WICC recently caught up with Pibbulman Wadandi Elder, Wayne ‘Wonitji’ Webb to chat about the Noongar seasons and our changing climate.​

WICC: Tell us about the six Noongar seasons and how they are different than the four European seasons?​

Wayne: The seasons are everything! Life of our mob is all about the seasons. The wheel of seasonal change is because nature chooses when seasons begin and end. Pibulmun Yunungjarli (traditional owners) actually have 12 cycles, mini seasons, which if you really observe it, it shows you. Having no written language makes it harder to fit into European ways cause it’s not always willing to fit into bi-monthly changes… especially with climate changing naturally as well as humankind pushing against the natural cycle. 

WICC: How did the seasons guide traditional activities?

Wayne: It’s about following the food resources & then moving on to the next resource, so you don't endanger that plant or animal by taking too much. It's farming the country, in our case farming Pibulmun Boodjar.  It's clearing the "fuel load" by camping. Imagine a family of 30-70 Yunungjarli collecting wood for cooking fires, toolmaking, having a warming fire in front of your mia (shelter)… maybe ten or more going each evening. Let alone construction.. it’s about pruning bushes, fruits, vegetables and berries. Picking kaloor—(emu plum) then firing it to produce again in 2 years’ time. Scoring the wattle to produce bush lolly or digging up djbaak to gather its crop, always taking care to leave and replant so next we know where to come. It’s about not taking boodjarri (pregnant animals), fish and birds. Its setting fire to certain patches of bush and grasslands for regeneration and providing feed for yongaras (kangaroos). Above all, it's Boodjara, Boodja (Mother earth) saying to us, I will provide for you, if you help me keep the circle of life turning.

WICC: Have you noticed changes in the Noongar seasons?

Wayne: We have to make people understand that our planet, nala Boodjara, mother earth, doesn’t need us, humans, to continue....yes it will change.. it has changed.. there will be dramatic species change in our animal, bird and plant life.  We already see this especially with bird species looking for non-salty water and new nesting habitats. The most adaptable species will flourish. So, instead of fighting to tame country, we need to work with her just as our ancestors have. The biggest challenge is how to make two completely opposite ways of life, work together...we can't. However, we can and must do a better job...if we want to survive. 

WICC: How can we better manage our waterways to adapt to climate change?...

Wayne: From the catchment to inlet (gabbi) we see interrupted water flow. Water stress breaks breeding cycles for waterbirds. Many plants are double flowering making them susceptible to diseases, natural and introduced. Fish breeding grounds affected by manmade openings, mismanagement, water capture and blocking of tributaries by invasive plants. The reeds, the warkles whiskers are not prolific enough now to filter pesticides, cattle waste and rubbish. 

We are in a climate emergency but we need to support other states and territories where our weather patterns are affected by their actions.

The Nullaki Fence runs approximately 8 km from the Southern Ocean to the Wilson Inlet.  It has the potential to exclude feral animals from 2,400 hectares of the Nullaki Conservation Area.  

The fence has fallen into disrepair over the years and no longer keeps ferals out.  WICC has secured funding to carry out fence repairs, 1080 baiting and has applied to add a ‘floppy top’ design to the fence, thus doing away with the temperamental electric wires. 

We are aware that foxes and cats have the potential to enter the Conservation Area from the West when the Wilson Inlet bar is closed. To quantify this risk we are positioning camera traps at key access points and implementing strategic 1080 baiting and cat trapping.

The long term aim of this program is to make the 2400 hectares on the western side of the fence predominantly feral free for our native fauna. The Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) has been advising WICC and they see great potential for translocation or relocation of threatened native WA fauna into the area once the threat of foxes and cats has been significantly reduced. The fact that the Nullaki features such a diversity of vegetation communities means there is suitable habitat for a broad range of native fauna. The Nullaki has the potential to be the largest feral free habitat on the south coast of WA. 

This whole program will be complemented by a rigorous monitoring program, reviewed by DBCA and SCNRM. Two fauna surveys were conducted by Great Southern ecologists in 2018 and 2019 to help establish baseline data throughout the Nullaki.

WICC recently sat down with Narrikup farmers, Mark and Lynne Bailey whom operate a cattle for beef farm off of Spencer Road.

WICC: Mark and Lynne, you recently took part in the Regional Estuaries Initiative Whole Farm Nutrient Mapping Program.  What motivated you to take part?

Mark and Lynne: We were getting increasingly poor results from our fertiliser program. We were applying around 150kg/ha of superphosphate every autumn with minimal visible benefits. Farm was becoming increasingly more dependant on outside funding, top ups and inputs to maintain stocking rates even in the best years.  We were also concerned about the offsite impacts of spreading so much fertiliser.

WICC: What did you learn about the nutrients on your farm?

Mark and Lynne: I had been fertilising some areas far too much and others far too little.  Phosphorous Buffering Index (PBI) has a big impact on the soils ability to bind phosphorous (P).  Sulphur and Potassium play a bigger part than we thought. By making a few adjustments we have managed to grow a lot more grass of a better quality.  We stopped thinking lifestyle, started thinking business. The benefits have been increased profits, reduced stress, better outcomes for the environment and a better lifestyle.

WICC: How have you adjusted your fertiliser program?

Mark and Lynne: We needed to fertilise our low and high PBI soils differently to get better efficiency. We now do multiple smaller applications of P on our low PBI soils to ensure the fertiliser stays on our farm. Keeping fertiliser on your farm makes sense financially and environmentally. We also started applying custom fertiliser mixes based on soil testing results. We have also started using plant tissue tests to check plant health and correct deficiencies.

Q: I know you are very focused on the business aspect of your farm, what potential do you see in nutrient mapping to improve your bottom line?

A: I have a small 120 ha farm which I was having to pump outside money into.  While we don’t expect a farm of this size to be making big money, we do need it to be looking after itself. I was deciding wether to sell and move or run my small farm as a business but not reducing lifestyle. The two basic ways of achieving better profits are to reduce costs or increase sales. Reduced costs sounds easy but without baseline information – where to start…This is why we turned to ‘Soil testing’. This has been a game changer for us in finding out what our soils are lacking. Our soils were lacking serious nutrients. The information within the test results and the presentation provided in the Whole Farm Nutrient Mapping program made for easy understanding – followed up by plant testing we now have an excellent baseline to increase yields and weather out the bad years.

We are now sitting on a shed full of hay and are both sleeping better at night.  Soil testing works.

Rainfall is down across our catchment and the Bureau of Meterology (BOM) predicts this will continue for the time being.  The positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) continues to be the main influence on Australian climate and it is anticipated to bring a drier than normal spring.  We asked Denbarker Farmer’s John and Marg Rodgers how they have faired this year with the rains...

“As of the 30th September we have received 431.5 mls of rain at Denbarker which is below our annual average. We were fortunate to have good rainfall in March which allowed perennial pasture to grow strongly.  Pasture growth is generally good, but some dams are low due to the lack of any heavy rainfall to provide run off. Our Harewood property had a later opening rain and pasture growth is slower.  Dams are now full due to some heavier rainfall during winter”.

The inlet has recorded some of its lowest levels on record this year due to a short opening which was further compounded by summer evaporation and low rainfall. As part of the Regional Estuaries Initiative, the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) has been monitoring the water quality of Wilson Inlet and its catchment fortnightly. 

WICC recently caught up with DWER’s Environmental Officer, Dr Elke Reichwaldt, who said, "Despite low rainfall in 2019, the Inlet is in good condition and the good water quality continues to support a wide range of environmental and community values. Apart from low rainfall, this winter has been typical with well mixed conditions induced by wind, and lower salinity than in summer due to river flows. Oxygen levels throughout the inlet have been good and support the health of the aquatic animals that call the Inlet home."

Farmers are learning that maintaining soil pH in the mid 5 range is essential in optimizing the availability of elements that are in your soil. When your soil is quite acidic, nutrient availability to plants can be reduced. Farmers have been compensating by putting on excessive rates of super phosphate. Improving your soil pH will increase access to many soil nutrients, including Phosphorus (P). 

From their extensive soil testing DPIRD estimates that nearly 80% of the paddocks within our Wilson Inlet Catchment have more P than is required to support the needs of pasture.

Overcoming constraints such as pH, potassium and sulphur should improve pasture growth.

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