Soil Health and Compost

Soil Health and Compost 
Presenter Jardine Macdonald

Presenter Jardine Macdonald is a hydrogeologist and Program Manager for Rangelands NRM, and a passionate advocate for soil health and regenerative agriculture.

Jardine will explain how to make compost and get the rewards in your garden and Roebuck Bay.

Kandy Curran will also speak about a FREE garden book produced by Roebuck Bay Working Group, Coastal Gardens A planting guide for Broome on the Dampier peninsula

The size of a mini iPad, the book provides practical advice on growing a waterwise garden that benefits your wallet and Ramsar listed Roebuck Bay. Coastal Gardens online is smartphone friendly »

The local coastal plants (endemics) selected, thrive in Broome soils and climate, most are cyclone resistant, require less water than introduced plants and resistant to tropical pests. The book includes plants to avoid – with many weeds in Broome, escaped garden exotics.

All participants have the opportunity to win a a Tumbleweed Cafe plus 1,000 earthworms – donated by Bunnings Broome 

Where Hall 2, Lotteries House
20 Cable Beach Road East, Broome
When Thursday 11th May 5.30-7.00 pm
Free Gold coin donations welcome
www.roebuckbay.org.au

Seagrass Volunteers Wanted

Volunteers wanted!

2021 Seagrass events

The Broome Seagrass Community Monitoring Project  will be running events in 2021, although are unable to provide any official Seagrass-Watch training events due to travel uncertainties for Seagrass-Watch scientists to travel from Queensland.  We hope this situation changes soon!

Until then we ask if any of you who have experience or previous training to let me know if you are likely to be able to attend any of the scheduled dates so we can continue to support the inexperienced members of our community that are interested in participating.

Please find the latest October 2020 Roebuck Bay Seagrass-Watch Report Card » 

Thanks for your care and support of amazing Roebuck Bay!

Coastal Garden book for Broome

A new gardening book has been produced by Roebuck Bay Working Group. Coastal Gardens A planting guide for Broome on the Dampier peninsula is available online 

The book provides practical advice on growing a waterwise garden that benefits your wallet and Broome’s coastal waters. Coastal Gardens is online and perfect on smartphones »

The local coastal plants (endemics) selected, thrive in Broome soils and climate, most are cyclone resistant, require less water than introduced plants and resistant to tropical pests. The book includes plants to avoid – with many weeds in Broome, escaped garden exotics.

Funded by State NRM with support from Royalties for Regions and Rangelands NRM through the Federal Government Landcare Program.

Here’s a great film on how to Garden for Broome’s saltwater country »

 A day in the life of a flatback turtle

A day in the life of a flatback turtle
Presenter Jenna Hounslow

Hear about how animal attached cameras and smart-technology is being used to reveal the underwater activities of flatback turtles foraging in Roebuck Bay. Jenna is undertaking a PhD at Murdoch University exploring the at-sea foraging behaviour, physiology and ecology of flatback turtles, with the view of informing management and conservation efforts for the species.  Jenna will highlight some of the challenges flatback turtles face, her research methods and findings, and work that is being undertaken within WA to ensure the success of populations. In time, she hopes her work can be used to help sea turtles elsewhere in Australia and overseas.

Where Main Hall, Notre Dame University
88 Guy St, Broome
When Thursday 20th August 6-7.30 pm
Free Gold coin donations welcome
www.roebuckbay.org.au

Biodiversity of the Kimberley

Celebrate Science Week in August with the first Science on the Broome Coast presentation for 2020

Biodiversity of the Kimberley
Presenter Kathryn Dyball

Discover the amazing diversity of marine life we have in Broome! Learn how seagrass and phytoplankton are the vital base that supports an intricate food web of fish, crocodiles,
sharks, turtles, snakes, whales and more! Kathryn Dyball completed a Bachelor of Science majoring in Marine Science and a minor in Ecosystem Management at Murdoch University. Since then, her work has taken her to Ecuador, South Africa, Rottnest Island and Shark Bay but her greatest interest is in the magnificent corals of the Rowley Shoals in Broome. Being one of the last pristine reefs in the world, she was drawn to its beauty and found herself eager to learn more about the corals that support the ecosystem.

All participants have the chance to win a whale watching voucher for 2 people with Absolute Ocean Charters valued at $238!

Where Main Hall, Notre Dame University
88 Guy St, Broome
When Monday 3rd August, 6-7.30 pm
Free Gold coin donations welcome
www.roebuckbay.org.au

Corals & the Rowley Shoals

Corals & the Rowley Shoals
Presenter Kathryn Dyball

Learn what exactly corals are, the threats they face in the Kimberley region and why they are so important to our oceans and life on earth. Kathryn Dyball completed a Bachelor of Science majoring in Marine Science and a minor in Ecosystem Management at Murdoch University. Since then, her work has taken her to Ecuador, South Africa, Rottnest Island and Shark Bay but her greatest interest is in the magnificent corals of the Rowley Shoals in Broome. Being one of the last pristine reefs in the world, she was drawn to its beauty and found herself eager to learn more about the corals that support the ecosystem.

All participants have the chance to win a whale watching voucher for 2 people with Absolute Ocean Charters valued at $238!

Where Main Hall, Notre Dame University
88 Guy St, Broome
When Monday 3rd August, 6-7.30 pm
Free Gold coin donations welcome
www.roebuckbay.org.au

Poster Competition for Years 3-6

HOME AND AWAY: THE MARVELS OF MIGRATORY SHOREBIRDS POSTER COMPETITION

An invitation for primary school students (grades 3 to 6) to participate in the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation Shorebird Competition  (ANSTO) by designing a poster about protecting Roebuck Bay’s shorebirds. Individual or school entries accepted. As well as cash prizes for entrants in the ANSTO competition, you can enter the local competition with the best poster in each grade category receiving a Family pass to a Broome Bird Observatory Mangrove Tour AND winning posters will be framed and displayed at Broome Bird Observatory. Local competition entries close 14th August 2020, with  winners announced 1st September 2020. Winning entries will be judged by Broome Bird Observatory Staff.

Instructions for competition:
STEP 1 – Watch Birdlife Australia’s presentation – Home and Away: The Marvels of Migratory Shorebirds and learn about Roebuck Bay’s Shorebirds. Press this link »

STEP 2 – Click the link to find out more about the ANSTO Shorebird Competition and follow the instructions to enter. ENTRIES TO BE MAILED TO ANSTO AND RECEIVED BY 14th August 2020. ****SCAN A COPY OF YOUR POSTER BEFORE MAILING IT TO ANSTO****
Any queries please contact Grace Maglio at gracemagliorbwg@outlook.com

For  further instructions on how to enter – see the poster…

ANIMATIONS HELP ROEBUCK BAY’S MARINE LIFE

A year 5 Kimberley PEAC class has made a series of nifty animations about Roebuck Bay’s marine life. Guest speakers from Roebuck Bay Working Group, Broome Bird Observatory and Broome Seagrass Monitoring shared knowledge and gave students hands on experience with the marine animals for the Science on Broome Coast series »

Migratory Shorebirds Stop motion animation by Taela and Lessie for the

Marine Watch presents Save Dugongs and Seagrass is a claymation  by  Olivia and Callum.

How to be Croc Wise a claymation about being crocodile wise, by Olivia and Callum.

Save the Snubfins a lego animation about Australian snubfin dolphins by  Bryn, Cody and Zac.

Shorebird Quest

Shorebird Quest follows Curtis the Curlew on his perilous breeding migration from Siberia to Roebuck Bay through a fusion of Yawuru Country knowledge, musical theatre, puppetry and original music written by Jaime Jackett. Writer and puppeteer Bernadette Trench-Thiedeman said the show celebrates the biodiversity of Roebuck Bay, bringing life to the creatures that exist in its water and mudflats. Shorebird Quest is a co-creation between Theatre Kimberley, Broome Bird Observatory, Parks and Wildlife Service Yawuru Rangers, Nyamba Buru Yawuru Country Managers, five Broome schools and the community.

Made by Paul Bell (Feral Films) and funded by Rangelands NRM with support from the Federal Government National Landcare Program.