The Albanese Government is investing in the health of our urban waterways for native plants, animals, and local communities.
Today significant environmental restoration works will begin on 97 hectares of streambank vegetation along 9.5 kilometres of the King River Warracoolyup in Albany, Western Australia.
The $1.1 million initiative has been funded through the Albanese Government's Urban Rivers and Catchments Program, along with support from the Western Australian Government, the City of Albany, the Southern Aboriginal Corporation and local environmental group Oyster Harbour Catchment Group Incorporated, who will lead the project.
Minister for the Environment and Water, Murray Watt said nearly half of all nationally listed threatened animals and a quarter of threatened plants occur in urban areas. They share these areas with 96 percent of Australia's population.
"This restoration work along the King River Warracoolyup will enhance river health, improve biodiversity, and support long-term sustainability in the region," Minister Watt said.
"And the works will benefit a number of important threatened species that rely on the river and its streamside environments, including the rakali (Australia's native water rat), the endangered Carnaby's black cockatoo and the western ringtail possum.
"With input from the community, this project will target invasive plant management, install fencing to protect remnant native vegetation, as well as erosion control and revegetation.
"The Albanese Government is proud to support initiatives like this that restore habitat for native species and provide improved access to nature for local communities."
The lower reaches of the King River Warracoolyup and its mouth into Oyster Harbour are characterised by expanses of coastal saltmarsh, a threatened ecological community protected under national environment law.
Key threats to the area are loss of native vegetation due to land clearing, agricultural land use and urbanisation, as well as poor water quality due to excess nutrients and increasing salinity.