The Busselton community came together on Thursday evening for a successful Revitalising Geographe Waterways (RGW) community science update, hosted by GeoCatch, highlighting the latest research, monitoring and collaborative efforts to improve the health of the internationally significant Vasse Wonnerup wetlands.
Held in Busselton, the evening featured three presenters who shared scientific insights, cultural context and local knowledge, alongside a presentation of the recently launched Vasse Wonnerup Wetlands digital Report Cards.
Adam Maskew, South West Regional Director and Chair of the Vasse Wonnerup Wetlands Partnership, said the event highlighted strong community interest in the future of the wetlands.
“It was great to see so many people engage with the science and hear directly from the experts working on the ground,” Mr Maskew said.
“Community understanding is an important part of improving the long-term health of the Vasse Wonnerup system.”
A meaningful Welcome to Country and cultural context
The event opened with a Welcome to Country from Zac Webb of the Undalup Association, a Traditional Custodian of the Wadandi people.
Zac provided an engaging introduction to the Wadandi region, sharing the cultural significance of the landscape and the traditional names for many places across the area. His presentation set the scene for the evening, grounding the scientific discussions in their cultural context.
Sharing the science behind the system
Dr Linda Kalnejais (Department of Water and Environmental Regulation) presented an overview of water quality in the Vasse Wonnerup wetlands, including the key drivers influencing conditions in the estuary.
The presentation outlined how the system’s natural characteristics — including shallow basins, limited ocean exchange, and a highly modified river network — make it particularly vulnerable to water quality issues such as algal blooms, low oxygen levels and fish kills.
Community members also heard about the significant amount of work underway across the catchment to reduce nutrient inputs, including soil testing, riparian fencing, dairy effluent upgrades and revegetation activities.
Encouragingly, long-term monitoring shows that management actions, including changes to surge barrier operations, have contributed to improved conditions in parts of the system, although balancing ecological outcomes remains complex.
Understanding ecosystem health through fish and invertebrates
The second presentation, delivered by Dr James Tweedley (Murdoch University), explored how fish and invertebrates can be used as indicators of estuary health.
Fish and benthic invertebrates respond to changes in water quality, oxygen levels and habitat conditions, making them valuable tools for understanding how the system is functioning.
Dr Tweedley highlighted the use of indices — such as recruitment and body condition indices for fish — to assess ecosystem condition over time. These approaches provide a more comprehensive picture of estuary health than water quality data alone.
Together, these monitoring efforts are helping scientists better understand how environmental changes and management actions are influencing the wetlands.
Vasse Wonnerup Report Cards now available
The event also showcased the Vasse Wonnerup Wetlands digital Report Cards, which were launched by Water Minister Don Punch last week and are now available on the RGW website.
Mr Maskew said the report cards bring together data on key components of the ecosystem — including water quality, black bream, aquatic plants and waterbirds — into a clear and accessible format for the community.
“Importantly, the report cards are designed to track trends over time, helping the community and decision-makers understand whether management actions are making a difference” he said.
“They will help keep the community informed and support evidence-based decision-making.”
A collaborative effort
The community science update reinforced the importance of collaboration across agencies, researchers, Traditional Custodians and the wider community.
The Vasse Wonnerup Wetlands Partnership — including DWER, Water Corporation, DBCA, DPIRD and the City of Busselton — continues to work together to balance water quality, ecological health and community values in the management of this unique system.
This work forms part of the State Government’s Healthy Estuaries WA and Revitalising Geographe Waterways programs, which support the ongoing protection and improvement of estuary health across Western Australia.