Our mission is to increase community awareness of birds & their habitats; to protect & strengthen our natural environment; & to provide sanctuary for & grow our bird population for the benefit of current & future generations. OUR STORY:
2016: Advanced plans for a wave park to be built at Tompkins Park posed a very real threat to the natural environments of Alfred Cove, the Swan Estuary Marine Par
k and public open space.
2017: The vision of a Melville Bird Sanctuary was developed by the Alfred Cove Action Group (ACAG) Committee with assistance from SERAG, as they engaged with the local and wider community to inform and resist the building of a wave park at Tompkins Park. Late 2018: ACAG put a counter proposal of a Melville Bird Sanctuary instead of a wave park to an AGM of several 100s of City of Melville Electors at the Mt Pleasant Baptist Hall. Tom Lubin presented the MBS proposal accompanied by photos of local birdlife taken at Alfred Cove by renowned wildlife photographer Melissa Zapelli, which captured the attention and overwhelming approval of electors present at the meeting. Early 2019: A Conservation Council of WA/ACAG petition to the State Government for a Melville Bird Sanctuary instead of a wave park received 2542 signatures. The petition remained unpresented as it was overtaken by the following State Government decision:
March 2019: The State Government’s decision to not allow the Crown Land at the western edge of Tompkins Park to be used for the wave park development, resulted in the scrapping of the wave park at Tompkins Park. March 2020: Tom Lubin and Jenny Christenson co-founded the Friends of Melville Bird Sanctuary. With a new Mayor George Gear and several new Councillors in Melville Council, they again took up the cause of establishing the Melville Bird Sanctuary. October 2020: Melville Council approved inclusion of the Melville Bird Sanctuary in the Attadale Alfred Cove Foreshore Master Plan. In June 2023, the establishment of the Melville Bird Sanctuary was supported by the Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions (Swan River Trust) and Melville Council within defined boundaries (see below):
East Region: The Attadale Alfred Cove foreshore along the Swan Estuary Marine Park including the mudflats from Ness Road in Applecross to Page Street in Attadale and the Alfred Cove A-Class Nature Reserve; Pt Waylen peninsula up to the line of tall trees; the treed area (bushbird habitat) along Burke Drive between the end of Troy Park Oval and Haig Road along with the land between the foreshore and Burke Drive; the Crown Land at the western end of Tompkins Park foreshore. West Region: Point Walter Spit, Blackwall Reach Reserve and foreshore at Blackwall Reach Parade up to but not including Bicton Jetty. Please see our website at www.melbirdsanc.com for details.
