Bibbul Ngarma Aboriginal Association, Noongar Boodja, Perth (2026)

08/10/2026

🚨 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 Robinson Grove 𝐄𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐮𝐞.

It’s about broken promises made more than a decade ago, a river that has been neglected, and a community that has been let down.

⏮️ Rewind to 2011, when the land was rezoned for development. The landowner entered into a legal agreement with the State Government, promising to:

1. Restore the site’s large river foreshore reserve in 2 years.
2. Manage the restored foreshore for 25 years before handing it back to the State as public parkland.

At the time, the vision shared in Parliament by Planning Minister John Day was clear: a restored parkland where community could reconnect with the Mandoon Bilya (Helena River) through a network of nature trails.

⏭️ Now, more than 15 years later, development has proceeded without any of the promised restoration.

❌The foreshore is still choked with invasive w**ds.
❌ Cattle still graze on the site.
❌ The trails do not exist.
❌ The river is fenced off and inaccessible.

𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐲, 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧.

But wait, there’s more…The proposed expansion comes with a revised foreshore management plan that 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟐𝟓-𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐞.

The Shire of Mundaring did not share the FMP during the recent public consultation as it is not yet agreed by Government, even though it directly relates to the proposed expansion.

𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐧-𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬, 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐟𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 🤯

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We have repeatedly raised concerns with the Shire, who say this can all be dealt with later, at subdivision.

𝐈𝐟 𝐢𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐲𝐞𝐭, 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐟𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧??

The promises made by the landowner have been relied upon to make decisions about the site’s future:

✖️The Shire has repeatedly referred to them when approving the development, reassuring community that their concerns would be addressed.

✖️The EPA decided that it did not need to assess the development as the environmental risks would be managed through the commitments.

𝐘𝐞𝐭, 𝐚 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐤𝐞𝐩𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐮𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐥𝐲, 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐦 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 💔

This is not a small insignificant site. It is a large 67 hectare reserve containing the river channel, Kadina Brook and Elder Creek. It is an important Aboriginal heritage site and a critical interface between the Darling Range and Swan Coastal Plain. It DOES matter.

❓What happens when landowners do not keep promises made to underpin planning decisions?

❓How can anyone support developments knowing that prior commitments have not been met?

❓Who is holding developers accountable?

❓Who pays the ultimate price?

There are SO many similarities with the North Stoneville development that Save Perth Hills just fought and won:

✖️ Unresolved management of large public open space reserves
✖️ Satterley trying to defer major planning issues to the subdivision stage
✖️Community being left to hold major developers to account
✖️ The potential for long-term management and financial liability to fall to the Shire and its ratepayers

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Our 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐨𝐧 𝐁𝐢𝐥𝐲𝐚 𝐑𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐤 initiative is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to restore this river for future generations.

Robinson Grove is the only privately owned land in the Riverpark. It is critical to the success of the Riverpark.

𝐀𝐬 𝐚 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐰𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐜𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲.

It could all be at risk if this development is allowed to keep expanding while these issues are unresolved.

We have tried our best to resolve this over a long time but it feels like banging our head against a brick wall.

𝐍𝐨 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠.

We have reached out to Satterley through its planners, TBB Planning, to invite them to work together on the riverpark, to collaborate and share our resources to create an amazing legacy.

𝐖𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞.

We need government to stand with us and ensure that commitments made as part of development approvals are honoured before further expansion is approved.

𝐈𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭.

Landowners must keep the promises they make.

And our elected representatives need to stand up for community when it matters.

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🚨 𝐖𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐮𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭.

𝟏. 𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲 and ask them to refuse the Robinson Grove expansion until the outstanding commitments are met.

𝟐. 𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐥 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧 𝟏𝟑 𝐎𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫, when the decision will be made, and tell them that the river and these broken promises matter.

𝟑. 𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐏 Steve Catania MLA and share your concerns.

𝟒. 𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭.

This is about accountability and respect for a river and our community.

𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠.

Paige McNeil President Shire of Mundaring
Ben Heptinstall - Councillor - Shire of Mundaring South ward
Jo Cicchini - West Ward Councillor - Shire of Mundaring
Councillor Prapti Mehta, Shire of Mundaring
Dave Grills - Councillor - Shire of Mundaring East Ward
Whadjuk Aboriginal Corporation
Trillion Trees Australia
Lower Helena Association
Mundaring Residents & Ratepayers Progress Association
Nature Reserves Preservation Group 'Bush Carers'
Simon Cherriman

03/09/2026

𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗼𝗻 𝗕𝗶𝗹𝘆𝗮 𝗥𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗸: 𝗮 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟵❤️

We are so excited to announce that we have secured a $550,000 Lotterywest grant to transform the lower Mandoon Bilya (Helena River) into a thriving community, cultural and environmental asset.

The grant enables us to progress the 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗼𝗻 𝗕𝗶𝗹𝘆𝗮 𝗥𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗸, a flagship initiative of our 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗿𝗬𝘂𝗹-𝗕𝗮𝗵-𝗕𝗶𝗹𝘆𝗮 (𝗕𝗕𝗕) 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺, alongside a catchment-wide plan for the entire river system.

Envisioned as a living legacy for the 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟵 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗕𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆, the riverpark will support truth-telling, healing and cultural recognition while 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗿𝗯𝗮𝗿𝗹 𝗬𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗮𝗻 (𝗦𝘄𝗮𝗻 𝗥𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿) 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗞𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗮𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗮 (𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗽 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗛𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀) through a network of accessible green spaces, trails and restored habitat.

The Mandoon Bilya Riverpark will be 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗵'𝘀 𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘂𝗿𝗯𝗮𝗻 𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀, restoring a significant cultural and ecological corridor across the eastern metropolitan region.

The riverpark will deliver 𝗵𝘂𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 for our community:
🌱Restoration of more than 265 hectares of degraded foreshore.
💦Improved biodiversity, habitat connectivity and water quality.
🌳Expanded tree canopy, urban cooling and climate resilience.
🚲Recreation opportunities, trails and active transport routes.
❤️‍🩹 Improved community connection and wellbeing.
🎉Celebration and strengthening of culture and heritage.
💰New opportunities for education, tourism and employment.

⛔ Currently, the lower river is significantly impacted by extensive w**ds, degraded vegetation, eroded riverbanks, poor water quality and limited public access. In some areas, it is completely fenced off.

🐢🐟 Despite these challenges, it remains a resilient freshwater ecosystem that supports long-necked turtles, gilgies, endemic fish species and threatened Carter’s freshwater mussels.

The Lotterywest grant will enable development of a 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻, 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗖𝗮𝘀𝗲, providing a roadmap for restoration, revitalisation and investment, and creating new opportunities for people to connect with the river.

🌿 This planning builds on on-ground restoration work already underway by our 𝗕𝗕𝗕 𝗥𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀, who are working alongside the community to improve the health of the lower river through w**d control, revegetation and trail management.

🗺️ The grant will also support development of a 𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁-𝘄𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗼𝗻 𝗕𝗶𝗹𝘆𝗮 (𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗮 𝗥𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿) system, including the Darkin River, Beraking Brook, Nyaania Creek, Kadina Brook, Elder Creek and Wariin Brook.

♻️ Unlike traditional planning approaches, the catchment plan will bring together Noongar knowledge, contemporary science, community values, cultural heritage, recreation, community wellbeing and environmental restoration into a shared long-term vision for the river and its communities.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗶𝗴 𝗣𝗶𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲: We hope this work will establish a transferable and proven approach to community-led river restoration and catchment management that can be adapted and replicated in river systems across Australia.

We look forward to sharing this journey with you as we work together to create one of Perth's most significant urban river restoration projects ❤️

𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗲𝗱 for opportunities to be involved and provide your feedback to help shape our plan 👀👀👀

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𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱

Mandoon Bilya Riverpark extends 10 km along the Mandoon Bilya (Helena River) through Guildford, South Guildford, Woodbridge, Midland, Hazelmere, Bellevue, Koongamia and Helena Valley.

It is part of BNAA's BBB Program, a community-led initiative focused on healing Country through environmental restoration, cultural revitalisation, community connection and stewardship.

Planning will be guided by local community organisations, including Lower Helena Association and Trillion Trees Australia, and a multi-agency Steering Committee including the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (Parks and Wildlife Service, Western Australia), Department of Water and Environmental Regulation, Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage, Western Australian Planning Commission, Main Roads Western Australia, City of Swan and Shire of Mundaring.

The BBB Rangers are supported by the National Indigenous Australians Agency through the Indigenous Ranger Program. On-ground restoration is also supported by a DBCA Community Rivercare grant.

The riverpark is within the electorates of Midland (Steve Catania MLA), Belmont (Cassie Rowe MLA) and Forrestfield (Stephen Price MLA - Member for Forrestfield).

27/08/2026

We’re excited to announce that Bibbul Ngarma Aboriginal Association (BNAA) is Country Needs People’s newest partner! 🎉😎

Founded in 2022, BNAA is an Aboriginal-led environmental charity located in the Perth Hills on Whadjuk-Noongar Boodja. Through their BoorYul-Bah-Bilya (BBB) Program, BNAA are developing a new and transferable model of community-led river restoration and catchment management.

Their BBB Rangers team are working along waterways and in reserves, parks and forest across the Mandoon Bilya (Helena River) catchment to care for Country and support the development of the BBB model. They do this through land and water management, ecosystem restoration, biodiversity monitoring, environmental sampling, invasive species control, fire management, cultural mapping, community events and more.

With the BBB Ranger team only launching earlier this year, we are excited to work with Bibbul Ngarma Aboriginal Association and to see them continue to grow and do great work out on Country 👍🏽

Bibbul Ngarma Aboriginal Association

20/08/2026

Looking for an excuse to get away? 😎

Then look no further - the WA Landcare Network Inc Annual Gathering is happening soon and it’s going to be a lot of fun!

Held over 3 leisurely days in beautiful Toodyay, it will include:

🌸 A wildflower walk on Sunday lunchtime
🎶 Live music on Sunday afternoon
🗣️ Presentations and knowledge sharing on Monday
🌳 Site visits to Goguljar Bilya (Avon River) on Tuesday

This year’s theme is Freshwater Stories so expect to learn about incredible local work being done to care for waterways, restore rivers and manage catchments.

We’re excited to share how we’re developing a new community-led model of river restoration and catchment management through our BoorYul-Bah-Bilya program, including the moorditj work of our BBB Rangers on the Mandoon Bilya (Helena River).

We’re also looking forward to hearing from our friends at:
Noongar Kaartdijin Aboriginal Corporation
Wheatbelt Natural Resource Management Inc
Wildflower Society of Western Australia Inc.
Kit Prendergast
Beverley River Care Group
York River Conservation Society
Friends of the Dale River

You don’t need to be a WALN member to attend - just someone who wants to learn more about caring for waterways, connecting with passionate people, and spending a few days in the beautiful Avon Valley 😍

Full program: https://tinyurl.com/WALN-2026

Tickets: https://events.humanitix.com/2026-wa-landcare-network-annual-gathering-toodyay

Shire of Toodyay

17/08/2026

𝐇𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐇𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐝𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐝?

Just a few months ago, we shared Alcoa’s latest letter to Kalamunda MP Adam Hort MLA, which gave the impression that it would never operate in Mundaring or Kalamunda – a move that would finally protect 𝐌𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐖𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭.

But Alcoa has made misleading claims before, including its famous greenwashing case that was upheld by Ad Standards Australia, so it is difficult to take its assurances at face value.

If there will truly be "no drilling, no exploration and no mining in our part of the Perth Hills", as Adam stated, then surely Alcoa should have no hesitation in permanently removing Mundaring Weir catchment from its lease.

Right?

𝐖𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠.

The letter to Adam only rules out mining activities within the catchment until 2030.

While the wording may give the impression that the catchment will be protected until 2045, there is actually nothing to stop Alcoa including these areas in future mining plans after 2030.

Alcoa has repeatedly been asked by independent media outlet, Boiling Cold, whether it will permanently rule out operations in Mundaring Weir catchment beyond 2030.

𝐀𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐚 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

Our community has every reason to doubt that Alcoa's assurances are genuine.

Right now, we have strong leadership at both local and state levels. Our local MP Adam Hort, the Shire of Mundaring and the City of Kalamunda have all formally opposed Alcoa’s activities in Mundaring Weir catchment.

But without permanent safeguards, the catchment could easily be placed at risk again. A lot could happen between now and 2030.

𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐖𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐀𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐚’𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐞 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

Our community and elected representatives must stand strong to secure clear, enforceable and permanent commitments.

We are currently waiting for the EPA to publish its first-ever public review into Alcoa's operations after 60 years. At the same time, Alcoa wants to aggressively expand its mining in the world's only jarrah forest, including 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐩𝐢𝐩𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐦 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 .

No, we're not kidding.

𝐍𝐨𝐰, 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫, 𝐰𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬.

Mining is fundamentally incompatible with forest drinking water catchments. The risks are enormous and potentially irreversible, including PFAS contamination, rising salinity and reduction in our precious and dwindling water resources.

Dams like Mundaring, Serpentine and North/South Dandalup are critical public infrastructure. Together, they provide a third of our drinking water and store huge volumes of desalinated water for distribution across the southwest.

𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫.

𝐀𝐂𝐓 𝐍𝐎𝐖:
Contact your local government councillors and state and federal MPs and ask them to permanently protect Mundaring Weir catchment and all forest drinking water catchments in the southwest.

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫. 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬. 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞.
𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫.

WA Forest Alliance
Conservation Council of WA
The Wilderness Society WA
Jarrahdale Forest Protectors Inc
Peel Environmental Protection Alliance
Save Perth Hills
Save the Black Cockatoos
Nannas for Native Forests

27/07/2026

A letter from the US miner raised hope that the jarrah forest inland from Perth would escape its strip mining for bauxite, but Alcoa is keeping its options open.

Full article: https://www.boilingcold.com.au/alcoa-refuses-to-rule-out-mining-the-perth-hills/

10/07/2026

⛔ $5,000+ fine for illegal dumping on Mandoon Bilya ⛔

Illegal dumping of waste is a massive problem in Perth and our beautiful river is a major target.

We regularly come across all sorts....fridges, mattresses, motorbikes, drums, concrete, tyres, food, clothing, tiles, garden waste. It’s sad to see the disrespect to our community and Country.

This person was caught dumping waste on the Mandoon Bilya (Helena River) floodplain near Whiteman Rd in Midland/Hazelmere. Due to the environmental and cultural sensitivity of the land, as well as significant cleanup costs, they were fined over $5,000.

Our BBB Rangers are part of a new dedicated taskforce to tackle illegal dumping along the river, and are working closely with City of Swan, Parks and Wildlife Service, Western Australia, WAPC and DWER to:
• Remove dumped waste.
• Manage vehicle access to the floodplain.
• Identify offenders.

The BBB Rangers are also restoring the lower river - removing w**ds and rebuilding habitat through a DBCA Community Rivercare grant, and supporting local groups like Lower Helena Association and Trillion Trees Australia with landcare projects.

Looking ahead, we’re also working hard to create something much bigger – the Mandoon Bilya Riverpark - a continuous natural parkland linking the Derbarl Yerrigan (Swan River) to the Perth Hills. We have very exciting news to share on this very soon – stay tuned!

🚨 See illegal dumping?
• Report it via Environment Watch: https://environmentwatch.wa.gov.au/submit-report/
• Use the free Snap Send Solve app for local government reserves.

07/07/2026

Happy NAIDOC Week! 🖤💛❤️

This NAIDOC Week, we acknowledge our Elders and Old People who led the way over the past 50 years, and all the young people and future generations who will lead the way for the next 50 years.

Our BoorYul-Bah-Bilya program is all about healing Country, but it’s also about reconnecting people and sharing the love, stories and knowledge of Country that have passed down over generations.

As part of this, we are creating spaces where community can spend time on Country, particularly along our bilya (river) and waterways.

Recently, we commissioned local artist Daniel Iley to create four beautiful benches that tell the story of two very special places.

These benches have been installed along Mandoon Bilya (Helena River) and Nyarnyi Birrl (Nyaania Creek) to encourage people to pause, reflect and consider the Noongar stories of these places.

We’ve also installed dual-naming signage to share Noongar names for these places, as well as new access steps to make it safer and easier for people, especially our Elders, to spend time by the water.

These places are located in reserves within the Shire of Mundaring but we don't want to share the exact locations as we’d love for you to discover them for yourselves.

👀 Have you spotted them? If so, please share your photos in the comments - we’d love to see people enjoying these special places.

And stay tuned! We’ve also commissioned a deadly Noongar artist to create two artworks that tell Noongar stories of these places, and we can’t wait to share them with you soon.

Huge thanks to the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage who supported this work with a Preserve Protect and Promote our Aboriginal Sites grant.

25/06/2026

😍 Introducing…..the BoorYul-Bah-Bilya Rangers 😍

We are so proud of our moorditj Rangers team who are already doing a deadly job caring for and restoring the natural and cultural environment of the Mandoon Bilya (Helena River) catchment on Whadjuk Noongar Boodja.

Although the team only launched a couple of months ago, they’re already making huge contributions – from discovering the “locally-extinct” Balston’s Pygmy Perch to mapping our proposed Mandoon Bilya Riverpark, they hit the ground running, and we are SO proud of them and excited for everything they’re going to achieve 🥰

We’ve established stakeholder groups to share knowledge and ensure community remains at the heart of our work, and we’re collaborating with our friends, the Ballardong Aboriginal Corporation Rangers, to align our activities across the entire Mandoon catchment. The Rangers have also been working with local volunteer groups along the river, including helping the Lower Helena Association prepare for a recent planting event 🌱

Rangers activities include:
💧Land and water management
🌳Ecosystem restoration and conservation
🐗 W**d and feral animal control
🕷️Biosecurity and pest management
🦅Biodiversity monitoring and surveys
🔥Fire management
🗺️Cultural mapping
🌄Heritage site protection
🖤Cultural activities
👥Community events and education

The Rangers are working all across Mundaring, Kalamunda, Gooseberry Hill, Bickley Valley, Piesse Brook, Pickering Brook, Glen Forrest, Darlington, Boya, Koongamia, Helena Valley, Bushmead, Bellevue, Midland, Hazelmere, Woodbridge and Guildford, so keep your eye out for them in your local area👋🏽

The Rangers can also under fee-for-service work, including landcare, fire mitigation, education activities and community events, so get in touch if you’ve got an idea you think we could help with.

A huge THANK YOU to the National Indigenous Australians Agency whose support has made this all possible.

And big thanks to all our stakeholders, collaborators and community members who are helping us support the Rangers to do their job properly and proudly, including Trillion Trees Australia, City of Swan and Shire of Mundaring, who are sharing their facilities with us while we prepare to launch our new Ranger headquarters in Mundaring later this year.

📸 Emily Wilson Photography

Parks and Wildlife Service, Western Australia, Water Corporation, Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage, Department of Fire and Emergency Services WA, Country Needs People Echo Newspaper,

18/06/2026

🎉❤️ALCOA TO PERMANENTLY EXIT PERTH HILLS ❤️🎉

We are so relieved to hear that Alcoa has agreed to permanently exit the Perth Hills and Mundaring Weir drinking water catchment!!

A huge thank you to EVERYONE who stood strong to protect our community and Country, and most importantly, our drinking water.

Now more than ever, we need to stand together to protect ALL forest drinking water catchments, including Serpentine and North and South Dandalup.

These dams are CRITICAL water capture, storage and distribution infrastructure. They not only capture 30% of our drinking water through streamflow, but they also store enormous quantities of our desalinated water and enable its distribution all over Perth, Kalgoorlie and the southwest. We NEED these dams to be protected FOREVER.

Here's some key facts:

• Alcoa are mining in reservoir protection zones – areas so sensitive to contamination that public access is completely prohibited. No camping, walking or riding for us, but ongoing large-scale land clearing and excavation by Alcoa. It does not make sense.

• Alcoa want to build a pipeline to take our precious drinking water straight out of Serpentine dam for use in their mining operations.

• The state’s water provider, Water Corporation, has stated that if Alcoa’s high-risk mining continues, contamination of a drinking water dam is “certain”. Yet this advice was not incorporated into Alcoa’s operating conditions.

• The risks presented by strip mining in drinking water catchments are enormous and potentially irreversible, including contamination from PFAS and hydrocarbons, rising salinity, reduced streamflow, increased erosion and sedimentation, and disrupted groundwater recharge.

• While Alcoa has provided a $100 million financial assurance for emergency contamination response, Water Corporation is so concerned, that is has also raised replacing Serpentine Dam with a $1 billion desalination plant, underscoring both the scale of the risk and the potential cost to the public.

Our drinking water and forests are critical public assets. Decisions made now will have long-term consequences for environmental, cultural and community wellbeing.

At the same time, Alcoa’s social licence is rapidly collapsing - driven by unlawful forest clearing and licence breaches, disputed claims about rehabilitation, and rising community anger over destruction of the jarrah forest and risk to our drinking water catchments.

We are calling on the WA Government to ban mining within ALL forested drinking water catchments, including no further expansion and a phased withdrawal from existing areas, starting NOW.

If you want to add your voice, take two mins to send a few emails:

To the Premier:
[email protected]
To the Minister for Water:
[email protected]
To the Minister for Environment:
[email protected]

Your voice matters and together, we WILL make change that benefits us all 🌳💧❤️

BIG SHOUT OUT TO:

Shire of Mundaring, City of Kalamunda, City of Armadale, Paige McNeil President Shire of Mundaring, Mayor Margaret Thomas - City of Kalamunda, Mayor Ruth Butterfield - City of Armadale, Adam Hort MLA, Jess Beckerling, Echo Newspaper, Jarrahdale Forest Protectors Inc, Peel Environmental Protection Alliance, Dwellingup Discovery Forest, Locals for Environmental Action & Protection (LEAP), Noongar Kaartdijin Aboriginal Corporation, Winjan Aboriginal Corporation, Conservation Council of WA, The Wilderness Society WA, WA Forest Alliance, Doctors for the Environment Australia Julimar Conservation and Forest Alliance, Save the Black Cockatoos, Northam Environmental Hub, Susannah Wooroloo Catchment Group Inc., Dudjabup Nature & Wildlife, Lower Helena Association, Nannas for Native Forests, Urban Bushland Council WA Inc, Australian Conservation Foundation, BirdLife Western Australia
..and so many others who stood with us, including 59,000 Western Australians who made a public submission ❤️

👀👀 read the official letter in the comments!

Bibbul Ngarma Aboriginal Association

08/10/2026

03/09/2026

27/08/2026

20/08/2026

17/08/2026

27/07/2026

10/07/2026

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25/06/2026

18/06/2026

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