“The Waugal Story”

According to the Waugal story, Moore River represents a mythical site for West Australian Indigenous people. Since European settlement, the area has been used for recreational purposes and as early as 1907 cottages were established for holiday makers to rent for one shilling a week.

The Moore River Estuary and its surrounding bushland is a place of outstanding natural beauty and environmental significance which attracts numerous visitors each year. The estuary itself, with its naturally forming sandbar, is a popular recreational spot, as is the southern side of the estuary which possesses an array of significant natural features, such as the near pristine state of much of the remnant native vegetation. The Moore River Estuary and Bushland is significant for aesthetic, scientific, historical, cultural, social, educational, indigenous and tourism values, and plays a significant role in the lives of the people who live in the area.

“Threat’s To the River”

Moore River Estuary and Bushland currently face two separate threats, both of which result from the popularity of the area. The landscape is threatened by the visitors who enjoy recreational activities in the area, as these are having adverse effects on the fragile environment. Sand dunes are showing early signs of erosion as a result of pedestrian traffic and children’s ‘sand slides’ up and down the dunes where remnant vegetation is struggling to re-establish itself. The popularity of quad bikes and four wheel drives are also having adverse effects on the landscape. Thus the increasing pressures of tourism and recreation, although beneficial for the area economically, are playing their part in the destruction of this unique and valuable environment.

Of greater concern are the effects of urban sprawl and the property developers who, as a result of increasing demand for coastal residential properties close to Perth, regard the area as prime land for urban redevelopment. The Moore River Company owns 2,000 hectares on the south side of the river at Guilderton and has plans to release 500 lots to the market. Not only will this remove 2 000 hectares of natural bushland from the area but the addition of 13 000 people to a permanent population that is currently around 140, even over a long period of time, will have a dramatic impact on the remaining landscape and its associated flora and fauna.

Since being re-elected, the state Government has put out a proposal to modify a component of the Gingin Coast Structure Plan. If supported, this would see the area south of the river re-zoned from urban to rural therefore making the Moore River Company’s project most unlikely. The Friends of the Moore River Estuary, supports the re-zoning and would also like to see the land in question in public ownership, for example as a Regional Park. The Friends of the Moore River Estuary have identified other areas for housing near Guilderton which would not involve the clearing of any existing bushland and would still allow people to live near this unique environment without destroying it.

The state Government needs to listen to the wishes of the community and act on their behalf in supporting the retention of this area of bushland, by implementing a planning document that protects it into the future. Infrastructure to support the conservation of the Moore River Estuary and Bushland needs to be established. This could include re-zoning of the area as a Regional Park with appropriate measures taken to ensure the degradation of the land by visitors does not continue, such as signage, provision of walk trails and an educational resource centre.