Success on our Serpentine

Native riparian sedge species Lepidosperma percecans thriving on the banks of Hymus Creek; a drain situated on private property that flows into the Serpentine River

Lowlands Nature Reserve and Hymus Swamp Reserve are two high conservation value areas on the Swan Coastal Plain. Hymus Creek is situated within privately owned land neighbouring both reserves, and is one of the three main drains on farmland that flow into the Serpentine River from adjacent farm paddocks. It is identified in our Waangaamaap Bilya Serpentine River Action Plan as a priority area at which to undertake restoration activities to improve the health and biodiversity of the Serpentine River.

In January of 2020, the creek was severely burnt by an out-of-control bushfire which resulted in the loss of more than 30 years of restoration works previously undertaken by the Richardson and Angeloni families who own the land. In response to the fires, PHCC developed the ‘Hymus Creek Streamlining Restoration’ project to revegetate and protect the creek with fencing to re-establish the lost corridor linkages to neighbouring high conservation reserves; Lowlands Nature Reserve and Hymus Swamp Reserve, a ‘Bush Forever’ site (Site 372).

Through this project, in August 2020 more than 2,000 native plants including 1,500 Lepidosperma persecans, a native sedge species found within Lowlands Nature Reserve, were planted by the Bindjareb Middars, Alcoa volunteers and private landholders along an 800 m stretch of Hymus Creek. The landholders also installed a fence around the site to exclude livestock from entering the area. As a result the planted species have flourished and the fencing has allowed natural regeneration of native species to grow post fire, both without disturbance.

This year, to build upon the restoration activities undertaken in 2020, we extended the restoration works beyond Hymus Creek to increase connectivity and ecological function within the area: for example, these works would also provide enhanced habitat and food resources for native species such as black cockatoos.

The extension of these restoration efforts included working with the landholders and local contractors to install over 2.84 km of fencing to enclose the remainder of the Hymus Creekline and to protect a 35m wide vegetated border that leads to a tributary drain upstream of the creek. In addition we partnered with Landcare SJ, a not-for-profit community based organisation that coordinates landcare in the Serpentine and Jarrahdale districts to plant a further 4,300 native seedlings. Of these, 2,000 were provenance species, Lepidosperma persecans which were planted in the banks of the creekline to help prevent erosion and create stream shading. The remaining 2,300 low-land type seedlings, were planted along the vegetated border to enhance connectivity of vegetation to Hymus Creek.

PHCC’s Waterways Team recently met with Landcare SJ and landholders to check in on how the planted seedlings were progressing. It was clear that the planting has been extremely successful with both sedge and low-land type species healthy, flourishing and growing beyond their tree guards at only four months post planting. We are grateful to work alongside like-minded organisations and members of the community who are dedicated to protecting the Serpentine River and surrounding lakes and wetlands.  

This project is supported by the Peel-Harvey Catchment Council through funding provided by the Alcoa Foundation’s Three Rivers One Estuary Initiative.