Feb 18 2021
Seagrass Volunteers Wanted
Seagrasses are one of the most important plants on the planet. They are the basis of the food web in the ocean, absorb nutrients from runoff and stabilise sediment. Seagrass is food for turtles and dugongs and habitat for thousands of smaller marine animals, playing a vital role in sustaining fisheries.
Jan 18 2021
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!
Nov 6 2020
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 »
Aug 13 2020
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
Jul 27 2020
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
Jul 26 2020
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
Jul 26 2020
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…
May 27 2020
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.
Nov 8 2019
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.
Oct 8 2019
State & Territory Coastcare Award
Roebuck Bay Working Group has won the 2019 State & Territory Virgin Coastcare Award
The award focused on the collaborative Keep Our Bay Clean campaign (2005-19) to reduce anthropogenic nutrient sources contributing to Lyngbya majuscula blooms which threaten Roebucks Bay’s biodiversity, indigenous heritage and economic values. The entry is now a contender for a 2020 National Coastcare Award.
Some of the awesome members of the Roebuck Bay Working Group, with Kandy Curran and Dr Alexander Watson (Chairperson) in the foreground.
Thanks to the RBWG Management Committee members who supported the Keep Our Bay Clean projects and grants and Yawuru Rangers who have been involved in all Keep Our Bay Clean projects, along with staff at the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions. Moreover, the Shire of Broome for their collaboration on the McMahon Reserve project to plant the riparian zone of an upper catchment drain with a bush tucker trail.
Special thanks to Grant Pearson who coordinated the first Lyngbya Forum and got Dr Sora Estrella on board to undertake post doctorate studies on the effects of nutrient enrichment on toxic blooms of Lyngbya and benthic invertebrates and migratory shorebirds of the Roebuck Bay Ramsar site. Hydrogeologist Dr Ryan Vogwill, who helped run the Lyngbya forums and supervise four post graduate studies on groundwater and surface water nutrient inputs to Roebuck Bay.
School children planted hundreds of native plants along the McMahon walkway and stormwater drain with help from Yawuru Ranger Curtis Robinson. Kandy Curran
These independent peer reviewed studies were critical drawing attention to RBWG concerns regarding; nutrient seepage into groundwater from the unlined ponds at Broome South Waste Water Treatment Plant, adjacent golf course irrigated with treated wastewater; and the aging network of stormwater drains discharging into Roebuck Bay.
Thank you to our Sponsors: the Shire of Broome who sponsored travel for Kandy Curran to attend the awards, Rangelands NRM with support from the Federal Government National Landcare Program, Inspiring Australia and State NRM.