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Over 70 percent of the original wetlands on the Swan coastal plain have
been lost as a direct result of human impact in the last 20 years. Wetlands have been
drained, filled, water flow into them redirected or dammed, sedges and trees and other
vegetation removed and replaced by introduced lawns or bitumen. This has contributed to
the rapid decline in healthy extensive wetlands in our coastal plain. In recent years,
the world community has recognised the value of wetlands. People have realised the
significance of wetlands in the ecological system. They are habitats for many forms of
flora and fauna including sedges, flowering plants, algae, fungi, birds, fish, mammals,
reptiles and invertebrates. They are valuable study areas for educational purposes, useful
for scientific research and are also used for outdoor recreation and leisure time
activities. Wetlands provide a water supply and a place of hydrological stability. The
sedges and reeds act as biological filters, filtering the water of nutrient build-up from
mans’ use of fertilisers, industrial waste and sewage.
In this report we will attempt to show the main changes and uses that have occurred to
our wetland and to the surrounding area where an extensive wetland system once existed.
We are grateful for the help received from the following services in our research:
Bunbury City Council, Parks and Recreation, Engineering Department; Bunbury Historical
Society; Bunbury Public Library; Department of Land Administration (DOLA) and the
Leschenault Inlet Management Authority. |
