Environmental Conservation and Management

Surrounded by nature - the City of Kwinana is involved in a number of environment, sustainability, conservation and management initiatives in order to protect, maintain and conserve our natural environment.

Local Biodiversity Strategy 

The City of Kwinana embarked on the development of their Local Biodiversity Strategy (LBS) in 2007, prepared by Ironbark Environmental. The development of an LBS is crucial in addressing the ongoing decline of natural environments and native biodiversity. Its primary goal is to recover and conserve existing biodiversity and the environment. The LBS provides a detailed focus on the natural environment within the City’s municipality, setting overarching goals and targets through a localised action plan. This strategy benefits both the environment and the local community, allowing for community input in decision-making and the identification of Locally Natural Areas (LNAs) for current and future conservation and preservation (Ironbark Environmental 2007).

Local Biodiversity Strategy

Conservation Reserves and Wetlands in Kwinana

The City of Kwinana contains over 27 conservation reserves from the Kwinana Beach on the coast through to the wetlands of Henley Reserve to the Banksia Woodlands east of the freeway. It includes up to 300 hectares of natural areas over the City. Further details about how these areas are managed are outlined in the Natural Areas Management Plan 2014 - 2024. Major activities include bushland regeneration, weed control, pest and biosecurity control, planting/revegetation, maintaining fences, firebreaks and access.

• Feature Reserve – Wildflower Reserve is one of Kwinana’s iconic destinations to observe Wildflowers in spring.  It is located south of Thomas Road between Orelia Avenue and just west of the Kwinana Train Station. It is a fabulous example of a Jarrah Banksia Woodland, and contains a walking trail that takes you to a lookout installed by Kwinana Rotary with views over the Spectacles.  Every year the annual guided Wildflower Walk, enables hundreds of residents and visitors alike to appreciate the diversity of wildflowers occurring in their own backyard, with many orchid species, kangaroo paws, milk maids and purple tassels. Be sure to take a walk with the Wildflowers this spring.  
• Feature Reserve – Chalk Hill – is another well known landmark within the City of Kwinana. This area has important aboriginal connections, and was the site from which the original town was surveyed.  It also contains very important limestone heath vegetation community unique to the limestone hilltops close to the coast.  On a warm day from the top of Chalk Hill you can observe native butterflies and Whistling Kites circling on the thermals high above the hill.  

There are also a number of reserves, not managed by the City, but by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, which includes the well known “Spectacles Wetlands” (part of the Beeliar Regional Park Reserves),  Jandakot Regional Park, Leda Nature Reserve, and Wandi Nature Reserve. If you have any particular enquires regarding these reserves, you can contact the DBCA Regional Parks Department on (08) 9442 0330.

Native Wildlife Protection

The City of Kwinana is surrounded by nature, and contains a huge diversity of native wildlife.  Every year around spring our native wildlife become more active and are especially visible  around new developments.  We encourage everyone to be mindful of this, and slow down on our roads.  If you come across injured wildlife you can contact the Wildcare Hotline on 9219 9840 who will put you in touch with a local Wild Carer.  Alternatively, you can contact the Native Arc Rehabilitation centre in Cockburn on 9417 7105. 

The City also have access to caution signage which can be deployed in areas where wildlife are being particularly affected, especially for the Southern Brown Bandicoot/Quenda or the South-Western Snaked Necked Turtle.  Please contact the City for more information about this. 

Another way in which the City is involved in protecting Native Wildlife is by conducting regular Feral Animal Control programs, to reduce the numbers of Feral Foxes, Feral Cats and European Rabbits in our reserves. These programs occur throughout the year. Find out more on the Feral Scan Website.

• Feature Animal – Southern Brown Bandicoot or Quenda

The Bandicoot or Quenda, is often inadvertently mistaken for the non native rat, but it has a few features which are distinctively different, including a pointed nose, and short tail relative to their body size.  Quenda are fairly small from 280-360mm in body length. The presence of Quenda in a bushland area indicates a healthy ecological system, with Quenda being very important in cultivating the soil, in the way in which they dig and search for insects and fungus.  If you have Quenda visiting your home, there is very good information about the way in which you can interact with wildlife to protect them. More information is available on the Healthy Wildlife website. 

• Feature Animal – The Australian Magpie – Cracticus tibicen

The Australian Magpie is an iconic Australian Bird protected by legislation. Many people are concerned about Magpies during nesting season which is usually between August and October, because of their overwhelming desire to protect their young, by swooping anyone who comes close to their nesting areas.  For further information about what to do in this situation please visit the Department of Parks and Wildlife website. 

Environmental Initiatives 

Every year the City runs a Community Planting Program, that enables local volunteers to contribute to the revegetation of our degraded natural areas throughout the City.  Many schools in Kwinana have also made a significant contribution to the Schools Planting Program in our natural areas. Collectively, thousands of native seedlings are planted every year, with at least 18,000 to 20,000 seedlings planted every year over the last two years.  

Another way to green up your patch is to make use of the City’s Seedling Subsidy Scheme. Native Seedlings are offered to residents at a subsidised rate every year in May. The timing allows residents to take advantage of a full winter of rain, to get your seedlings started.

If you are interested in our local natural areas, and would like to get involved in helping to look after these areas, meet like minded people and get some new skills, you could join a local conservation group. 

Environment and Sustainability Events/Workshops

The City runs a number of Environment and Sustainability events, workshops and programs. See any upcoming events or workshops below or visit our What's On page for more.