in this area.
Map 3: Management recommendations and advice • Undertake control of blackberry on locations 293 and 101 as a matter of high priority. • Construct fencing on locations 55, 54, 7 and 293 to restrict stock access, including construction of stable stock crossings and provision of stock watering points away from the brook to minimise bank damage and protect water quality. • Liaise with the property manager of location 101 and members of the Meelup Regional Park Management Committee to discuss the feasibility of a joint control program for weeds that are common to the boundary areas of both locations. • Stabilise erosion at the outlet of the dam on location 293 using rock of small size and replanting of rushes and sedges below the outlet to dissipate flow energy. • Undertake coordinated control of arum lily and remove sweet pittosporum and black wattle on all locations. • Establish a small demonstration river restoration site at the lower end of the Meelup Brook on degraded areas near the boardwalk platform and the disused dam. • Undertake annual weed control and checks for outbreaks of new weeds on the Meelup Brook within the Meelup Regional Park. This part of the brook is in the best condition and is therefore a priority for all weed and erosion control measures.
page 42 d x k m . o 4 A _ o n p r u o l i e e B s i M _ c 3 p p n a i 2 u M l \ l A 8 0 e e 0 0 n \ e 4 n 0 2 a 9 M 6 t \ h i - W c p S \ 4 l S d 6 3 R 2 \ e : e y J t v l p a a n l a r o o g s M i n D a m d r l o i : R u i l e t ) o r f l s o i i ( o l n K 8 s s d p o 7 y g r e e l C a s 1 i l n r e l p i o l g d t O p m t s d i a i m e y R s e p r 2 h p u v d r e s t e s e a A t E l t s a p e h w e o e L e e i s g l s i I T e e w w o r n i c s s y S c l d i n y l l a A a r l e a r 1 C g d d e m e i i B r b r u y s r b k v o b a c a 1 4 u a
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page 43 Map 4 Dolugup Brook
Map 4 shows the Dolugup Brook from its headwaters south of the intersection of Castle Rock Road and Meelup Beach Road, to its mouth at Castle Rock Beach.
Issues Comments
Land use Dolugup Brook lies entirely within the boundaries of the Meelup Regional Park. and fencing Landform, soils Dolugup Brook is also located on gravelly soils on the WilyabrupValleys soil subsystem with and erosion loamy gravels dominant. Despite its small size there are some spectacular pools and small waterfall features since it flows through some steep terrain. Some minor channel erosion is evident in a few places, and this is likely to have occurred following exposure of soil after the fire. Signs of regeneration were vigorous however and it is likely that these areas will stabilise on their own. Native Overstorey is peppermint (Agonis flexuosa) dominated with occasional marri (Corymbia vegetation calophylla) and a diverse understorey that includes cutleaf hibbertia (Hibbertia cuniformis); two species of grass trees – the graceful grass tree (Xanthorrhea gracilis) and balga Xanthorrhoea preissii; and Bossea linophylla among many others. There are also some excellent areas of square sedge (Lepidosperma tetraquetum) on this brook. Weeds The mouth of the brook flows very close to the edge of the beach car park and access track and is quite disturbed in this area. Arum lily is dense here and there is also gladioli, blow fly grass and thistle. Upstream of the small footbridge a number of small sweet pittosporum seedlings are germinating following a recent fire, though there were no signs of adult plants. These are scattered for some distance throughout the upstream stretches. Where the brook flows close to Castle Rock Road, there are also outbreaks of various Brassicacea weeds. Other comments, The Dolugup Brook is largely in excellent condition aside from two areas of minor special features disturbance where it flows close to the road and car park. While a recent burn allowed assessment of the brook to be undertaken, access is usually limited by dense vegetation, which may have contributed to its preservation and predominant lack of weeds. Areas of algal growth in the water column are likely to be a short term outcome of the control burn, which has increased sun penetration to the water by removal of canopy shade and would probably have also provided a shock nutrient load to the brook through increased runoff and ash content.
Map 4: Management recommendations and advice • Undertake hand pulling of the sweet pittosporum seedlings along the brook as a high priority. This should ideally be undertaken while the seedlings are still small and before regenerating vegetation blocks access along the brook. • Undertake coordinated control of arum lily, gladioli and thistle at the mouth of the brook. • Establish a small demonstration river restoration site from the footbridge to the mouth of the brook to re-establish fringing vegetation and prevent weeds from re-invading this area. • Undertake annual weed control and checks for outbreaks of new weeds on the Dolugup Brook.
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page 45 Map 5 Dandatup Brook
Map 5 shows the Dandatup Brook from the headwaters of its northern tributary south of Dandatup Place to the centre of the rural residential development bounded by Endicott Loop. A second tributary also extends from the south-west of this area.
Issues Comments
Land use Land use within this area is entirely rural residential lifestyle lots, with the exception of and fencing location 1302 which is a vegetated rural lot. Fencing and livestock are not present. Landform, soils The channel is deeply incised throughout most of the extent of the main tributary. Some and erosion minor erosion is present at the dam outlet on location 51. Soils are part of the Wilyabrup Valleys soil system and these range from loamy gravels, duplex sandy gravels, stony soils, brown deep loamy duplexes to friable red/brown and brown loamy earths. Native Peppermint (Agonis flexuosa) and marri (Corymbia calophylla) dominate the overstorey in vegetation the main channel, with swamp peppermint (Agonis linearifolia) on the tributaries. Weeds Arum lily is present throughout this area of the brook, and some control is undertaken by landholders, though this is patchy. Juncus microcephalis, Isolepis prolifera and tree ferns are common, though the latter is popular with many landholders as an aesthetic feature. Blackberry is present on location 7 Endicott Loop. There are also patchy outbreaks of milkwort, thistle, bridal creeper, dolichos pea and the introduced grass Yorkshire fog. Other comments, There are numerous dams in this area. Removal of large woody debris from the brook has special features reduced habitat values and increased channel incision in some areas. Fire management measures on some lots have resulted in increased invasion of weeds as a result of regular burning.
Map 5: Management recommendations and advice • Undertake control of blackberry on lot 7 as a matter of priority. • Establish a coordinated weed control program to encourage landholders to undertake weed management at the same time each year to maximise effectiveness and participation. • Ensure weed control is followed by replanting with local native species to prevent re-invasion. • Plant local native rushes and sedges to improve stream habitat values and reduce erosion of the stream bank. • Undertake erosion control measures at the outlet of the dams on location 51 using a rock riffle sequence and replanting of the banks with rushes and sedges to dissipate flow energy. • Implement erosion control measures such as a rock riffle sequence where the channel is deeply incised at locations 7 and 8 Endicott Loop. • Liaise with the Shire of Busselton and the Department of Water to ensure that dams are managed appropriately with the use of low flow bypass pipes, and that the outlets do not erode the stream bank or channel. • Ensure weed control and monitoring of weed invasion is undertaken following control burns near foreshore areas, and ensure that a sufficient period is allowed between burns to enable recovery and seed germination of native species. A minimum of four years is recommended though a longer period may be needed for some species.
page 46 D R C 947 H AP C 264 E N A 4 AT E 3 UR B 5 55 A LIS P TE U RD L L E P P E ATU 2 M ND DA 103 10 102 947 9 arum lily 11 7 12 1 C1-C3 arum lily
8 28 29 27 13 31 C1-C3 30 26
C3 arum lily (h) 25 14 blackberry (m) 32 8 Yorkshire fog 24 tree ferns 9 C2 7 Japanese honeysuckle tree fern 15 33 11 6 Yorkshire fog C1 fig 5 5014 Isolepis prolifera 1000 10 channel deeply incised 4 3 B3 b C1 76 34 12 16 B2 C2 17 B3 2 arum lily C2 dolichos pea 1 35 13 Isolepis prolifera 100 15 C2 20 36 18 ENDICOTT LOOP 37 19
39 40 41 42 38 B2-B3 69 53 54 arum lily Yorkshire fog 67 43 nasturtium 55 B2-B3 Juncus microcephalus arum lily (l) Isolepis prolifera milkwort tree fern thistle C1 C2-C3 bridal creeper (l) 44 56 B3 51 B3 C2-C3 arum lily 50 C1 Tangier pea plantain nasturtium 45 localised erosion 1302 49 at dam outlet 63 57
46 62
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Metres
Cape Naturaliste foreshore assessment:Dandatup Map 5 - Brook Dantatup Map Brook 5 J:\RS\SW\69204\0008\Map5_Dandatup_A4.mxd page 47 Map 6 Dandatup Brook
Map 6 shows the Dandatup Brook northern tributary connecting from map Da1 to Cape Naturaliste Road where it flows into a roadside drain before passing into the foreshore reserve behind Curtis Street. A separate tributary passes alongside Norfolk St and terminates at Sayers St, from which point it is diverted away from the main system via a drain to an outlet at the foreshore near the end of Beach Road.
Issues Comments
Land use This section commences in rural residential lots before flowing through locs 1 and 296 and fencing Cape Naturaliste Rd, which are soon to be developed for residential housing and will include establishment of a foreshore reserve. The tributary that flows behind Norfolk Street is located within a foreshore reserve and is bounded by residential development. Locations 5 and 173 Chapman Street are private land. There is no foreshore fencing in these areas and no livestock. Landform, soils Soils are gravelly loams and deep brown loamy duplexes. The channel is incised through and erosion the upper northern tributary and bank collapse is evident where fringing and instream vegetation has been lost. A severe head cut on Lot 2 Endicott Loop appears to have been stabilised with stone work. A number of small head cuts are still active within the foreshore reserve behind Norfolk Street. Native Peppermint (Agonis flexuosa) and Marri (Corymbia calophylla) woodland is dominant with vegetation Stout paperbark (Melaleuca preissiana) and occasional peppermint on the tributaries and coastal reaches. Weeds Weed infestation is severe throughout this section with the exception of the upper parts of loc 296 Cape Naturaliste Rd, which are in excellent condition. Arum lily, gladioli and Isolepis prolifera are present in most sections. Of particular concern is blackberry and Japanese honeysuckle on Lot 1 Cape Naturaliste Rd. Others invasive species include fig, tangier pea, milkwort, bamboo, agapanthus, nasturtium, and veldt daisy, which are all common garden plants still in use today. They are almost certainly present as a result of the close proximity of surrounding residential development. Other comments, There is a small section of excellent quality foreshore and surrounding bushland on special features Location 296 Cape Naturaliste Road. Where the brook flows alongside Sayers St it has been rock lined. The adjoining bushland reserve ‘Blythe Reserve’ contains high conservation value flora.
Map 6: Management recommendations and advice • Undertake control of blackberry and Japanese honeysuckle on lot 1 Cape Naturaliste Road as a high priority. • Liaise with the Shire of Busselton to ensure minimal disturbance is made to the foreshore areas of Lots 1 and 296 Cape Naturaliste Road when development of these subdivisions commences. Particular care should be taken not to disturb the area of ‘A’ class foreshore located on lot 296. • Stabilise erosion in the Norfolk St foreshore reserve using rock riffle sequences and revegetation with rushes and sedges. • Establish a coordinated weed control program to encourage landholders in the rural residential areas to undertake weed management at the same time each year to maximise effectiveness and participation. • Ensure weed control is followed by replanting with local native species to prevent re-invasion. • Plant local native rushes and sedges to improve stream habitat values and reduce erosion of the stream bank. • Provide targeted and regular information to town residents adjoining the foreshore reserve regarding garden plants with potential to become invasive weeds, and the benefits of landscaping with local native species. • Encourage the development of a local friends group to assist with long term rehabilitation and management of the Norfolk St foreshore reserve.
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page 49 Map 7 Dandatup Brook
Map 7 shows the Dandatup Brook at the headwaters of its middle and southern tributary. Only the middle branch was assessed on the ground. The remainder of the system on this map was assessed from aerial photographs since access was not possible at the time of the survey.
Issues Comments
Land use Location 4613 is a Water Corporation water supply reserve and is fully vegetated aside from and fecning a series of small dams and tanks. Locations 455, 454 and 1307 are all rural and while these were previously used for sheep grazing, stock are now only occasionally present on these lots. Location 454 and parts of location 1307 have been rezoned for rural residential development. There is no foreshore fencing present. Landform, soils Localised undercutting and sites of bank collapse are present on the middle branch. There and erosion is some evidence of gully erosion on non-vegetated parts of the southern branch, predominantly in the headwaters. Soils are deep brown loamy duplexes. Native Dense Swamp peppermint (Agonis lineariflolia) with Fine tea tree (Agonis parviceps) and vegetation the occasional Blackbutt (Eucalyptus patens) changing to Stout paperbark (Melaleuca preissiana), with Pale rush (Juncus pallidus) and Square sedge (Lepidosperma tetraquetum) in the lower reaches of this section. Weeds Arum lily and tree ferns are present throughout the main tributary. Spores from tree ferns travel downstream to cause new infestations in lower parts of the brook, including bushland reserves within the town site that are otherwise weed free. Juncus microcephalus also occurs here in patches. Bracken fern is dominant throughout much of this stretch. While bracken is a native species it frequently dominates streams on old farm land once stock are removed and can out-compete other natives in disturbed areas. In such instances it is considered a weed. Other comments, The middle tributary was once referred to as ‘Butterworth Springs’, named after one of the special features original farmers of location 454. The remnants of the Butterworth farm cottage stand not far from the headwaters of the brook. The name Butterworth Springs is still used by many local residents to refer to this section of the brook today.
Map 7: Management recommendations and advice • Remove tree ferns using the ‘cut-stump’ method starting at the headwaters and working downstream. • Replace tree ferns with an alternative local native species such as freshwater paperbark Melaleuca raphiophylla or mohan Melaleuca preissii which are aesthetically pleasing, will improve habitat values and will not damage stream ecology. • Continue and expand the existing arum lily control program. • Stabilise erosion on the middle tributary and southern branch using rock riffle-pool sequences and revegetation with rushes and sedges. • Monitor the brook annually for outbreaks of new weeds. • Liaise with the Shire of Busselton to ensure that appropriate management measures are put in place when locations 454 and 1307 are developed for rural residential development. These should include provision of an adequate foreshore reserve with public access provided; removal of tree ferns and other weeds; control of bracken fern; and stabilisation of existing erosion.
page 50 d x k m . 3 o 0 4 3 1 5 0 ) A 5 0 _ o 5 3 C h p 0 5 ( r u t A 9 a s d B n u a l s D ) a p n _ r d 7 h e m p u e 3 n a p ( c t f y l M e a i \ n D y l a 8 e l c - i t 0 e t l 3 e 0 o 2 u r 0 d r m 3 \ n t i 5 A 4 c c D u m 7 i 0 s D r a 3 e 2 d u - 9 2 a b r M s 6 a 2 \ 0 D a u n s 0 W e D e s S 9 - u \ h d S c k R \ n g 7 : n J u n a J 3 p o b l a C - s 3 e 0 2 1 r M t B 5 e 2 B C : M t n n r o ) e i e s p s m ( m o 3 e n r r e y s B l r e e i - f l s c 2 k l e e m n 5 B a e 2 s r u d a 1 t r i s r b a b a e 1 r 1 B B o 7 0 h 3 ) 1 s h s ( e n 3 0 r r y l i e B l o f - f 2 e m e e B u r r t t ) a l s s ( i l n y r l a i e l r f d 2 u n e m t B e a u 2 r r a t B a g N n e i t s t e p u p a 3 c l r l a C o e - c d C 1 t n k C n u n 3 a a d n C i - b e 3 1 m s i o C l C 3 - d a 1 C c n - C o e l 1 k 1 c C B a r b 1 B 3 D - 2 3 D 3 B - D - 2 3 3 1 B D D - D - 1 2 3 3 D D A A 3 C n - s o 1 i d e s C n s o s u r a o e r p g y l r l m e u a d 5 g e 0 n r 3 3 3 t u 1 B 3 s B 2 - 0 B 5 2 3 5 1 B 4 g ) n l i s ( s n y r s l i e l o f r 3 e c m e u C r r d t l a o 3 t 4 C 3 3 a 5 - 4 C C 1 g - n C 1 i t t C u 3 c r A 3 e A d n 3 u C s - u 1 l a C h p e c 3 o r C c - i 1 m C s u c 3 n u C J - 1 C 3 1 4 6 0 4 3 1 3 3 0 0 3 3 1 1 Dandatup Brook Map 7
page 51 Map 8 Dandatup Brook
Map 8 shows the Dandatup Brook middle and south branches from upstream of the Cape Rise residential development to the mouth. An additional streamline to the south (‘Dandatup old branch’) was probably once part of the Dandatup system but has now been diverted. Upstream of Cape Naturaliste Rd only the middle branch was assessed on the ground with the remainder of the upper system assessed from aerial photographs since access was not possible at the time of the survey.
Issues Comments
Land use Lot 1307 is rural though stock are no longer present . Most of the remainder of the brook and fencing flows through foreshore reserve adjoining residential development. Lot 59 Cape Naturaliste Road (Old Dunsborough Winery) is private land used until recently for wine production and cellar door sales, though it is largely a vegetated lot. Immediately downstream is Reserve 60, a public reserve. Landform, soils Long head cuts, bank subsidence and undercutting are present on the middle branch and erosion upstream of the Cape Rise development. The south branch has signs of gully erosion. The Dandatup old branch has severe gully erosion which is currently being addressed by the landowner. Downstream of Cape Naturaliste Rd there is localised bank erosion in the foreshore reserve behind Curtis St, and undercutting at Reserve 60 and near the mouth of the brook. Native Vegetation is dominated by Stout paperbark (Melaleuca preissiana), Freshwater paperbark vegetation (Melaleuca raphiophylla) and Peppermint (Agonis flexuosa) with the occasional Marri (Corymbia calophylla). Weeds Weeds are a major issue in this location. Arum lily, tree ferns and Juncus microcephalus are present throughout. Tree ferns are particularly dense on the middle branch behind the Cape Rise estate. Here there is also fig and patches of pampas grass. At the Curtis Street foreshore reserve there is dolichos pea, Japanese honeysuckle, sweet pittosporum and light bridal creeper. Immediately upstream of Gifford Road there is a ‘cocktail’ of garden escapees including agapanthus, fig and a variety of palms, ferns and bulbs. Other comments, Small sections of the foreshore are in outstanding condition given its proximity to special features residential development. These include private land on Lot 59 Naturaliste Terrace, the adjoining reserve Lot 60 and patches downstream in foreshore reserve Lot 330. Dumping of building materials has occurred in the foreshore behind the Cape Rise Estate.
Map 8: Management recommendations and advice • Concentrate management efforts in and around Lots 59, 60 and 330 as these are the best quality areas of foreshore (i.e. work outwards from the best quality areas). • Undertake control of Japanese honeysuckle, dolichos pea, fig and sweet pittosporum as a high priority. • Remove tree ferns using the ‘cutstump’ method starting at the upstream areas and working downstream, and replace with a local native species such as freshwater paperbark Melaleuca raphiophylla or mohan Melaleuca preissii. These are aesthetically pleasing, will improve habitat values and will not damage stream ecology. • Ensure weed control is followed by replanting with local native species to prevent re-invasion. • Plant local native rushes and sedges to improve stream habitat values and reduce erosion of the stream bank. • Provide targeted and regular information to town residents adjoining the foreshore reserve regarding garden plants with potential to become invasive weeds, and the benefits of landscaping with local native species. • Encourage the development of a local friends group to assist with long term management of the foreshore reserve at lots 60 and 330. • Monitor the success of erosion control measure on the Dandatup old branch and, if not successful, use rock riffle- pool sequences to improve stabilisation. • Remove building refuse from behind the Cape Rise estate and liaise with the Shire of Busselton regarding measures to prevent dumping of refuse on foreshore reserves. page 52 d x k s m . o 4 u l A _ a o g p 2 r u h t n i a p C t d B - t e n a c 1 u
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m page 53 u r M a Map 9 Dugulup Brook
Map 9 shows the Dugulup Brook from its headwaters on Lot 100 to the boundary of Lot 1305.
Issues Comments
Land use Lots 100 and 1305 are a rural lots used for lifestyle purposes with no stock. Lot 1305 was and fencing assessed from aerial photographs since access for an on ground assessment was not available at the time of the survey. Landform, soils Landform units include the Metricup rocky valley and Cowaramup deep sandy rises. Soils and erosion are loamy gravels and duplex sandy gravels; and pale deep sands. Native Vegetation on the main channel is predominantly Marri (Corymbia callophylla) with Vegetation Peppermint (Agonis flexuosa) with Soapbush (Trymalium floribundum), Square sedge (Lepidosperma tetraquetum) and Spreading sword sedge (Lepidosperma effusum) where the under storey structure is in tact. Weeds Arum lily is present throughout. Other comments, An on-stream dam located Lot 1305 is visible on the aerial photograph. Extensive special features rehabilitation works surrounding a series of constructed wetlands have been undertaken on Lot 100 using local native species.
Map 9: Management recommendations and advice • Extend rehabilitation efforts on lot 100 to include replanting of the foreshore with local native species. Control of introduced grasses will need to be undertaken first in this area. • Plant local native rushes and sedges to improve stream habitat values and reduce the risk of erosion of the stream bank. • Seek permission from the landholder of Loc 1305 to develop a list of native plants occurring on the foreshore of this property. Given the extensive area of in-tact vegetation, this property would provide an excellent reference point for identifying appropriate rehabilitation species for other parts of Dugulup Brook.
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page 55 Map 10 Dugulup Brook
Map 10 Shows the Dugulup Brook from the boundary of Lot 1305 to just upstream of the Dunsborough townsite in the middle of Location 9014. A small tributary extends to the south west.
Issues Comments
Land use Lot 111 is a rural lot used for lifestyle purposes with no stock and also has a garden nursery and fencing business occupying a small corner. Lot 4 is used to exhibit farm animals. Lot 1, 2 and 3 are lifestyle lots. There is no foreshore fencing in this area and no stock. Landform, soils Minor bank erosion and subsidence is present on lots 3 and 4 and a head cut is present on and erosion lot 5. Native Vegetation on the main channel is predominantly Marri (Corymbia callophylla) with Vegetation Peppermint (Agonis flexuosa) with Soapbush (Trymalium floribundum), Square sedge (Lepidosperma tetraquetum) and Spreading sword sedge (Lepidosperma effusum) where the under storey structure is in tact. The tributary flowing from Big Rock Reserve is in excellent condition and has Marri (Corymbia callophylla) with Peppermint (Agonis flexuosa), Bull banksia (Banksia grandis) and Jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata). Weeds Arum lily is present throughout. Lot 111 is infested with an extensive range of garden escapees, possibly as result of plantings associated with its historic use. Weeds are also extensive on Lots 3 and 4. Weeds of concern here include Lantana, Dolichos pea, Papyrus, Watsonia, Fig, Milkwort, and Blue periwinkle. The small tributary to the south is largely in good condition though has isolated outbreaks of Arum lily, Blackberry nightshade and Bridal creeper. Lot 5 has Pampas grass, Gladioli and Watsonia. Other comments, A series of dams have been established both on the main brook and on the tributary. There special features has been a long history of conflict over water allocation in this area. ‘A’ class foreshore vegetation was recently cleared from Lot 1, accordingly the classification was amended from A3 to C3 in this area.
Map 10: Management recommendations and advice • Liaise with the Shire of Busselton to ensure that appropriate rehabilitation of the foreshore on Lot 1 Caves Road is achieved. • Remove Lantana and Fig from location 9014 as a high priority since this area contains high quality vegetation and is otherwise weed free. • Continue and extend the current control program for arum lily to include other invasive species identified on the map with a priority for control of Dolichos pea, Fig, Lantana, Blue periwinkle, Bamboo and Pampas grass since these are currently at manageable levels of infestation but will continue to spread if not controlled. • Control weeds on the south bank of Lot 111 as a high priority since the north bank contains remnant vegetation of high quality and is relatively free of weeds. • Plant local native rushes and sedges to improve stream habitat values and reduce erosion of the stream bank. • Ensure that where control burns are undertaken they are followed by weed control and monitoring of weed invasion and that a sufficient period is allowed between burns to enable recovery and seed germination of native species to occur. A minimum of four years is recommended though a longer period may be needed for some species. • Provide targeted and regular information to landowners regarding garden plants with potential to become invasive weeds, and the benefits of landscaping with local native species.
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page 57 Map 11 Dugulup Brook
Map 11 Shows the Dugulup Brook from the midpoint of Location 9014 to the mouth near the intersection of Gifford Road and Geographe Bay Road.
Issues Comments
Land use Location 9014 is private bushland but has been rezoned for residential development. and fencing Downstream the brook flows through foreshore reserve all the way to the mouth. Fencing exists along the rear boundaries of properties in the Naturaliste Heights estate, but downstream the boundary of the foreshore reserve is generally poorly delineated. There are many incursions into the foreshore reserve from properties in the light industrial area along Clarke St. Landform, soils Behind the Naturaliste Heights estate there is minor erosion around storm water structures and erosion built to detain flow for flood mitigation purposes. Undercutting and bank subsidence is present where the brook flows behind the Coles Shopping Centre car park. Downstream there are a few areas of minor bank erosion, though substantial in-stream works involving construction of rock riffle pool sequences and revegetation of the stream bank have stabilised erosion. Native Over storey is dominated by Peppermint (Agonis flexuosa) and the occasional Bull Banksia Vegetation (Banksia grandis), changing to peppermint with the occasional flooded gum (Eucalyptus rudis). Weeds There are minor infestations of Lantana and Fig on location 9014, though otherwise this location is largely weed free. Bridal creeper, Arum lily and Tangier pea occur in the lower area of Reserve 5261. Dolichos pea is found in scattered locations throughout the remainder of the foreshore though is at low levels due to recent control efforts. Tangier pea is spreading in the middle sections of reserve 5528. Near the mouth there is Wavy gladioli, Nasturtium and Pelargonium. Other comments, The lower section of the brook contains some excellent and successful examples of river special features restoration techniques using rock-riffle sequences combined with extensive replanting with local native species. These may be viewed from Naturaliste Terrace to the parkland area on Gifford Road. A detailed concept plan has been developed for the rehabilitation of the foreshore reserve between Cape Naturaliste Road and Naturaliste Terrace including provision of public access pathways.
Map 11: Management recommendations and advice • Liaise with the Shire of Busselton to ensure that appropriate management measures are put in place when location 9014 is developed for residential development. These should include provision of an adequate foreshore reserve with public access provided, removal of weeds and prevention of disturbance to the brook when establishing services. Ideally lots should be designed such that houses face rather than back on to the foreshore reserve. • Concentrate weed control efforts on the reserve adjoining location 9014 to prevent weeds from spreading into ‘A’ class condition foreshore. • Continue and extend the current weed control program for Dolichos pea and Arum lily to include Tangier pea and Wavy gladioli since these weeds are spreading along the brook. • Replace Nasturtium and Pelargonium at the coast with local native species tolerant of coastal condition such as coastal sword sedge Lepidosperma gladiatum and sea rush Juncus kraussii.
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page 59 8. References
• ANZECC. (2003) Australian and New Zealand • Department of Agriculture (2003) AGMaps Land Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality, Vol1. Profiler: Shire of Capel, Busselton and Augusta – ANZECC, Canberra, Australia. Margaret River. CD ROM prepared by the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia. • APACE Greenskills and Pen, L.J. (1997) Survey of the Foreshores in the Oyster Harbour Catchment 1997. • GeoCatch (1999) Capel River Action Plan. Water and A report to the Albany Waterways Management Rivers Commission, East Perth, Western Australia. Authority. Water and Rivers Commission Report No • GeoCatch (2000) Vasse River Action Plan. Water and WRT 17. Water and Rivers Commission, Perth, Rivers Commission, East Perth, Western Australia. Western Australia. • GeoCatch (2002) Sabina, Abba, Ludlow River Action • Barbour, G. (2005) Personal communication. Shire Plan. Water and Rivers Commission, East Perth, of Busselton Western Australia. • Beattie, S., Morgan, D. Mitchell, J. & Jury, C. (2006) • GeoCatch (2003) Margaret River Action Plan. Water Fish and Freshwater Crayfish Fauna in Streams of the and Rivers Commission, East Perth, Western Cape Naturaliste Region. Report prepared for Australia. GeoCatch and the Cape to Cape Catchments Group. Report 06/01. Freshwater Research, Murdoch • GeoCatch (2004) Geographe Catchment Companion: University, Western Australia. A Practical Guide to Caring for Land and Water in the Geographe Catchment. Geographe Catchment • Brown, K. & Brooks, K. (2002) Bushland Weeds: A Council, Busselton, Western Australia. Practical Guide to their Management with Case Studies from the Swan Coastal Plain and Beyond. • Gippel, C., Finlayson, B. & O’Neil, I (1998) Environmental Weeds Action Network, Greenwood, Managing Snags in Rivers. Riparian Management 7: Western Australia. Land and Water Resource Research and Development Corporation. • Bureau of Meteorology (2006) What is the Weather Usually Like? Averages for Cape Naturaliste. • Government of Western Australia. (2003) Securing Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology, web Our Water Future: A State Water Strategy for Western site address Australia. Perth, Western Australia. http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_0 09519.shtml • Guinness, C. (1979) From Quedjinup to Dunsborough. Unpublished historical report. • Cape to Cape Catchments Group (2004) Dunsborough, Western Australia.
• Collard, L. (1994) A Nyungar (Aboriginal) • Kingdom, BK. (2000) Fertiliser Use guidelines for the Interpretation: The Lower South-West of Western Swan Coastal Plain of WA. Vasse Wonnerup LCDC. Australia. Map of place names and meanings. Edith Busselton, Western Australia. Cowan University. Western Australia. • Mattiske, E.M. & Havel, J.J. (1998) Vegetation • Connell, S., Franke, B., Alder, J. & Jennings, A. Mapping in the South West of Western Australia. Dept (2000) Geographe Catchment Remnant Vegetation of CALM, Perth. Strategy. Consulting Report prepared for the Geographe Catchment Council. • Moore, J. and Wheeler, J. (2002) Southern Weeds and their Control. Department of Agriculture Bulletin • Department of Agriculture (2002) Declared Plants Number 4558. Perth, Western Australia. Handbook: Recommendations for the Control of Declared Plants in Western Australia. Department of • O’Connor, R, Quartermaine., G. & Yates, A. (1995) Agriculture, Perth, Western Australia. An Investigation into the Aboriginal Significance of the Wetlands and Rivers of the Busselton – Walpole Region. Water Authority, Perth, Western Australia.
page 60 • Pen, L.J. & Scott, M. (1995) Stream Foreshore • Shire of Busselton (2005) Demography and Assessment in Farming Areas. Blackwood Planning 2005. Information brochure produced by Catchment Coordinating Group, Western the Shire of Busselton, Western Australia. Australia. • Water & Rivers Commission (1999) Planning and • Pen, L.J. (1999) Managing Our Rivers. Water and Management: Foreshore Condition Assessment in Rivers Commission, Perth, Western Australia. Farming Areas of South West Western Australia. Water and Rivers Commission River Restoration • Raine, A.W. & Gardiner, J.M. (1995) Rivercare – Report No. RR3. East Perth Western Australia. Guidelines for Ecologically Sustainable Management of Rivers and Riparian Vegetation. Land and Water Resources Research and Development Corporation Canberra, Australia.
page 61 Appendices
Appendix 1: Native vegetation of the Cape Naturaliste streams This table provides a list of the native plants identified on the foreshore of the Cape Naturaliste streams during the foreshore assessments. The last column indicates whether the species is available from local plant nurseries. For assistance in developing a species list for your rehabilitation project, please contact GeoCatch.
Form Scientific Name Common Name Jingarmup Meelup Dolugup Dandatup Dugulup Available
Shrub Acacia cyclops Coastal wattle ✓✓ Shrub Acacia extensa Wiry wattle ✓✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Shrub Acacia divergens Wattle ✓✓✓✓ Shrub Acacia pulchella Prickly moses ✓✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Shrub Acacia saligna Golden wreath wattle ✓ ✓✓ ✓ Shrub Adenanthos barbiger Hairy jugflower ✓ Fern Adiantum aethiopicum Common maidenhair ✓✓ Tree Agonis flexuosa WA peppermint ✓ ✓✓ ✓✓✓ Tree Agonis linearifolia Swamp peppermint ✓✓✓✓ Tree Agonis juniperina Wattie ✓ Herb Agrostocrinum Blue grass lily ✓ stypandroides Herb Anigozanthos flavidus Tall kangaroo paw ✓✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Herb Anigozanthos Red and green ✓✓ manglesii kangaroo paw Fern Asplenium obtusatum Common spleenwort ✓ Tree Banksia grandis Bull banksia ✓✓✓ Tree Banksia attenuata Candle banksia ✓✓ Sedge Baumea vaginalis Sheath twig rush ✓ ✓ Sedge Baumea preissii Baumea ✓ ✓ Sedge Baumea juncea Baumea ✓ ✓✓ Rush Bolboschoenus Marsh club-rush ✓✓ caldwellii Shrub Bossiaea linophylla Bossiaea ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Herb Burchardia umbellata Milkmaids ✓✓✓ Herb Caladenia flava Cowslip orchid ✓ ✓✓ Tree Callistachys lanceolata Native willow ✓ ✓ Shrub Calothamnus graniticus One sided bottlebrush ✓✓ ✓ ✓ Shrub Calothamnus Silky leaved sanguineus bloodflower ✓✓ ✓✓ Herb Centella asiatica Pennywort ✓✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Herb Chamaescilla Blue squill ✓✓ corymbosa Fern Cheilanthus Rock fern ✓ austrotenuifolia Herb Cheiranthera preissiana Cheiranthera ✓ var. planifolia Sedge Chorizandra cymbria Heron bristle rush ✓ Shrub Chorizema ilicifolium Holly leafed flame pea ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓✓ Shrub Chorizema Flame pea ✓ diversifolium Shrub Chorizema rhombeum Flame pea ✓
page 62 Form Scientific Name Common Name Jingarmup Meelup Dolugup Dandatup Dugulup Available
Climber Clematis pubescens Old mans beard ✓✓ Herb Conostylis laxiflora Cottonhead ✓✓✓ Herb Conostylis setigera Bristly cottonhead ✓✓ Tree Corymbia calophylla Marri ✓ ✓✓✓✓ Herb Cyanicula sericea Silky blue orchid ✓✓ ✓ Sedge Cyathochaeta avenacea Cyathochaeta ✓ Herb Dampiera alata Wing stemmed ✓✓ dampiera Shrub Darwinia citriodora Lemon scented ✓✓ ✓ darwinia Shrub Daviesia cordata Bookleaf ✓✓ Herb Diuris aff. amplissima Giant donkey orchid ✓ Shrub Dondonae ceratocarpa Hop bush ✓ Herb Drosera stelliflora Dwarf drosera ✓ Herb Drosera glanduligara Pimpernel sundew ✓ Herb Drosera macrantha Bridal rainbow ✓ Herb Drosera pallida Pale rainbow ✓✓ Shrub Dryandra lindleyana Couch honeypot ✓✓ ✓ ✓ subs.lindleyana Herb Elythranthera brunonis Purple enamel orchid ✓✓ Herb Elythranthera Pink enamel orchid ✓✓ ✓ emarginata Herb Eriochilus dilatus White bunny orchid ✓ Tree Eucalyptus diversicolor Karri (probably planted) ✓✓ Tree Eucalyptus marginata Jarrah ✓✓✓✓ Tree Eucalyptus megacarpa Bullich ✓ Tree Eucalyptus patens Blackbutt ✓✓ Tree Eucalyptus rudis Flooded gum ✓ ✓ ✓ Shrub Gastrolobium spinosum Prickly poison ✓ Sedge Gahnia trifida Coast saw-sedge ✓ Shrub Hakea amplexicaulis Prickly hakea ✓ ✓ Shrub Hakea lasianthiodes Hakea ✓✓ Shrub Hakea lissocarpha Honey bush ✓ √ ✓✓✓ Shrub Hakea trifurcata Two leaf hakea ✓✓ Climber Hardenburgia Native wisteria ✓✓✓✓ comptoniana Shrub Hibbertia cuneiformis Cutleaf hibbertia ✓✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Shrub Hibbertia cunninghamii Hibbertia sp. ✓ Shrub Hibbertia hypericoides Yellow buttercups ✓✓ ✓ ✓ Shrub Hibbertia spicata Hibbertia sp. ✓ Shrub / Homalospernum firnum Homalospernum ✓ ✓ tree Shrub Hovea elliptica Tree hovea ✓✓✓✓ Herb Hovea trisperma Common hovea ✓ Shrub Hypocalymma White myrtle ✓ ✓ angustifolium Shrub Hypocalymma Swan river myrtle ✓✓✓✓ robustum
page 63 Form Scientific Name Common Name Jingarmup Meelup Dolugup Dandatup Dugulup Available
Rush Isolepis nodosa Knotted club rush ✓✓✓ Herb Isotropis cuneifolia Granny bonnets ✓ sub. cuneifolia Rush Juncus kraussii Sea rush ✓✓✓✓ Rush Juncus pallidus Pale rush ✓✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Creeper Kennedia carinata Kennedia ✓✓ Creeper Kennedia prostrata Running postman ✓✓ Climber Kennedia coccinea Coral vine ✓✓ Shrub Kunzea glabrescens Spearwood ✓✓ Sedge Lepidosperma Coastal sword sedge ✓✓✓✓ gladiatum Sedge Lepidosperma Square sedge ✓✓✓ tetraquetum Sedge Lepidosperma effusum Spreading sword sedge ✓✓ Sedge Lepidosperma ✓✓ pubisquamatum Herb Leschenaultia biloba Blue leschenaultia ✓✓✓ Shrub Leucopogon verticillatus Tassel flower ✓✓ Shrub Logania vaginalis White spray ✓✓ ✓ ✓ Rush Lygnia imberbis Lygnia ✓✓ Shrub Macrozamia reidlei Zamia palm ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Tree Melaleuca Fresh water paperbark ✓✓✓ rhaphiophylla Tree Melaleuca preissiana Stout paperbark ✓✓✓ Shrub Mirbelia dilatum ✓ ✓ ✓ Sedge Mesomelaena tetragona Semaphore sedge ✓ ✓✓✓ Herb Patersonia occidentales Purple flags ✓ ✓✓ ✓ Herb Patersonia umbrosa Yellow flags ✓✓✓✓ var xanthina Herb Persoonia longifolia Snottygobble ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Shrub Phyllanthus calycinus False boronia ✓✓ ✓ Shrub Pimelea rosea Rose banjine ✓✓ ✓ ✓ Shrub Pimelea spectabilis Bunjong ✓ ✓ ✓ Fern Pteridium esculentum Bracken fern ✓✓ ✓ ✓ Herb Pterostylis vittata Banded greenhood ✓ (orchid) Herb Scaevola glandulifera Viscid hand flower ✓ Herb Scaevola microphylla Small-leaved scaevola ✓ Shrub Sollya heterophylla Australian bluebell ✓ ✓✓ Herb Sowerbaea laxiflora Vanilla lily ✓✓ Grass Spinifex hirsutis Hairy spinifex ✓✓✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Shrub Spyridium globulosum Basket bush ✓✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Herb Stylidium sp Trigger plant ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Herb Stylidium megacarpum Trigger plant ✓✓ ✓ Herb Thelymitra sp Sun orchid ✓ ✓ Herb Thysonatus gracilis Fringed lily ✓ Climber Thysonatus Fringed lily (climbing) ✓ manglesianis page 64 Form Scientific Name Common Name Jingarmup Meelup Dolugup Dandatup Dugulup Available
Creeper Tremandra diffusa Tremandra ✓✓✓ Herb Thomasia foliosa Thomasia ✓✓ ✓✓ Aquatic Triglochin huegelii Water ribbons ✓ herb Herb Tripterococcus brunonis Yellow candles ✓✓ Tree Trymalium floribundum Soap bush ✓ Herb Wurmbea dioica Early nancy ✓✓✓ subsp alba Shrub Xanthorrhoea gracilis Graceful grass tree ✓ Shrub Xanthorrhoea preissii Grass tree, Balga ✓✓✓ ✓✓ Tree Xylomelon occidentale Western woody pear ✓✓ Aquatic Villarsia albiflora Villarsia sp. ✓ herb
page 65 Appendix 2. Common weeds found in the study area
This table provides a list of the weeds found on the foreshore of the Cape Naturaliste streams. The species highlighted in grey are those that are still commonly planted in gardens today. Ideally, these should be replaced with local native plant species such as those presented in Appendix 1. Some of the species presented below are highly invasive and will require a number of years of follow-up control to achieve eradication.
Common Name Scientific Name Jingarmup Meelup Dolugup Dandatup Dugulup Agapanthus Agapanthus praecox ✓✓ Arum lily Zantedeschia aethiopica ✓✓ ✓✓✓ Bamboo Phyllostachys sp. ✓✓ Black wattle Acacia decurrens ✓✓ ✓ Blackberry Rubus sp. ✓✓ Blackberry nightshade Solanum nigrum ✓ ✓ Black-eyed susan Thunbergia alata ✓ Blowfly grass Briza maxima ✓✓ ✓✓✓ Blue perriwinkle Vinca major ✓ Bracken Pteridium esculentum ✓✓ ✓✓ Brassicaceae sp. Brassicaceae sp ✓✓ Bridal creeper Asparagus asparagoides ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Broomrape (lesser) Orobanche minor ✓ Budding club-rush Isolepis prolifera ✓ ✓ Buddleja Buddleja madagascariensis ✓ Bulrush Typha orientalis ✓✓ Canary grass Phalaris paradoxa ✓ Capeweed Arctotheca calendula ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Castor oil Ricinus communis ✓ Couch Cynodon dactylon ✓✓ ✓ Cut-laf cranesbill Geranium dissectum ✓ Dock Rumex sp. ✓ ✓✓ Dolichos pea Dipogon lignosus ✓✓✓ Dune onion weed Trachyandra divaricata ✓ Easter lily Amaryllis belladonna ✓ ✓ Edible fig Ficus carica ✓ ✓ ✓✓ Flame tree (Coral tree) Eruthrina x sykesii ✓ Hares tail grass Lagurus ovatus ✓ Holly-leafed senecio Senecio glastifolius ✓ Japanese honeysuckle Lonicera japonica ✓✓ Juncus articulatus Juncus articulatus ✓✓ Juncus microcephalus Juncus microcephalus ✓✓✓ Kikuyu Pennisetum clandestinum ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Lantana lantana camara ✓ Lupin Lupinus sp. ✓ Milkwort (myrtle leaved) Polygala myrtifolia ✓ ✓ Pennyroyal Mentha pulegium ✓✓ Montbretia Crocosmia x crocosmifolia ✓
page 66 Common Name Scientific Name Jingarmup Meelup Dolugup Dandatup Dugulup Nasturtium Tropaeolum majus ✓ Pampas grass Cortaderia selloana ✓ Papyrus Cyperus papyrus ✓ Pine tree Pinus pinaster ✓ Ribwort plantain Plantago lanceolata ✓✓ ✓✓✓ Rose pelargonium Pelargonium capitatum ✓✓✓ Sea spurge Euphorbia paralias ✓✓ ✓✓✓ Sorrel Acetosella vulgaris ✓ Sour sob Oxalis sp. ✓✓ Sweet pittosporum Pittosporum undulatum ✓✓✓ Tangier pea Lathyrus tingitanus ✓ ✓ Thistle (slender sp.) Carduus sp. ✓✓✓ Tree fern (rough) Sphaeropteris cooperi ✓ Veldt daisy Domorphotheca ecklonis ✓ Veldt grass Ehrharta longiflora ✓✓ Watsonia Watsonia sp. ✓✓ ✓✓ Wavy gladioli Gladiolus undulatus ✓✓ ✓✓✓ White fumitory Fumaria capreola ✓ ✓✓ Wild oats Avena fatua ✓✓ ✓✓ Wild raddish Raphanus raphansitrum ✓ Willow Salix babylonica ✓ ✓ Yorkshire fog Holcus lanatus ✓
Total number of weeds 23 23 10 41 40
page 67 Appendix 3. Advice for planning a Issues to be addressed include: project • the design of remedial work on the banks; • the selection of suitable plant species; The following planning advice is taken from the Vasse • how to propagate (by green stock or direct seeding); River Action Plan and was prepared by Marg Scott and • where to obtain seed; Jenny Dewing (GeoCatch, 2003). • who to get to propagate the seed; • the position and design of fencing; Planning a project • identifying likely weed problems, developing a weed action plan; and Write down your objectives: • where to access funds if you intend applying for a • What work will be done? grant. • Who will do the work? • What will the work achieve? It is essential to study the project site thoroughly. A • Who and what will benefit from the work? thorough site survey will provide an inventory of assets such as: A written list of objectives: • existing indigenous vegetation; • helps planners to stay within the goals; • plants that are naturally regenerating; • encourages recruitment of volunteers; • seed sources; • helps volunteers to understand their roles; and • potential problems, for example, rabbit activity, weed • provides benchmarks of progress and success. infestations, eroding banks, areas of sedimentation.
Site selection: The survey may result in the decision to manage the • Choose a workable-sized site, small enough to area to encourage natural regeneration rather than to complete the job. restore the native vegetation by planting or direct • Select a site within easy travelling distance for seeding. volunteers. • Favour a site which enables the volunteers, and if A survey can also be used for monitoring the possible the general public, to view their effectiveness of a particular management activity over achievements. time. Bank erosion and/or sedimentation may require Organising a planning committee: remedial action prior to revegetation. Advice should be • Select a diverse group of people with various skills sought from GeoCatch. and interests. • Choose leaders in the community. When to survey • Draw on different groups of people within the community. Late autumn to early winter is a good time to survey • Identify those people with supervising and planning when weed problems are apparent. Impacts of river skills. activity can be easily seen – sections of eroding or • Enlist the local media to contribute their support. slumping banks, and areas where sediment is being deposited. Later in winter, a survey of the river or Planning creek rehabilitation stream in full flow is more likely to reveal the behaviour of the river rather than its impact. Planning a revegetation project should commence in the year preceding the proposed planting or seeding and include researching the best revegetation approach.
page 68 What’s growing on the creek or river bed Identifying plants
A list of existing native vegetation is useful for Native rushes and sedges are difficult for untrained identifying suitable plant species for revegetation and people to identify, and are often excluded from potential populations of plants for obtaining seed. It is revegetation plant lists. The easiest way to identify them important to establish the position on the stream bank is to collect samples, including the base of the plant, and that each plant occupies and the type of soil in which it compare them with specimens in the regional or State grows – sand, clay, loam etc. herbarium. Generally perennial grasses, including spear, wallaby and kangaroo grasses, flower from late spring to Native plants are easier to identify when flowering. summer. Rushes flower at the same time, while sedges While different species flower in different seasons flower from late spring through to autumn, depending throughout the year, the peak season is spring. Fringing on the species. These are important plants that help to species flower later to coincide with falling water levels. hold the bank together, acting as ‘foot soldiers’ to the They flower and produce seed after winter flooding, to trees. complete their cycle before the next winter rains. It may take several visits from winter onwards to identify all Where most understorey plants have been lost through plants. clearing and grazing, selecting a vegetated site nearby with similar soil type and topography will assist in In summer, flowering suites of plants go mostly compiling a species list to use. unnoticed as they flower when few people are walking and looking. Some of these include Astartea fasicularis The Department of Environment and Conservation (a tea tree), Taxandria linearfolia (swamp peppermint) (DEC) publication How to Create a Local Herbarium is and Banksia littoralis (swamp banksia). recommended for landholders who wish to collect and preserve their own set of field specimens. There is a slightly different community of plants growing along the banks of each local creek. These variations reflect the topographical features of the landscape and the soil types unique to that site.
It is not difficult to compile a list of plants specific to a site. The revegetation is then tailored to suit local insects, reptiles, frogs, birds and small mammals, and looks similar to existing remnant vegetation.
page 69 Appendix 4. Useful contacts Department of Water 72 Duchess St, Busselton GeoCatch PO Box 269, Busselton, 6280 72 Duchess St, Busselton Ph: 9781 0111 PO Box 269, Busselton, 6280 Fax: 9754 4335 Ph: 9781 0111 Web: http://www.water.wa.gov.au Fax: 9754 4335 Email: [email protected] Ribbons of Blue Web: http://www.geocatch.asn.au 72 Duchess St, Busselton PO Box 269, Busselton, 6280 Department of Agriculture & Food Ph: 9781 0111 RSM 184, Busselton, 6280 Fax: 9754 4335 Ph: 9752 1688 Web: http://www.agric.wa.gov.au Shire of Busselton Southern Drive, Busselton Department of Environment and Conservation Locked Bag 1, Busselton, 6280 14 Queen Street, Busselton, 6280 Ph: 9781 0444 Ph: 9752 1677 Fax: 9752 4958 Web: http://www.naturebase.com.au
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