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.

Kwinana Environment Strategy 2024-2034

The Kwinana Environment Strategy 2024-2034 is a long-term plan that sets the course for a sustainable and resilient future for our community. Developed through extensive consultation with key stakeholders and the community, this strategy aligns with the City’s Strategic Community Plan and focuses on preserving Kwinana’s unique environment.

The strategy identifies four key directions:

  • Liveability: Enhancing the quality of life for residents by creating greener spaces, improving active transport, and protecting our cultural heritage.
  • Decarbonisation: Committing to achieve Net Zero corporate emissions by 2035 and becoming a Net Zero city by 2050.
  • Biodiversity: Protecting, enhancing, and restoring our region’s biodiversity while managing water systems in an environmentally responsible manner.
  • Circularity: Driving the transition to a circular economy by reducing waste and promoting sustainable practices.

This plan acknowledges the ongoing impacts of climate change and seeks to ensure that Kwinana remains a place where people and nature thrive together. The strategy will be delivered through a rolling Implementation Plan, with annual updates and regular reviews to keep us on track.

Environment Strategy 

Local Biodiversity Strategy 

The City of Kwinana embarked on the development of their Local Biodiversity Strategy (LBS) in 2022, prepared by Focused Vision Consulting. 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 (Focused Vision Consulting 2022).

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.

In addition, if you are a dog owner, ensure your pets are on leads when walking near natural areas, or if you are a cat owner, ensure your cats are safe at home. This way our native wildlife can continue to safely live in their homes. 

  • 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. 

Things To Know About Feral Animals and Pests

Pest Control on City Managed Land

Foxes, Feral Cats and Rabbits

The City has an annual feral animal control program which targets foxes, rabbits and feral cats with the objective to reduce impacts on native plants and animals.

Trapping is conducted for foxes twice per year, and for feral cats three times per year. RHD virus is released for rabbits twice per year. Control sites alternate to get good coverage across our Natural Areas.

Control is undertaken by trained professionals with appropriate licenses, permits and qualifications required under the Animal Welfare Act of 2002 and the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007.

How can I protect my pets?

Signage will be displayed where control is being carried out at all major entry points to reserves. Pet owners can assist by keeping dogs on a leash in Natural Areas.

Where can I report sightings?

Please report sightings of feral foxes, rabbits and cats through the Feral Scan app or alternatively report it to the City of Kwinana.

Bees and European Wasps

To protect native fauna and their nesting sites, European Honey beehives are removed on an adhoc basis. Mainly where bees have formed hives in natural burrows or artificial nesting boxes.

European wasps are declared pests in Western Australia and must be reported to the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.

Roaming Cats

The City of Kwinana's Cat Local Law (adopted in 2022) that prohibits the roaming of domestic cats in high priority natural area sites for the protection of native wildlife. If a domestic cat is caught during trapping for feral cats, infringements may apply.

For a list of the cat prohibited areas, please see the Amended Cat Local Law.

Pest Birds

Two species of Corellas, the Western Corella and Little Corella, and the Rainbow Lorikeet are declared pests under the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007. They compete with native birds for food and nesting hollows and can cause damage to crops and infrastructure. 

The WA Pest Parrot and Cockatoo Management is currently being developed by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development for a statewide response. Currently no control programs are carried out in the City of Kwinana.

Pest Control for Rural Landholders

Private landholders who have problems with feral animals have several options available to control pests on their land. There is information available on the Department of Agriculture website:

RHD Virus

The national release of RHDV K5 was undertaken in March 2017 across Australia and in conjunction with departments in each state. The virus is now available for purchase by landholders following completion of a short online course. The preferred window of opportunity to undertake the release is late Spring to early Summer and/or Autumn (eg. March).

Please contact the Pest and Disease Information Service PADIS@dpird.wa.gov.au for information on how to become an authorised user and complete the required online training.

Shooting

Shooting by trained professionals with appropriate firearms licences can be conducted on private land. Local Police and neighbours must be informed of shooting activities.

Pindone Baiting

Pindone baiting for rabbits is not recommended due to the risk to native wildlife.

1080 Baiting

1080 can only be conducted on land that is greater than 25 acres and requires a permit from DPIRD.

  • Permit Application information 
  • 1080 Landholder's Manual

Cat Trapping

The City of Kwinana does not loan out cage traps for feral cats on private property.

Native Wildlife Protection in the City of Kwinana

Wildlife Crossing Signage

The City has a limited number of temporary signs that can be put out along local roads where there is evidence of native wildlife being hit by cars when crossing roads. These signs are temporary in nature and will be removed after a certain amount of time.

Permanent Wildlife Crossing signs along major roads are not the responsibility of the local government. Permission can be sought from Main Roads but requires considerable evidence of ongoing wildlife deaths. Residents can assist in this process by recording dates and times of road strike incidences and reporting these to the City of Kwinana Environment Team

Snake Relocation

The City of Kwinana does not have trained snake handlers.

Please contact the Wildcare Helpline on (08) 9474 9055 for further information. There are several local companies that can be called to remove snakes from properties. Please contact the City for an up to date list.

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