Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions

𝗔 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 🔥 Perched 470 feet above sea level with breathtaking (and often intense) views, fire spotters spend up to 12 hours a day scanning the horizon for the first signs of smoke. Their work is critical to detecting fires early and protecting our communities, forests, and wildlife. Meet our fire tower spotter Melissa Jenkins and hear the highs and lows of her job from the top of her tower in Mt William, east of Yarloop including: ⏳ Weather reports, long days, lots of stairs and no bathrooms — it’s not a job for the faint-hearted! ⚡ Stories of lightning strikes leading to 16 fires around a single tower. 🔥 Witnessing fireballs leap 4 kilometres ahead of a blaze. 🦅 Sharing the sky with resident eagles, whose wingspans are a sight to behold. It's a challenging and rewarding role. Keeping watch over the land is a big responsibility, but as Melissa says, ‘the purpose make it all worth it.’ #FireSpotters #ParksAndWildlife #FireSafety #DBCA #DBCAConservation

🐢 Turtles are connecting kids to Country and Pilbara conservation 🐢 DBCA is working with schools and community organisations across the Pilbara to support access to remote Sea Country and marine turtle conservation experiences for Aboriginal young people. The partnerships between DBCA, Onslow School, Roebourne District High School and Waalitj Foundation are empowering Aboriginal young people and future conservation leaders, educating and engaging communities, and achieving long-term conservation goals for flatback turtle populations in the Pilbara. You can read more about these experiences in our recently published paper in Marine and Freshwater Research here: https://lnkd.in/gBQCtqrT

𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗯𝘂𝗺𝗽𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘁 – 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝗥𝗮𝗯𝗯𝗶𝘁 𝗛𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗶𝗻 𝗬𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗽 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲! 🌿 Major upgrades are now complete to enhance safety, accessibility, and the visitor experience at Rabbit Hill, the popular surf lookout and beach access point in 𝘓𝘦𝘦𝘶𝘸𝘪𝘯-𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦 𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘬. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝘄? 🚗 Parking capacity increased from 25 to 76 bays. 🚶 Improved two-way sealed access road and drainage. ♿ Accessible pathways to the new Rabbit Hill lookout and seating. 🌱 Careful environmental planning, with melaleuca tree conservation and new plantings planned for winter. 👉 Trailhead signage for the Cape to Cape Track. A huge thanks to the community for your patience while work was underway. Check out the transformation in our before and after photos! 📸 #LeeuwinNaturaliste #RabbitHill #WAAdventures #DBCA #AccessibleTourism

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 𝗗𝗕𝗖𝗔 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿! 🌟 Sue and Chris Lee have been recognised as the 2024 DBCA Volunteers of the Year for their outstanding contributions to the Bibbulmun Track Foundation. Sue and Chris played an integral role in supporting the 25th anniversary end-to-end walk of the Bibbulmun Track, dedicating their time to manage walker food drop boxes and coordinate event logistics—an effort that required extensive travel and organisation. Since joining the foundation in 2017, Sue and Chris have been unwavering in their commitment, guiding numerous day walks, overnight events, and multiday tours. Their dedication has helped countless walkers build confidence and enjoy the unique experience of the Bibbulmun Track. Thank you, Sue and Chris, for your efforts and for inspiring others to embrace WA’s incredible natural beauty 👏👏 #DBCA #VolunteersoftheYear #BibbulmunTrack

𝗔 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆 🌿   Thank you to the Wagyl Kaip Southern Noongar, Wudjari, and Mirning groups for helping shape the South Coast Marine Park’s future. After three years of consultation, we reached a significant milestone this week at Parliament House when Environment Minister Hon Reece Whitby MLA and DBCA Director General Stuart Smith attended a signing event with Traditional Owners to commemorate the creation of the new marine park. DBCA is proud to be collaborating with Traditional Owners, from the South Coast to the Kimberley, as we work together to protect and conserve Western Australia's incredible landscapes and seascapes.   #Conservation #Partnerships #TraditionalOwners #WA #Sustainability #DBCA

𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀 👏 We are extremely grateful for the more than 7000 Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions volunteers who collectively worked more than 800,0000 hours on more than 200 projects across WA in 2023-24. 🙏💚 To coincide with 𝙄𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙑𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙚𝙧 𝘿𝙖𝙮, DBCA is holding our annual Volunteer Awards later today, recognising some of our amazing volunteers in the categories of: ⭐ Outstanding Service ⭐ Young Volunteer ⭐ Community Volunteer Group ⭐ Volunteer of the Year Long service awards will also be presented to the amazing volunteers who have accumulated more than 20 years of volunteer service. A huge thank you to all our volunteers. We couldn’t achieve what we do without your help. 𝙄𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙑𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙚𝙧 𝘿𝙖𝙮 is celebrated each year on 5 December to highlight the power of volunteering to strengthen communities and create positive change. 💪 📸 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘚𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮 𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘧 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘺𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘕𝘨𝘢𝘳𝘪 𝘊𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘴 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘬 📸 𝘍𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘑𝘰𝘩𝘯 𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘬 - 𝘝 𝘌𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩 📸 𝘊𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴

Last week, an out-of-control bushfire that started in the Shire of Dandaragan burnt through over 80,000 hectares between Cervantes and Nilgen. The bushfire remained at an Emergency Warning level for five days before firefighters were able to contain the blaze. A huge thank you to the Interagency Incident Management Team and the 200+ Parks and Wildlife Service and DFES staff, volunteer bushfire brigades, local government, private landholders and support organisations for their bravery and hard work as they battled through extremely challenging and intense fire conditions around the clock to save homes and lives. Our hearts go out to the communities and people who may have been affected. Thankfully, everyone is safe which is a testament to the community preparedness and resilience. There’s still a hot summer ahead so be prepared and keep up to date with the latest bushfire information at www.emergency.wa.gov.au

𝗔 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗮 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 👣 When Tony Wilton and his partner took over the 𝘒𝘢𝘭𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪 𝘚𝘬𝘺𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘊𝘢𝘧𝘦́, it seemed like a simple business opportunity. But for Tony, a descendant of the Nanda people, this was more than just a career move—it was a journey back to his roots and a deeper connection to Country. On his first visit to the Skywalk, Tony was struck by the breathtaking landscapes and storyboards honouring his family’s history. Now, every day at the café is a chance to engage with his heritage, share the stories of his ancestors, and feel the spiritual connection to the land that holds such profound meaning. The nearby white chalk hills, significant to the Nanda people, hold memories of Tony’s grandparents and ancestors. “This place is just fantastic,” he says. “What the government has done here—incorporating our stories—is one of the best things I’ve ever seen. It’s hard to explain how overwhelming it feels to come back here. Some of us cry.” For Tony, the café is more than a place of work; it’s a space to honour his culture, connect with his past, and celebrate the beauty of Kalbarri National Park. 📽️ 𝘚𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦 𝘔𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘭 – 𝘋𝘉𝘊𝘈

𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 🌏 This month we hosted the 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘴 𝘈𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘴 and 𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘶𝘮 in Perth, which brought together representatives from all States, Territories and the Commonwealth, united by a commitment to protect and manage our precious natural environments. Discussions spanned key topics such as: ✅ Jurisdictional updates highlighting challenges and successes. ✅ Collaborative approaches to operational delivery, working with stakeholders, joint management partners, and the community. ✅ Governance strategies and policy development to enhance our collective impact. These events are a reminder of the power of collective knowledge and the passion that drives us to work to conserve Australia’s natural environment. Together we are charting a course toward a sustainable future for our natural spaces and places 🌏 Thank you to all the attendees and contributors who made this a success. #AustralianParks #Collaboration #Sustainability #Biodiversity #Conservation #DBCA

𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 🏵️ Today marks the beginning of the 𝟭𝟲 𝘿𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙒𝘼 campaign, a statewide initiative that encourages all Western Australians to take a stand against family and domestic violence. The campaign runs from 25 November which is the 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘋𝘢𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘌𝘭𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘝𝘪𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘈𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵 𝘞𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯, to 10 December, which is 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘏𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘙𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘋𝘢𝘺. Over these 16 days, we are all invited to raise awareness, educate ourselves and others, and advocate for meaningful change. Here at the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, we understand that creating safe, supportive environments—whether at work, in our parks and reserves, or within communities—is essential to fostering resilience and well-being. This campaign aligns with our commitment to inclusivity and respect, values that are integral to both people and nature. For our staff, this means workplace support and paid leave for those experiencing family and domestic violence. You will see the campaign’s symbolic colour orange, across communities and online platforms 🧡 Let this be a reminder that 𝘆𝗼𝘂 can take action, and 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲 🫶 For more information 👉 16days.wa.gov.au. 📷 Orange sands of Roebuck Bay in WA - 𝘛𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘮 𝘞𝘈