South West Region
The South West of Western Australia is a unique geographic zone recognized as a Global Biodiversity Hotspot due to the significant number of endangered and critically endangered species – plant and animal - endemic to the area, found nowhere else on the planet. ‘Hotspot’ refers to the threat posed by human activity and habitat loss, which influence the rate at which the biodiversity is increasingly threatened. One of only 36 hotspots globally and two in Australia, the South West refers to the landmass and coastal area from Bunbury to Albany, bordered by the Indian and Southern Oceans.
Situated in the extremely popular south-west corner of Australia, the South West region is known for its extensive natural beauty. The region covers an area of 23,970 square kilometres, and enjoys a Mediterranean climate with increasingly warmer summer months and decreasing winter rainfall. Currently more than 178,000 people are residents of the region, with a significant percentage of absentee landholders as it is a popular holiday home setting for metropolitan and regional and remote dwellers.
The coastline features some of the best surfing beaches in the world, unique forest ecosystems and thriving agriculture as well as being the state’s premier tourism destination. In combination with a rapidly expanding mining sector and the push from government to decentralize away from Perth, these factors all place the region’s biodiversity under great pressure.
The south west is also a global drying hotspot with a rainfall reduction of around 20% since the 1970s. This trend is projected to continue, with winter rainfall potentially decreasing by 15% by 2030. This drying trend has led to a considerable reduction in streamflow, impacting water supply dams and resulting availability for mining, agriculture, population growth and critically, ecosystems.
The government agency known as the South West Development Commission divides the south-west into three sub-regions being Bunbury Geographe; Capes and Southern Forests and it contains 12 Local Government Areas being the City’s of Bunbury (WA’s second city after Perth) and Busselton, along with the Shires of: Augusta-Margaret River; Boyup Brook; Bridgetown-Greenbushes; Capel; Collie; Dardanup; Donnybrook-Balingup; Harvey; Manjimup and Nannup.
Community landcare and environmental groups you can join:
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Groups |
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Ashbil Community Garden Bridgetown |
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Augusta Community nursery /Coast and Landcare |
https://www.acda.org.au/organisations/augusta-land-and-coastal-care-group/ |
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Binningup Coastcare and Environmental Group |
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Balingup Friends of the Forest |
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Blackwood Basin Group |
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Blackwood Biosecurity Inc |
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Blackwood Environmental Society |
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Blackwood Valley Small Landholders |
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Bridgetown Country Gardens |
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Bridgetown Greenbushes Community Landcare |
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Bridgetown Greenbushes friends of the Forest |
https://www.bridgetown.wa.gov.au/community/community-groups-in-our-shire.aspx |
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Brunswick River Restoration Action |
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Bunbury Bushwalking Club |
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Busselton Naturalists Club |
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Busselton –Dunsborough Environment Centre |
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Capel LCDC |
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Capes Regional Environmental Weed Group |
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Cape Naturaliste Conservation Enterprise |
https://natureconservation.org.au/cape-naturaliste-conservation-enterprise/ |
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CoastSWAP
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Dolphin Discovery Centre |
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Dumbleyung LCDC |
https://www.gga.org.au/group/dumbleyung-land-conservation-district-committee/ |
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Dunsborough Coast and Landcare Inc |
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Environmental Research Group Augusta |
https://www.acda.org.au/organisations/environmental-research-group-of-augusta-erga/ |
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Friends of Barrett Street Reserve |
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Friends of Big Swamp Inc |
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Friends of Carbunup Reserve |
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Friends of Donovan Street Bushland |
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Friends East Augusta Foreshore Friends |
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Friends of Gracetown and Cowaramup Bay |
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Friends of Hartley Anderson Reserve |
https://www.bunbury.wa.gov.au/live/environmentandsustainability/community-conservation-network |
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Friends of Irwin Street Reserve |
https://www.bunbury.wa.gov.au/live/environmentandsustainability/community-conservation-network |
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Friends of Manea Park |
https://www.bunbury.wa.gov.au/live/environmentandsustainability/community-conservation-network |
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Friends of Margaret River |
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Friends of Meelup Regional Park Incorporated |
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Friends of Molloy Island |
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Friends of Nangip Creek |
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Friends of Nguraren Kalleep Reserve |
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Friends of Redgate Beach |
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Friends of Rendall Close Weir |
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Friends of the A Class Reserve
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Friends of the Cape to Cape Track Inc. |
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Friends of the Earth South West WA |
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Friends of the Foreshore -Nannup |
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Friends of the Wadandi Trail (Cowaramup) |
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GeoCatch |
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Geographe Community Landcare Nursery Inc |
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Gondwana Link Ltd |
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Gracetown Progress Association |
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Greenbushes Eco Cultural Discovery Centre |
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Harvey River Restoration Taskforce Inc. |
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Lake Muir Denbarker Community Feral Pig Eradication Group |
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Leschenault Biosecurity Group |
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Leschenault Catchment Council Inc. |
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Leschenault Community Nursery |
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Lower Blackwood Land Conservation District Committee |
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Lower Blackwood Vertebrate Pest Group |
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Ludlow Tuart Forest Restoration Group |
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Manjimup weed action group |
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Margaret River Coastal Residents Association |
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Margaret River Permaculture Group, |
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Margaret River Regional Environment Centre Inc. |
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Maroo Wildlife Refuge Inc. |
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Ngalang Boodja Council Aboriginal Corporation |
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Noongar Boodjar Language Cultural Aboriginal Corporation |
https://noongarboodjar.com.au/?doing_wp_cron=1752635233.4410660266876220703125 |
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Origins Centre |
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Oyster Harbour Catchment Group (Albany) |
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Parkwater Community Group |
https://parkwaterestate.com.au/parkwater-forest-management-group/ |
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Peel –Harvey Catchment Council |
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Peron Naturaliste Partnership Inc. |
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Preston Environment Group |
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Promote Preston |
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Quinninup Community Association |
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Regional Urban Greening Group |
https://www.bunbury.wa.gov.au/live/environmentandsustainability/community-conservation-network |
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South West and Peel Coastal Management Group Inc. |
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South West Environment Centre Inc. |
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South-West Forest Defence Foundation Inc. |
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Southern DIRT |
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Southern Forest Community Landcare |
https://www.southernforestscommunitylandcare.org.au/what-we-do |
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Stewards of Katherine Chauhan Reserve |
https://www.bunbury.wa.gov.au/live/environmentandsustainability/community-conservation-network |
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Toby Inlet Catchment Group Inc. |
https://www.bunbury.wa.gov.au/live/environmentandsustainability/community-conservation-network |
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Transition Margaret River |
https://transitionaustralia.net/group/transition-margaret-river |
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Undalup Association Inc. |
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Walpole-Nornalup National Parks Association |
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Warren Ribbons of Blue |
https://www.southernforestscommunitylandcare.org.au/projects/ribbons-of-blue |
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Wilson Inlet Catchment Committee (Denmark) |
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Woolkabunning Kiaka Inc. |
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Yallingup Land Conservation District Committee |
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The South West region of Western Australia is covered by multiple different NRM regional bodies, each covering specific areas of the region.
The South West NRM is the peak environmental body for the South West, with their main aims to address climate change, biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation within the region through working in partnership with all relevant stakeholders. The area covers 4 million hectare and stretches from just north of Bunbury, through to the wheatbelt to Narrogin and Dumbleyung, then down to Walpole and back to the west coast.
All projects that are developed and funded come under the two main focus areas of environmental conservation and sustainable agriculture.
Based out of Albany, the region covers 8.6 million hectares and stretches along the coast from Walpole through to Cape Arid in the east. The area includes approximately 8000 hectares of islands and 1 million hectares of state waters.
The majority of the area covered is located within the Great Southern with the western portion being found within the South West of Western Australia. The group focuses on Sustainable Agriculture, protecting and preserving Threatened Species and restoring landscapes and ecosystems within the Fitzgerald National Parks and Stirling Ranges.
First Nations Land Management Activity Links
The South West Native Title Settlement recognizes the Noongar people as the traditional owners of the South West region, acknowledging their continuing cultural, spiritual, and social connections to the land.
Many Aboriginal cultural sites, including caves, ceremonial sites, and rock art, are located in the South West. These sites are protected under the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2021, and the new Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2021 offers enhanced protection.
The South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council is the lead body supporting the Regional Corporations across the state. In the South West region the Aboriginal Corporations with Indigenous Land Use Agreements include:
- Gnaala Karla Booja Aboriginal Corporation. The region encompasses the towns of Bunbury, Capel, Donnybrook, Balingup, Wickepin, Narrogin, Williams, Mundijong, Kwinana, Brookton, Pingelly, Wagin, Harvey, Collie, Pinjarra, Mandurah and Boddington.
- Karri Karrak Aboriginal Corporation. The Karri Karrak Aboriginal Corporation is the regional corporation for the South West Boojarah region
- Wagyl Kaip Southern Noongar Aboriginal Corporation. The Wagyl Kaip Southern Noongar agreement group region refers to the Ganeang, Goreng and Menang dialectals groups from the Great Southern area of Western Australia. Wagyl Kaip and Southern Noongar lays east of the South West Boojarah region and south of the Gnaala Karla Booja and Ballardong regions.
The Keeping Place Project provides an online geospatial cultural heritage management system for Indigenous groups, allowing them to store and access their cultural information. https://thekeepingplace.com/
First nations Ranger groups:
- Karri Karrak Ranger - works in the areas of the Donnelly and Blackwood Districts in partnership with DBCA.
- Gnaala Karla Booja Rangers – a dedicated sea and land program located within the South West. Engaging in invasive species management, ecological monitoring, community events, coastal erosion mapping and management.
Agricultural Activity
The South West region produces a diverse range of agricultural product including, fruit and vegetable crops, beef and sheep for food and fibre, dairy, extensive wine production and gourmet foods like black truffles, honey and specialty cheeses and chocolates. There are also grain crops in the eastern corridor where the South West adjoins the Great Southern and Wheatbelt regional ‘boundaries’. Freshwater aquaculture happens across the region and commercial fishing along the coast. Eco-tourism and adventure tourism feature increasingly across the region.
