32 farmers attended WICC's first Wilson Inlet Grower Group (WIGG) at the Sounness's Denvale Dohne Farm in Denbarker recently.   WIGG will be exploring different principles of sustainable agriculture over the next 18 months. We have sourced experts to attend each meeting, exploring rotational grazing, stock health, soil biology, dung beetles, paddock renovation, carbon opportunities and more.

We will be introducing a cartoon in local papers, 'Dougie the Dung Beetle', which will be used to extend the take away messages from each meeting.  Dougie is based on Copris hispanus, an introduced beetle from Southern Europe/North Africa which is well suited to our catchment area.  

Dung beetles form part of a healthy agriculture ecosystem by sequestering nutrients, improving soil, and controlling flies and intestinal worms in livestock.  They evolved alongside cattle and sheep.  Unfortunately our native beetles which evolved with macropods do not have the ability to carry out this function at scale.  Introducing suitable species of dung beetles poses an enormous opportunity for our local agriculture.

Local artist Claudia Simpson has taken on the challenge.  Keep an eye out for her cartoons in your local paper.

Copris hispanus

WICC caught up with Department of Water and Environmental Regulation Environmental Officer, Dr Elke Reichwaldt, about how the inlet is fairing following the recent closing of the sandbar.  Elke says, "The channel through the sandbar closed beginning of March after 225 days and Wilson Inlet is once again disconnected from the ocean. The opening was one of the longer openings in recent years and was only about 10 days shorter than in 2017 and 2018. At the moment, ocean water is still occasionally washing over the beach when tides and waves are high, and salinity is still slightly higher at our most westerly monitoring site near Poddy Shot. These events of marine inflow will become rarer as the beach between the inlet and the ocean builds up and the inlet will go back to the well-mixed state typical for the bar-closed period. With no river inflow the inlet water level has started to decrease due to evaporation, and this will continue until the autumn/winter rain starts."

Inlet water level.  Click graph below to get real time inlet height.

Rainfall across the SW of WA was 28% above our 10 year mean. February rainfall was above average for the South West Land Division due to tropical low early on in the month.  These tropical lows continue to be the main climate driver for our region.  February had nearly double the long term average rainfall in Denmark and Mt Barker. We also had the coolest February since 2011 with the state a little over 1 degree below average. Looking ahead there is only a 20% chance of exceeding median rainfall for April and May (Source: BoM)

Within many estuaries, seagrasses are foundation species that provide important habitat and perform critical ecological functions within the ecosystem. DWER has recently published a report on the Seagrass health across several of our SW WA estuaries.  This new report covers the status of seagrass in the Wilson Inlet and focuses on monitoring conducted in the summer months from 2017 to 2020.

Dipogon lignosus (L.) Verdc. Dolichos Pea​

Dolichos Pea (Dipogon ligneous) is a twining perennial spreading by seed and rhizomes.  It is identifiable by clusters of large pea flowers that are white or pink to purple. The flat seed pod is 2-4.5 cm long and 7-9 mm wide. 

Seeds germinate in autumn and germination is prolific after fire or denudation. The seedling forms a woody base within six months. The top growth dies off each summer. The next autumn the rootstock sends up stronger shoots that climb over other vegetation. The seed is ejected explosively from the pods in summer and may be thrown several metres. Stems may form roots and new daughter plants where they contact the soil. The parent may live for more than 10 years.

Dolichos Pea forms dense mats that smothers low growing vegetation and climbs trees and shrubs often breaking branches with its weight.
It increases the soil nitrogen levels which affects the persistence of some species.

Suggested method of management and control. Hand pull seedlings and small plants ensuring removal of all root material; sever the vines of larger plants and leave to dry in the canopy, then dig out woody roots; scrape and paint using 100% glyphosate or foliar spray in highly degraded sites with 1.5% glyphosate; in more sensitive sites, cut the stems off at chest height, lay lower sections on the ground and apply 1.5% glyphosate over them. Soil disturbance can generate mass seed germination.  Read the manufacturers' labels and material safety data sheets.

Fish traps in Wilson Inlet (photo courtesy DWER)

WICC and the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) are hosting a gathering of the Pibbulman Wadandi and Meneng Noongar tribes on 19 May.  The Wilson Inlet (Nullaki) has been a traditional meeting place of these two tribal groups for thousands of years.  Meneng Elder, Vernice Gillies, says, “We all feel it is important to keep our Noongar ties with our Koodars (best mates) and valued neighbours.  That’s why coming together will be time for sharing stories and celebration on share Boodja (country).”

These groups have shared and looked after the resources of the Nullaki.  This is evident by this drone photo taken by DWER in January 2019 when the inlet was at one of its lowest recorded levels.  This exposed several fish traps.  You will notice that each trap has been left with rocks removed at its deepest point allowing fish to escape when the traditional owners were not in attendance.  

You can RSVP for this special event by click on the button below.

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