Local Landscapes Overview | Peel-Harvey Catchment Council

The Peel-Harvey Region is one of seven natural resource management regions in WA recognised by the Australian and Western Australian governments. The Region is 1 173 620 ha and includes the Serpentine, Hotham, Williams, Murray and Harvey River sub-catchments, that flow into the Peel-Harvey Estuarine System.

A Region of Diverse Landscapes

The Peel-Harvey is loved by many Western Australians for its natural environment and the opportunities these natural, rural places provide. Many West Australians have fond memories of crabbing and prawning in the Estuary, canoeing on the Murray River, hiking on the Bibbulmun Track or fun family days at the Waroona and Harvey Shows. The Region has changed significantly over the last 50 years, but this sense of place remains and is the reason over 180 000 people call the Peel-Harvey home (2020, ABS).

Four Subsystems

The Region consists of four sub-systems that reflect the diverse landscapes, communities and land uses of the Peel-Harvey Catchment, as shown below.

Ramsar Wetlands, Coastal and Nearshore*
Includes the 26 530 ha Ramsar-listed Peel-Yalgorup Wetland System and over 83 km of coastal and near-shore environments. Most of this subsystem is developed for urban and rural residential land use or reserved for conservation.

Coastal Plain*
The Swan Coastal Plain is the relatively flat, winter-wet and artificially drained sandplain which has been extensively cleared and is used for agriculture, townsites and rural residential areas.

Forest and Scarp
The Forest and Scarp covers large areas of jarrah forest across the centre of the Catchment. The area is managed for a multitude of values including public water supply, conservation, mining, recreation and forestry.

Hotham and Williams
The Hotham Williams makes up more than half of the Region and includes some of the most reliable and productive cropping and farming districts of the Western Australian Wheatbelt.

*The Coastal Plain Subsystem and Ramsar, Coastal and Near-shore Subsystem are connected by an extensive drainage system that conveys water, sediments and nutrients from the upstream catchment to the Peel-Harvey Estuary and other wetlands in the Ramsar Site. The two subsystems have been separated for the purposes of the strategy to highlight the different land-use and management issues facing these two areas as well as the different community aspirations. The NRM focus on the Coastal Plain is on managing land-use change and drainage management, while the priority for the Ramsar, Coastal and Nearshore Subsystem is management and buffering of the Ramsar Site, coastal foreshores and the Peel-Harvey Estuarine System (the Catchment’s receiving environment).

For more detail on our subsystems see https://peel-harvey.org.au/about-us/our-catchment/. A comparison of catchment statistics from 2014 to 2020 is provided below

K4	IDENTIFY AND CAPITALISE ON MARKET OPPORTUNITIES
The Peel-Harvey has competitive advantages that should enable market opportunities to be capitalized on, including its close proximity to an international airport, emerging support facilities, comparatively affordable land as metropolitan areas become more urbanized, and its natural capital including a very productive area of the Wheatbelt. Capitalising on these opportunities will assist in employment and the social issues being experienced as a result of high unemployment. The Peel-Harvey is well placed to capitalize on market opportunities and land managers need support to identify and match production to markets, promoting the Region’s clean, green production by implementing sustainable practices that protect and restore the Region’s natural capital.
K4.1	Undertake Analysis of competitive markets for sustainable production
K4.1.1	Support grower groups and similar to identify competitive advantages and provide support to match land managers to markets
K4.1.2	Prepare and communicate an analysis of strengths, assets and potential new markets
K4.1.3	Identify and facilitate network opportunities to improve local knowledge and opportunities
K4.1.4	Identify constraints and areas for development and advocate to remove identified barriers
K4.2	Provide community access to, and awareness of new technologies and information
K4.2.1	Share new technologies and information, including local successes and peer to peer learning
K4.2.2	Support next generation farming, including education and career development

K3	LAND MANAGERS TO USE BEST KNOWLEDGE AND TECHNOLOGY
Land managers use a wealth of knowledge and experience to inform the way they manage their paddock, patch or park. They may need support to access new information that has become available through research and field trials. Strategies to achieve this goal aim at information sharing between landholders, through field days, extension support, and field-based research trials.
K3.1	Relevant information/knowledge is provided to land managers
K3.1.1	Develop targeted land management extension programs responding to community needs
K3.1.2	Support and assist land managers to access relevant and contemporary information
K3.1.3	Develop, promote and support implementation of best practice management for NRM
K3.2	Use science to inform land manager programs
K3.2.1	Implement targeted extension programs to support NRM for productive environments
K3.2.2	Support relevant research trials and promote findings to land managers
K3.2.3	Demonstrate economics benefits of productivity improvements, to influence greater uptake

K2	INCREASE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
NRM practices must continue to evolve and adapt to the best available information. To enable this adaptive management and continuous improvement to occur, information must be collected for monitoring and evaluation purposes, science should be used to address knowledge gaps and innovation must be encouraged. The strategies to address this goal cover each of these aspects as well as incorporating the knowledge of Aboriginal people to improve the effectiveness of NRM activities.
K2.1	Maintain effective information collection, storage and analysis processes
K2.1.1	Establish and maintain an effective information collection and storage process
K2.2	Use scientific methods to develop, inform and improve natural resource management programs
K2.2.1	Assist in the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of NRM activities
K2.2.2	Help educate and support land holders to improve decision making
K2.3	Incorporate Aboriginal knowledge to improve natural resource management
K2.3.1	Collaboratively document and use Aboriginal knowledge/practice in NRM programs
K2.4	Encourage Innovation in natural resource management programs
K2.4.1	Identify, assess and facilitate sharing of new techniques, particularly for agriculture and restoration
K2.4.2	Communicate and support innovation in NRM and agricultural programs and Practices

K1	INFLUENCE DECISION MAKING FOR BETTER NRM
Decision makers in government and the private sector need access to the best available research findings and information to ensure that land is managed wisely. New development and land uses should not create new NRM challenges for the future but provide for new opportunities for good stewards of the environment. A number of landmark strategies and activities will achieve this goal including the preparation of regular State of the Region reports, implementation of the Science Strategy for the Estuary (and pending Strategy for the Catchment) and establishing the first stages of a Peel Waterways Institute.
K1.1	Science is undertaken to address current and emerging environmental, economic and production issues
K1.1.1	Establish and implement a Science Program for the Peel-Harvey
K1.1.2	Prepare and implement contemporary Science Strategy’s for the Peel-Harvey
K1.1.3	Collaborate with stakeholders to target and enable priority research
K1.2	Communicate State of the Catchment and relevant science to decision makers/community
K1.2.1	Prepare and communicate a State of the Catchment Report Card/s (every 2 years)
K1.2.2	Communicate science and knowledge relevant to health of the catchment
K1.3	Establish a Peel Waterways Institute / Waterways Centre of Excellence
K1.3.1	Establish first stages of a Peel Waterways Institute to support collaborative research
K1.3.2	Advocate for a National Centre for Waterways Excellence in the Peel-Harvey

K1	INFLUENCE DECISION MAKING FOR BETTER NRM
Decision makers in government and the private sector need access to the best available research findings and information to ensure that land is managed wisely. New development and land uses should not create new NRM challenges for the future but provide for new opportunities for good stewards of the environment. A number of landmark strategies and activities will achieve this goal including the preparation of regular State of the Region reports, implementation of the Science Strategy for the Estuary (and pending Strategy for the Catchment) and establishing the first stages of a Peel Waterways Institute.
K1.1	Science is undertaken to address current and emerging environmental, economic and production issues
K1.1.1	Establish and implement a Science Program for the Peel-Harvey
K1.1.2	Prepare and implement contemporary Science Strategy’s for the Peel-Harvey
K1.1.3	Collaborate with stakeholders to target and enable priority research
K1.2	Communicate State of the Catchment and relevant science to decision makers/community
K1.2.1	Prepare and communicate a State of the Catchment Report Card/s (every 2 years)
K1.2.2	Communicate science and knowledge relevant to health of the catchment
K1.3	Establish a Peel Waterways Institute / Waterways Centre of Excellence
K1.3.1	Establish first stages of a Peel Waterways Institute to support collaborative research
K1.3.2	Advocate for a National Centre for Waterways Excellence in the Peel-Harvey
K2	INCREASE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
NRM practices must continue to evolve and adapt to the best available information. To enable this adaptive management and continuous improvement to occur, information must be collected for monitoring and evaluation purposes, science should be used to address knowledge gaps and innovation must be encouraged. The strategies to address this goal cover each of these aspects as well as incorporating the knowledge of Aboriginal people to improve the effectiveness of NRM activities.
K2.1	Maintain effective information collection, storage and analysis processes
K2.1.1	Establish and maintain an effective information collection and storage process
K2.2	Use scientific methods to develop, inform and improve natural resource management programs
K2.2.1	Assist in the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of NRM activities
K2.2.2	Help educate and support land holders to improve decision making
K2.3	Incorporate Aboriginal knowledge to improve natural resource management
K2.3.1	Collaboratively document and use Aboriginal knowledge/practice in NRM programs
K2.4	Encourage Innovation in natural resource management programs
K2.4.1	Identify, assess and facilitate sharing of new techniques, particularly for agriculture and restoration
K2.4.2	Communicate and support innovation in NRM and agricultural programs and Practices
K3	LAND MANAGERS TO USE BEST KNOWLEDGE AND TECHNOLOGY
Land managers use a wealth of knowledge and experience to inform the way they manage their paddock, patch or park. They may need support to access new information that has become available through research and field trials. Strategies to achieve this goal aim at information sharing between landholders, through field days, extension support, and field-based research trials.
K3.1	Relevant information/knowledge is provided to land managers
K3.1.1	Develop targeted land management extension programs responding to community needs
K3.1.2	Support and assist land managers to access relevant and contemporary information
K3.1.3	Develop, promote and support implementation of best practice management for NRM
K3.2	Use science to inform land manager programs
K3.2.1	Implement targeted extension programs to support NRM for productive environments
K3.2.2	Support relevant research trials and promote findings to land managers
K3.2.3	Demonstrate economics benefits of productivity improvements, to influence greater uptake
K4	IDENTIFY AND CAPITALISE ON MARKET OPPORTUNITIES
The Peel-Harvey has competitive advantages that should enable market opportunities to be capitalized on, including its close proximity to an international airport, emerging support facilities, comparatively affordable land as metropolitan areas become more urbanized, and its natural capital including a very productive area of the Wheatbelt. Capitalising on these opportunities will assist in employment and the social issues being experienced as a result of high unemployment. The Peel-Harvey is well placed to capitalize on market opportunities and land managers need support to identify and match production to markets, promoting the Region’s clean, green production by implementing sustainable practices that protect and restore the Region’s natural capital.
K4.1	Undertake Analysis of competitive markets for sustainable production
K4.1.1	Support grower groups and similar to identify competitive advantages and provide support to match land managers to markets
K4.1.2	Prepare and communicate an analysis of strengths, assets and potential new markets
K4.1.3	Identify and facilitate network opportunities to improve local knowledge and opportunities
K4.1.4	Identify constraints and areas for development and advocate to remove identified barriers
K4.2	Provide community access to, and awareness of new technologies and information
K4.2.1	Share new technologies and information, including local successes and peer to peer learning
K4.2.2	Support next generation farming, including education and career development

B4	BIODIVERSITY IS CONSERVED
Biodiversity is the term used to describe the natural diversity of life. This diversity exists at the ecosystem, species and genetic levels. The Region is recognised as a global biodiversity hotspot because of its mega-diverse and unique biodiversity and the level of threat this biodiversity is under. Biodiversity is most effectively and efficiently conserved by protecting natural areas, these being areas of bushland, forest, woodland, waterway, wetland, dune, rock outcrop, foreshore and any other area in a near-nature state. The Region is home to many globally significant natural areas, notable examples being Dryandra Woodland, our Northern Jarrah forest, and the Peel-Yalgorup Ramsar System. The strategies to achieve this goal are focused on protecting priority natural areas, managing and reducing threats to biodiversity assets, and restoring ecological linkages between significant natural areas. Assisting local governments to implement local biodiversity strategies will be one of a number of ways of achieving this goal.
B4.1	Protect priority terrestrial and aquatic natural areas
B4.1.1	Influence land-use planning to afford protection to priority natural areas
B4.1.2	Undertake assessments of biodiversity status
B4.1.3	Assist land managers to protect priority terrestrial natural areas
B4.1.4	Assist land managers to protect priority aquatic natural areas
B4.1.5	Assist land managers to improve biodiversity through regenerative agricultural practices
B4.1.6	Incorporate knowledge of impacts of changing weather patterns into biodiversity programs
B4.2	Manage and reduce threats
B4.2.1	Identify, monitor and communicate threats and threatening processes
B4.2.2	Implement and support threat reduction activities in priority areas, including managing feral animals, weeds and disease, fire, extreme events and drought
B4.2.3	Implement and support management and response planning for extreme natural events
B4.3	Restore ecological linkages
B4.3.1	Facilitate and/or support collaborative landscape scale restoration for multiple benefits
B4.3.2	Encourage restoration processes being identified and embedded into the land-use planning system

B2	SOILS ARE HEALTHY AND PRODUCTIVE
Soils and landforms are the fundamental resources which shape wetlands and waterways, biodiversity and land use, especially agriculture. Agricultural production in the Catchment is worth $469.974 million per annum (source 2021 REMPLAN) and relies directly on the health and conservation of soil resources. Soils should be managed as a living resource with consideration to soil acidity, dryland salinity, prevention of erosion and discharge of sediment. Biosecurity is an issue of significant concern to the community and is included under this goal given its impact on soils, productivity and biodiversity. Issues such as water repellence and compaction of soils may also be having an impact on farm productivity levels, although the impact on productivity is not clearly understood. Healthy soils will reduce the loss of topsoil to waterways and the impact of sediment on rivers and the Estuary. Strategies under this goal aim to assist farmers and land managers to better understand their local soils, make informed decisions on soil management practices, and support biosecurity programs. Farmers own and manage over 50% of the Region, making their increased participation in NRM essential.
B2.1	Understand soil characteristics and risks
B2.1.1	Support land managers to undertake and understand risk/soil mapping at a local level
B2.1.2	Support and share research and information that improves our collective understanding of soil characteristics and their productive potential
B2.1.3	Support land managers to understand the consequences over use of fertilisers, herbicides and pesticides
B2.2	Support land managers to match land uses and management practices to soil type and land capability
B2.2.1	Support adaptive land management practices in vulnerable areas
B2.2.2	Maintain priority areas for agricultural production (while protecting valuable environmental assets)
B2.3	Support land managers to implement sound soil management practices and use suitable land productively
B2.3.1	Encourage and support farming methods to enhance soil and soil resilience
B2.3.2	Encourage use of soil amendments for multiple benefits
B2.3.3	Support ‘whole of farm’ planning to better meet social, economic and environmental objectives
B2.4	Support biosecurity practices
B2.4.1	Support, preparation and implementation of biosecurity program/s for multiple benefits
B2.4.2	Raise awareness and educate community on local, priority biosecurity issues and provide support for management
B2.5	Influence legislation and policy
B2.1.1	Influence and support decision makers in developing policy and legislation for the protection of priority agricultural land
B2.1.2	Influence and support decision makers in developing policy and legislation for the protection of priority environmental assets
B2.1.3	Advocate for and support streamlining of planning regulation and licensing for sustainable agricultural practices

B1	WETLANDS AND WATERWAYS ARE HEALTHY AND PRODUCTIVE
Wetlands and waterways have a special place, with all major townsites and communities living in proximity to a local waterway or wetland. Major waterway assets include the Hotham, Williams, Murray, Serpentine, North and South Dandalup and Harvey rivers. Major wetland assets include the Peel-Harvey Estuarine System and the Peel-Yalgorup Ramsar System. Key threats include poorly planned development, changing hydroperiods, reduced flow, eutrophication, ASS and MBO. Strategies to achieve this goal are designed to support coordinated management of the Estuary and Ramsar System, implement management actions to improve waterway and wetland condition, and protect groundwater quality and flows into wetlands and waterways.
B1.1	Support the establishment and operations of coordinated governance frameworks for the Peel-Yalgorup Ramsar System
B1.1.1	Work with key stakeholders to establish and operate a coordinated framework for the Peel-Harvey Estuarine System
B1.1.2	Continue to work with key stakeholders to operate a coordinated framework for the Peel-Yalgorup Ramsar System, including but not limited to the Ramsar and subsidiary TAG’s
B1.2	Improve the condition of wetlands and watercourses
B1.2.1	Prepare and implement action plans to restore the natural function of wetlands and watercourses
B1.2.2	Prepare and implement action plans to manage drains for multiple benefits, including water availability to assist with impacts of reduced rainfall and drying climate
B1.2.3	Manage issues such as erosion, sediment, nutrients and monosulphidic black ooze to improve/protect condition of wetlands and watercourses
B1.3	Protect wetlands and watercourses
B1.3.1	Influence land-use planning to afford protection to wetland and watercourse values
B1.3.2	Encourage implementation of management plans and ongoing maintenance in accordance with planning conditions and/or best management practice
B1.4	Protect groundwater quality and quantity as hydrological inputs to wetlands and watercourses
B1.4.1	Ensure environmental water provisions are adequate for maintenance or improvement of ecosystem health
B1.4.2	Ensure groundwater monitoring is sufficient to measure and assess environmental water provision adequacy and to influence regulatory change, where required

B1	WETLANDS AND WATERWAYS ARE HEALTHY AND PRODUCTIVE
Wetlands and waterways have a special place, with all major townsites and communities living in proximity to a local waterway or wetland. Major waterway assets include the Hotham, Williams, Murray, Serpentine, North and South Dandalup and Harvey rivers. Major wetland assets include the Peel-Harvey Estuarine System and the Peel-Yalgorup Ramsar System. Key threats include poorly planned development, changing hydroperiods, reduced flow, eutrophication, ASS and MBO. Strategies to achieve this goal are designed to support coordinated management of the Estuary and Ramsar System, implement management actions to improve waterway and wetland condition, and protect groundwater quality and flows into wetlands and waterways.
B1.1	Support the establishment and operations of coordinated governance frameworks for the Peel-Yalgorup Ramsar System
B1.1.1	Work with key stakeholders to establish and operate a coordinated framework for the Peel-Harvey Estuarine System
B1.1.2	Continue to work with key stakeholders to operate a coordinated framework for the Peel-Yalgorup Ramsar System, including but not limited to the Ramsar and subsidiary TAG’s
B1.2	Improve the condition of wetlands and watercourses
B1.2.1	Prepare and implement action plans to restore the natural function of wetlands and watercourses
B1.2.2	Prepare and implement action plans to manage drains for multiple benefits, including water availability to assist with impacts of reduced rainfall and drying climate
B1.2.3	Manage issues such as erosion, sediment, nutrients and monosulphidic black ooze to improve/protect condition of wetlands and watercourses
B1.3	Protect wetlands and watercourses
B1.3.1	Influence land-use planning to afford protection to wetland and watercourse values
B1.3.2	Encourage implementation of management plans and ongoing maintenance in accordance with planning conditions and/or best management practice
B1.4	Protect groundwater quality and quantity as hydrological inputs to wetlands and watercourses
B1.4.1	Ensure environmental water provisions are adequate for maintenance or improvement of ecosystem health
B1.4.2	Ensure groundwater monitoring is sufficient to measure and assess environmental water provision adequacy and to influence regulatory change, where required
B2	SOILS ARE HEALTHY AND PRODUCTIVE
Soils and landforms are the fundamental resources which shape wetlands and waterways, biodiversity and land use, especially agriculture. Agricultural production in the Catchment is worth $469.974 million per annum (source 2021 REMPLAN) and relies directly on the health and conservation of soil resources. Soils should be managed as a living resource with consideration to soil acidity, dryland salinity, prevention of erosion and discharge of sediment. Biosecurity is an issue of significant concern to the community and is included under this goal given its impact on soils, productivity and biodiversity. Issues such as water repellence and compaction of soils may also be having an impact on farm productivity levels, although the impact on productivity is not clearly understood. Healthy soils will reduce the loss of topsoil to waterways and the impact of sediment on rivers and the Estuary. Strategies under this goal aim to assist farmers and land managers to better understand their local soils, make informed decisions on soil management practices, and support biosecurity programs. Farmers own and manage over 50% of the Region, making their increased participation in NRM essential.
B2.1	Understand soil characteristics and risks
B2.1.1	Support land managers to undertake and understand risk/soil mapping at a local level
B2.1.2	Support and share research and information that improves our collective understanding of soil characteristics and their productive potential
B2.1.3	Support land managers to understand the consequences over use of fertilisers, herbicides and pesticides
B2.2	Support land managers to match land uses and management practices to soil type and land capability
B2.2.1	Support adaptive land management practices in vulnerable areas
B2.2.2	Maintain priority areas for agricultural production (while protecting valuable environmental assets)
B2.3	Support land managers to implement sound soil management practices and use suitable land productively
B2.3.1	Encourage and support farming methods to enhance soil and soil resilience
B2.3.2	Encourage use of soil amendments for multiple benefits
B2.3.3	Support ‘whole of farm’ planning to better meet social, economic and environmental objectives
B2.4	Support biosecurity practices
B2.4.1	Support, preparation and implementation of biosecurity program/s for multiple benefits
B2.4.2	Raise awareness and educate community on local, priority biosecurity issues and provide support for management
B2.5	Influence legislation and policy
B2.1.1	Influence and support decision makers in developing policy and legislation for the protection of priority agricultural land
B2.1.2	Influence and support decision makers in developing policy and legislation for the protection of priority environmental assets
B2.1.3	Advocate for and support streamlining of planning regulation and licensing for sustainable agricultural practices
B3	COASTAL AND NEARSHORE AREAS AND PROCESSES ARE RESILIENT AND VALUED
Coastal foreshores, beaches and near-shore areas have significant social, ecological and economic values. They support commercial and recreational fisheries, protect coastal residential areas and provide a diversity of habitat for flora and fauna. A key aspect of coastal management in the Region is the network of community groups, local governments and state agencies that manage coastal foreshores and maintain public access to beaches and nearshore waterways. Strategies to achieve this goal are aimed at supporting the groups and organisations who are undertaking coastal area and near-shore management.
B3.1	Protect foreshores for their ecological and recreational values
B3.1.1	Encourage/support foreshore management that enables natural process and resilience to a changing climate
B3.1.2	Support the community to value and manage coastal areas

A Region of Diverse Landscapes

Four Subsystems

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