RBWG History
RECOGNISING that Roebuck Bay was without management plans to protect its high values, the Roebuck Bay Working Group (RBWG) formed in 2004 with the objective of developing a values based community driven planning process to protect, restore and maintain the catchment into the future. The RBWG, which is a not-for-profit community based group of 45 members, won a State Coastal Award in 2007.
With a strong emphasis on partnerships, the RBWG has been working with landholders, community groups, non-government organisations, industry, the Australian Government, Government of WA and local government to develop management plans and affect change ‘on-ground’ to protect, restore and maintain the Roebuck Bay catchment.
Professor David Woods presenting Kandy Curran and Yawuru Traditional Owner Neil McKenzie with the 2007 State Coastal Award. © 2007 RBWG. Press image to enlarge.
The RBWG’s achievements thus far include:
Roebuck Bay Management Planning
2004 Designing an integrated planning process inclusive of Yawuru and the community
2004 Raising awareness of shorebird conservation and protection
2005 Mapping community values for Roebuck Bay
2006 Developing a Roebuck Bay Issues Paper
2008 Providing input for a Roebuck Bay Ecological Character Description (baseline data necessary for managing a Ramsar Site) (in progress)
2009 Producing a Lyngbya (blue green algae) Contingency Plan for Roebuck Bay
2009 Producing Roebuck Bay Interim Management Guidelines (brochures)
2009 Developing a Management/Implementation Plan for the Northern Shores (Crab Creek) of Roebuck Bay (in progress)
2009 Developing a Preliminary Draft Roebuck Bay Ramsar Site Management Plan (in progress).
The RBWG has also worked hard to increase understanding of Roebuck Bay’s many values and build local involvement in its care. Examples include:
- Flyers and signage on Roebuck Bay’s cultural and ecological values
- Involvement in ‘Celebrate the Bay’ forums in Broome
- Co-hosting a community forum about Lyngbya (algal blooms) in Roebuck Bay
- Entries in WA Coastal Awards
- Media output in newspapers and magazines about Roebuck Bay
- Promotion of on-ground projects: Benthos Monitoring (BBO), Broome Bird Observatory Volunteering, Conservation Volunteers Australia Volunteering, Clean up Bay Days, Dolphin Monitoring, Fisheries Volunteering, Seagrass Monitoring (EK), Shorebird Monitoring (AWSG), Turtle Monitoring
- Presentations about Roebuck Bay and the RBWG at events and conferences
- Production of RBWG Newsletters
- Development of a RBWG website.