RBWG State Finalists

The Roebuck Bay Working Group was nipped at the post in the prestigious State Environment Award. The prestigious CSBP Award acknowledges groups who reduce environmental impacts in rural and regional areas.

Our group however, is proud as punch to be selected as a finalist in the WA Regional Achievement and Community Awards and see our achievements beamed onto super size screens at the Perth Convention Centre on Friday night.

Our most recent ‘Keep Our Bay Clean’project, funded by Rangelands NRM, was acknowledged at the awards for our work to reduce run-off from Broome that can become food for toxic algal blooms of Lyngbya which can kill off the Bay’s seagrass meadows and impact its remarkable marine life. more »

Running for a second state award

Roebuck Primary students are participating in drain stencilling to raise awareness about reducing pollution entering drains and becoming food for algal blooms.

The Roebuck Bay Working Group is in the running for a second state award! The CSBP Environment Award acknowledges groups who show a proven passion and dedication to reducing environmental impacts in rural and regional areas.

The award is part of the 2012 prestigious WA Regional Achievement and Community Awards which will be announced at an Awards Gala Presentation Dinner on Friday 16^th November 2012 at the Perth Convention Centre.

The Roebuck Bay Working Group’s (RBWG) entry highlights their progressive work to develop community based management plans for Roebuck Bay, and more recently, a Keep Our Bay Clean project aimed at reducing  algal blooms of Lyngbya which can impact the bay’s remarkable marine life.  This marine life includes three dolphin species, dugongs and turtles, thousands of shorebirds that migrate to the bay from the northern hemisphere each year, and trillions of mud-dwelling invertebrates that live in the extensive intertidal mudflats, seagrass meadows and mangrove communities.

Roebuck Bay has been experiencing increasing blooms of Lyngbya in recent years which has concerned the RBWG, because these toxic blooms can kill off the seagrass meadows and impact marine life.  The blooms are also smelly, unsightly, and if touched, can cause severe skin and eye irritations and asthma like symptoms.

The Roebuck Bay Working Group is using a collaborative approach for the Keep Our Bay Clean project, working with its wide membership, schools, government agencies, the shire, industry and developers to reduce land based pollution that can be food for Lyngbya.  This approach has resulted in student’s stenciling Broome’s footpaths with Keep Our Bay Clean logos, delivery of 5000 fridge magnets to Broome homes with tips to reduce Lyngbya blooms, a Keep Our Bay Clean film, a Fertilise Wisely brochure and a regular column in the Broome Advertiser on Roebuck Bay.

To help spread the message about Lyngbya blooms and the incredible marine life and cultural significance of the bay, the RBWG together with the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) hosted a Celebrate the Bay event in August this year.  With over 400 people attending the successful event, the RBWG hopes to make the event bigger and better with help from its membership and the Yawuru joint management team at DEC.

The two other finalists in contention for the CSBP Award are Kimberley Toadbusters in Kununurra and the South West Catchments Council in Bunbury.

The RBWG is funded by Rangelands NRM and sponsored by National Science Week.

Untold stories of Roebuck Bay slip out

The untold story of Roebuck Bay slipped out recently to an audience of over 400, helped by Steve Pigram’s lyrics about black kites, fish and lustrous pearls.

The positive event on August 12 that has Broome abuzz and included music, gelatos, telescopes, microscopes, a boat, photo and dolphin competitions – is Celebrate the Bay.

Held at Town Beach, the talks and activities were lively and passionate, showcasing the bay’s dinosaur herds, its migratory shorebirds, invertebrates that live in the mudflats, and the seagrass and mangroves that are nurseries for young fish and prawns.

Run by the award winning Roebuck Bay Working Group and Department of Environment and Conservation, the enthusiastic crowd enjoyed learning how our community can help prevent algal blooms in the bay,how the bay is being managed by Yawuru, DEC and the Shire, safe fishing techniques and coral and dolphin research underway at the new Kimberley Marine Research Station at Cygnet Bay.

Congratulations to the winners of the Celebrate the Bay photo competition, Roger Grohmann (Wildlife), Fiona Bishop (Culture) and Miranda Curran (Landscape).

Celebrate the Bay was funded by National Science Week and Rangelands NRM.

Celebrate the Bay program

Come and Celebrate the Bay on Sunday (August 12th) 12-4.30pm and get involved in activities to learn about the amazing wildlife and cultural heritage Roebuck Bay holds.

The afternoon has something for everyone, Yawuru Rangers, passionate locals and scientists sharing their knowledge of Roebuck Bay, Scitech, gelato’s and music by Steve Pigram. Press the flyer image (right) to read the program for Celebrate the Bay.

Celebrate the Bay is funded by National Science Week and Rangelands NRM.

Celebrate the Bay dolphin sighting competition

Seen snubfin dolphins in Roebuck Bay or the Kimberley coast-WWF wants to know?

Fantastic photo of an Australian snubin dolphin in Roebuck Bay by Dr Deb Thiele.

Send in your photo or sighting location of the rare Australian snubfin dolphin as part of the Celebrate the Bay Day. Join us as a citizen scientist and see your information on our online interactive map to help us understand and protect this special dolphin and its hotspot Roebuck Bay. WIN A GREAT PRIZE!

Download your application form from www.wwf.org.au/snubfin_competition/
or pick up from the Roebuck Bay Working Group stall on August 12^th during Celebrate the Bay.

Celebrate the Bay is funded by National Science Week and Rangelands NRM.

Celebrate the Bay