Shire Launches Caring for Our Place Initiative

The Shire of Augusta Margaret River has today launched a new initiative, Caring for Our Place, which aims to encourage our community to work together with the Shire and take coordinated action in reducing our environmental footprint.  

Shire President Julia Meldrum said that feedback from the community indicated that we all care deeply for our environment and appear ready for the challenge to work together to reduce our environmental footprint. 

“In the beautiful words of Cultural Custodian, Wayne Webb – ‘Mother Earth is our most important resource. No matter culture or religion all of us rely on Nala Boodja, our country’ and I think this sentiment encapsulates it perfectly.” 

“The one thing that unifies us all is the beautiful place we call home and together, we must do everything within our power to care for it”. 

“The Shire is committed to facilitating, advocating and funding action on sustainable living including water, waste, renewable energy and other sustainable practices.”  

“But most importantly, we want to make meaningful changes towards protecting the Margaret River region,” said Julia. 

Over the next 12 months, the Shire will be sharing information on different key sustainable living practices which encourage our community to live in harmony with Nala Boodja, alongside some fun challenges and competitions through an initiative called, Caring for Our Place.  

The Shire is encouraging the community to observe and adapt to the changes within the seasons. 

“Often in our busy lives, we can get distracted and miss natures subtle cues. However, when we take the time to observe natures changes and tread lightly on country, we can start to live in greater harmony with our land and environment,” she said.   

“When it comes to living in harmony with the land and environment, we just need to look to the Wadandi and Pibelmen people (cultural custodians of South West WA) who have lived here since the land was soft and through generations of knowledge being passed on, have a deep connection to and understanding of what it means to care for country. This includes following an ancestral six season calendar, known as Six Seasons of Wadandi.” 

“For example, when the Wanajet (peppy flowers) start to fall, this signals that the Wadandi season of Birak is here, and means the rains are easing up.” 

“This is a timely reminder to us all that we should be preparing for summer and doing everything we can to start reducing our water use.” 

The Caring for Our Place initiative will also share information about what the Shire is doing behind the scenes as they work towards net zero emissions by 2030.  

The Shire is encouraging the community, local schools, businesses and community groups to get involved and share how they are Caring for Our Place on Facebook and tagging the Shire (@The Shire of Augusta Margaret River).  

To find out how you can reduce your environmental footprint, visit: https://www.amrshire.wa.gov.au/environment-and-sustainability/caring-for-our-place