Rehabilitating Roe 8  |  View this in your browser

Kaya it’s Kambarang as the weather warms Nyungar people camped around the wetlands and food was plentiful.  Sweet gums and resins would exude from the bark of Eucalypts and nectar was to be found in flowers.  The warmer weather sees much growth in the corridor and a chance for people to explore the corridor, on the lookout for reptiles and birds. 

Latest News

Fauna monitoring underway!

Last week ecologists from Bamford Consulting commenced terrestrial vertebrate monitoring within the corridor.  This work will occur across two seasons in spring and autumn to ensure as many varieties of animals are recorded as possible.  This will provide an insight into what animals are using the cleared areas and remnants, the diversity, the size of populations and what level of feral animal activity is occurring.  this will help inform on-going rehabilitation efforts.  A range of methods will be used to record this activity including observations and fauna cameras.  Stay tuned for more information in the coming months.

Calling all budding zoologists!

Have you ever wanted to learn how to tell the difference between Bandicoot diggings and rabbit holes?  Find out what's a scat? And what can different types of poo tell us?  To find out more about the exciting new Greening Australia Citizen Science project happening in the corridor visit the Rehabilitating Roe 8 website.
We are looking for volunteers to undertake on site observations using a purpose built app, set up fauna cameras and help investigate what animals are using the corridor.  An introductory workshop will be held on Monday 26th November 2019.  RSVP NOW!

Aboriginal Archaeological Survey

The Rehabilitating Roe 8 project acknowledges the long and complex history that the corridor has with local Noongar Whudjuk peoples.  Wetlands and Lakes have long held significance for Aboriginal people as places in which to gather, collect food, camp and share stories.  A mythological site overlaps the two lakes of Bibra Lake and North Lake.  As part of the rehabilitation project, which is not just about the land but the culture of the people who use it, a detailed Aboriginal Archaeological Survey is being planned for the new year.  Community consultation is planned for the coming months.  For more information on this survey or to register your interest in attending the community consultation sessions please email lmetz@cockburn.wa.gov.au

Kids get digging!
Despite the heat kids and adults alike enjoyed a morning learning about how to decipher clues from past in our Archaeo-Explorer event.  Participants learnt about what is archaeology, why it's important and what techniques experts use to learn about times long past and the people and culture from then. Using special tools we explored different time periods and the artifacts that we might find within them.  It's fair to say the adults were as interested in this as the kids and let out their own Indiana Jones.

Bat Night Stalk a hit!
Twenty participants joined experience bat man Joe Tonga on a bat night stalk in October.  Joe introduced participants to bat detectors, learnt about echolocation and the role of micro bats in the local ecosystem.  After viewing a number of different bat boxes we tempted an owl to come out and play and even saw a possum hiding in the tree tops.  Moaning frogs and wolf spiders excited the kids as did a vast number of Orb weaver spiders!  Look out for bat night stalk in summer 2020.

Guided Indigenous Walk
There is no better way to learn about Aboriginal culture than being in the bush and seeing up close how native plants and animals were used traditionally.  During September experienced guide Marissa Verma from Bindi Bindi Dreaming took participants on a lovely morning walk through the bush looking at a range of native plants such as Banksias and Jarrahs and how they are used by Aboriginal people.  
 
Turtle Trackers Update
The Southwestern snake-necked turtle is on the move and volunteers have been out there as part of a program to protect the turtles around the Bibra Lake/North Lake area. PhD student Anthony Santoro who is leading the project provided this update.  25 GPS trackers through support from Rehabilitating Roe 8, City of Cockburn, and The Ecological Society of Australia have been deployed.  These turtles will be re-captured in Feb/March once nesting season is complete.
25-30 nests have been recorded and protected . The nesting cages are being used but turtles have also seen on the banks around the wetlands. The number of roads deaths has  been much less this season to date which we hope is due to increased driver awareness.  Keep up the good work everyone!
 

Upcoming works in the corridor

 
Limestone firebreaks are to be installed around the existing firebreaks in the section of the corridor from Malvolio Rd to North Lake rd.  These works will commence in December across a number of days.  Limestone firebreaks will improve access for pedestrains and emeregency vehicles, reduce weed growth, reduce the use of herbicides in the corridor and increase protection from diseases such as Dieback.  
Dogs on leash signs have been installed in several areas across the corridor and we encourage you to enjoy the corridor but please keep your dog on a leash.  We have had reports of a number of Bandicoots and reptiles moving about.  Your dog is welcome but please keep them close.  Snakes have been sighted!

Weed control and maintenance of tree guards is also underway.  Weed control is vital to reduce competition from non native plants and reduce hazards such as fire fuel loads where exotic grasses dominate.  Vegetation monitoring has also been completed by students and staff  from Murdoch University.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Sustainable Living Brochure January- June 2020 is coming!

The booklet is being finalized and will be jam packed with events for the coming 6 months
For all current event information visit Ticketbooth

Bat Night Stalk

8 February 2020
Free event
6.30pm-8.30pm
The Wetlands Centre Cockburn

Join us for a night time adventure seeking out bats and other nocturnal night life. Meeting at Wetlands Centre and heading into the Roe 8 corridor.
Wear enclosed shoes and long trousers and a jacket.  Please BYO torch.  Please click below to register your interest.

 
Register
The Rehabilitating Roe 8 project acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands on which we conduct our business.  We pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past and present.  We acknowledge that the Rehabilitating Roe 8 project area is Whudjuk country and pay respects to Elders and Nyungar people past, present and future.
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PO BOX 1215, Bibra Lake DC WA 6965
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