In Your Neighbourhood

WORSENING BLOOMS of Lyngbya have been smothering large areas of seagrass in Roebuck Bay in recent years, posing a threat to the Bay’s remarkable marine biodiversity.

THE CAUSE FOR LYNGBYA BLOOMS is likely to be linked to run-off and polluted groundwater from Broome. Pollutants such as treated wastewater, fertiliser, garden waste and pindan soil enter the bay directly through stormwater drains during the wet. Contaminants leach through our soils into groundwater too, flowing under Broome (fertiliser, effluent) to eventually enter the Bay and Indian Ocean. These nutrients can help Lyngbya grow and spread. Whilst research is urgently needed to confirm the cause of Lyngbya blooms in the Bay, action is needed now and neighbourhood groups can be a great help.

How your neighbourhood can help

Rubbish

Get involved in Clean Up Australia Day »
Make sure nieghbourhood rubbish or garden waste doesn’t end up in stormwater drains.
If you see a stormwater drain dumper, report them to the Shire.

Clearing

Make sure loose pindan soil from land clearing doesn’t wash or blow onto the road or into stormwater drains.  If a development is causing a large amount of erosion to flow onto roads in your suburb, report it to the Shire or to DEC.

Dog poo

Compost or throw in the bin as decaying dog poo contributes large amounts nutrients that can wash into drains.

Adopt a drain

Take care of stormwater drains near your home. Bare drains convey stormwater, nutrients and pindan into the Bay too quickly. Plants absorb nutrients, slow the water and stop drains eroding. Ask the Shire to help your neighbourhood revegetate a drain.

Tree Planting and Weeding

Get involved in tree planting and weeding days that are held by Environs Kimberley and the Society for Kimberley Indigenous Plants and Animals and keep our coastal vine thickets and bushland thriving.

Write Lettters

WRITE TO SHIRE RE UPGRADING BROOME’S STORMWATER DRAINS to reduce nutrients and pindan flowing into our Bay. This has been achieved in Perth with $4 million (Federal Government) to  reengineer drains to reduce nutrient discharge, create nutrient stripping wetlands and restore tributary vegetation to remove nutrients.
WRITE TO GOVERNMENT AND PAPERS RE SAVING ENDANGERED COASTAL VINE THICKETS on the Dampier Peninsula.  Coastal vegetation stabilises our coastal dunes from eroding and provides habitat for a wide variety of wildlife.

Pollution

Report any pollution incident and here is the contact list »