2021 Science on Broome Coast

Soil Health and Compost 
Presenter Jardine Macdonald

Looking after your soil’s health will mean better soil structure to soak in and hold rainfall and nutrients, growing healthy plants in return. Compost is an easy, inexpensive rewarding way you can use your kitchen and garden scraps and help the soil food web in your backyard and school for a healthy garden. Composting also helps to keep Roebuck Bay’s water quality clean and marine web healthy. Jardine is passionate about soil health so this is a great opportunity to learn how to compost.

Kandy Curran, will also launch the re-published gardening 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 FREE book has practical advice on growing a waterwise garden that benefits your wallet and Roebuck Bay. Coastal Gardens is online and on smartphones »

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

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A series of video interviews celebrating the work of outstanding individuals and organisations promoting the natural values of Roebuck Bay and surrounds

Eucalypts of Broome by Philip Docherty

In 2021 Philip Docherty was awarded a Eucalypt Australia fellowship www.eucalyptaustralia.org.au to run a project to collect seeds, propagate and plant Broome eucalypt species in Magabala Botanical Park in Broome North. The project includes raising awareness of Eucalypts through guided tour, radio interviews and an educational display at Broome Public Library. Future initiatives include tree planting days, creating signage and a booklet on Kimberley eucalypts.

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Coastal benefits of native plants in Broome

The reprint of the popular book Coastal Gardens – A Planting Guide for Broome on the Dampier Peninsula is inspiring the Broome community to grow a waterwise garden that benefits the wallet, environment, and Broome’s coastal waters and in particular, Ramsar listed Roebuck Bay.

Local natives (endemics) have many benefits. They thrive in Broome soils and climate, most are cyclone resistant, they keep your home and garden cool, require less water than introduced plants and are resistant to tropical pests. Endemic plants have evolved over time with defense mechanisms to cope with common pests, thereby requiring fewer pesticides than introduced species. Less pesticides used in your garden, means less chemicals entering Broome’s coastal waters via roadside stormwater drains.

The book is available online and designed to be smart phone friendly https://roebuckbay.org.au/pdfs/coastal-gardens-web-version.pdf

The reprint of the book is funded by Rangelands NRM with support from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.

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