Blackadder Woodbridge Catchment Group

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Blackadder Woodbridge Catchment Group

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Blackadder Woodbridge Catchment Group (BWCG) is a not for profit community group aiming to preserve and enhance the remnant habitat along the Blackadder and Woodbridge Creeks. BWCG hosts regular planting and weeding days involving schools, TAFE, Traditional Owners and other community groups to raise awareness about environmental issues. The objectives of the Blackadder/Woodbridge Catchment Group a

re to
• Maintain and improve water quality in the catchment
• Improve the management of remnant vegetation, and to plan and target revegetation in the catchment to benefit biodiversity and habitat and improve water quality.
• Protect our resources and environment through improved land management
• Increase awareness of catchment management in order to maintain and improve environmental qualities.
• Advocate environmentally sensitive planning by State and Local Governments.
• Protect the catchment and waterways through management and practices that balance Aboriginal heritage issues, recreation needs and accessibility.
• Promote environmental education in the catchment.
• Improve the ecosystems of the Blackadder Woodbridge catchment to ensure its sustainability.

19/04/2026

If you are able to attend, the more the better to help show the community's opposition to the proposed Data Centre on the bank of the Helena River in Hazelmere.

14/04/2026

This Ngwayir (Western Ringtail Possum) was recently spotted in a Melaleuca viminea tree in a backyard in Viveash. This species is critically endangered and is only found in the Southwest of WA. It was probably made homeless by the clearing of vegetation for the Rivermark development. Other species that were displaced by the development include a Rufous Tree Creeper, Tawny Frogmouths and a Kangaroo. There is a growing perception that the fauna surveys commissioned by property developers and approved by DWER and the EPA are hopelessly inadequate.

27/03/2026

We recently saw this Bagworm (moth from the family Psychidae) at one of our revegetation sites in Midland. These moths have a fascinating life cycle. After hatching from an egg the larvae start constructing a protective mobile shelter from silk and plant fragments. The design of the shelter is always the same, with interlocking sticks resembling a tiny log cabin. The larvae carry their shelters high into the canopy of Flooded Gum trees where they feed on the leaves. When they have eaten enough, they attach themselves to a stable structure and pupate inside the shelter. After pupation the male emerges with wings and flies off in search of a female. Female bagworms are usually wingless and remain in the shelter after pupation, emitting pheromones and waiting. If a male finds her she will lay eggs inside the case and die but the life cycle continues.

18/03/2026

You may have read in the local paper that there is a proposal to build a data centre on the bank of the Helena River in Hazelmere.
The proposed $630 million facility is the height of an 8 storey residential building and the noise from 64 evaporatively-cooled chillers running 24/7 will destroy the amenity of this environmentally and culturally sensitive area.
The proposed facility will consume massive amounts of electricity and water. Total electricity consumption per year would be approximately 1.1 TWh which is equivalent to a city of 150,000 residences.
Annual water consumption would be 84 million litres of potable water. 80 percent of water evaporates from the cooling towers leaving 17 million litres of waste water that is contaminated with minerals, toxic chemicals, heavy metals and PFAS. The reports don't specify what will happen to the waste water. There is a concern that it, along with 720L per day of sewage from staff at the facility, will be stored in underground tanks and then discharged into the Helena River during rainfall events that exceed 15mm. Helena River is a conservation category wetland and a registered Aboriginal Heritage site.
The proposal will result in the clearing of hundreds of mature trees. 18 of these have a diameter at breast height (DBH) of greater than 50cm. There are 6 very large old growth Flooded Gums (Eucalyptus rudis) and one old growth Paperbark (Melaleuca rhaphiophylla).
If constructed the data centre will bring no benefit for the local community. It will consume water and electricity that was meant for local residents, it will result in a loss of tree canopy and there is a concern it will pollute the the Helena and Swan Rivers.
The City of Swan has called for public comment via the Swan Engage website (https://swanengage.swan.wa.gov.au/da-62026-data-centre) The deadline is this Friday 20 March.

01/03/2026

Thanks to everyone who came along and picked up rubbish from Blackadder Creek this morning! We got about 5 cubic metres of rubbish from the creek bed, mostly plastic bags and bottles, glass bottles, cans, tyres, shopping trolleys, clothes, suitcases, ewaste, etc.

27/02/2026

In the last few days someone has used a chainsaw to cut down branches and trunks of Flooded Gum trees on the edge of Blackadder Wetland. This has caused a loss of habitat for native birds and insects, a loss of much needed shade and is a serious offence under the Environmental Protection Act - if caught individuals can be fined up to $250,000. If you see anybody using a chainsaw to damage native vegetation at the wetland report it to City of Swan rangers or to the Environment Watch hotline on 1300 784 782.

22/02/2026

Nidja Djeran boola kep koorliny (in the season commencing in April lots of rain comes). This will bring new life to the waterways and wetlands that dry up over summer. But it will also bring with it the rubbish that has gathered on roadsides and in stormwater drains all around the catchment, in particular plastic bags and bottles. If we don't pick it up it will end up in the Swan River and eventually the ocean. So we're hosting a Clean Up Australia Day event at Plunkett Park on the corner of Frederic Street and Flora Street in Midland on Sunday 1 March from 9-11am. For more info go to the CUAD website: https://register.cleanup.org.au/fundraisers/philcloran/blackadder-creek-cleanup

20/02/2026

We have seen lots of baby Dugites this week - wriggling on paths around the wetland and on the river foreshore. They are about 20cm long and have a distinctive black spot on their head. They are cute but are potentially deadly. Luckily they aren't aggressive and will not bite unless harrassed - if you see one keep your distance and make sure your dog doesn't get too close.

15/02/2026

Have you noticed the spectacular white blossom of the Marri trees?
Marri trees bloom during Nyungah season of Bunuru, which is usually the hottest season with low rainfall. The flowers provide an important food source for our insects and birds at this time of the year when most other native plants have finished flowering. The blossoms soaked in water were used to make a sweet drink by Aboriginal people. After the flowers are pollinated, Marri trees produce seedpods that attract many threatened Black Cockatoos that love feasting on the seeds. Marri trees support a myriad of native creatures by providing food, shelter and breeding sites. In a recent study* from Curtin University, 75 species of native bees were observed visiting Marri flowers and it was often the main, or only, plant species visited.
There are some majestic remnant Marri trees in our catchment and we have been planting Marri seedlings on our revegetation sites for many years, creating habitat for local wildlife, enjoying its spectacular blossom, observing life unfolding in and around these trees or simply enjoying being in its cooling shade on a hot summer day! If we can keep planting Marri trees and protect existing trees we can make a big difference for our local environment 💚

*Prendergast KS and Willers N. (2024) Paciﬁc Conservation Biology 30, PC24054

18/01/2026

Over the past year we have observed weedy Dock plants (Rumex sp.) significantly defoliated by hungry larvae of native sawfly Lophyrotoma analis. It was great to get help "weeding" these plants at our revegetation site at Spring Av Reserve in Middle Swan 😊 And finally we could get a glimpse of an adult female! We have not yet been lucky enough to see an adult male, which looks rather attractive with its highly branched antennae.

Address

Ray Marshall Park
Midland, WA
6056

Telephone

+61403924250

Website

http://bwcg.atspace.com/aboutus.html

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