Background

Vision

The primary objective of FOAF Inc is to protect and enhance the natural environment of the Attadale Foreshore, which includes Class A Reserves and Marine Park and vegetation areas listed as of Priority 1 status by the Swan River Trust.

This part of the Swan River Estuary has enormous environmental significance, with conservation value in providing habitat for fauna, including populations of trans-equatorial wading birds protected under the treaties Australia has with other countries including Japan, Korea and China. It is under increasing urban pressures as more people are drawn to the area to live and to engage in passive and active recreation along the river foreshore and on the river itself.

Therefore FOAF encourages and supports local and wider community members in volunteering their time to work on various activities associated with rehabilitation projects. FOAF co-operates with local bodies and state planning and management authorities to facilitate the coexistence of both urban and natural environmental values of the Foreshore for the benefit of all users.

History

FOAF was formed from the campaign to move the jet-ski free-style area from Point Walter to the Narrows Bridge. The need to protect the foreshore Nature Reserve areas from intrusion for the protection and benefit of migratory and local wild life was highlighted during this campaign. The campaign commenced in 1999 and ran over two years.

Incorporation took place in 2001, with Lindsay Lloyd becoming the Chairperson of the group soon after. The decision was then made to work closely with CALM (now the Department of Environment and Conservation) to raise funds to install a protective fence along 1500 metres of designated Class A Nature Reserve on the foreshore - from Page Street to Haig Road.

After much campaigning and lobbying of City of Melville Councillors and a successful public meeting, the fence was installed in 2002.

Given the competing interests of community members, a compromise was reached allowing 300 metres of foreshore between Point Walter Reserve and Page Street as a dog beach. This remains outside the limits of the Alfred Cove Marine Park and Nature Reserve areas.

In 2002 FOAF won a Coast Care Award for the most outstanding coastal project in the metropolitan region, as a result of the installation of this fence and the rehabilitation work progressing on the foreshore area. Attadale Primary School students became involved in the project and remained involved in the annual planting of indigenous sedges for several years.

2003 saw the commencement of a Management Plan for the rehabilitation of the ABC Reserve. Working closely with the City of Melville, work commenced on this 2.2 hectare Reserve which runs parallel to the Foreshore Nature Reserve. Many volunteers were involved in planting activities, including students from both Santa Maria College and Attadale Primary School.

In 2004, FOAF campaigned successfully against the installation of a dog-training facility in an eleven-hectare area of open public space running adjacent to the Foreshore Nature Reserve and ABC Reserve. FOAF was also funded by SALP and Lotterywest for further rehabilitation of both the CALM- managed Reserve and the City of Melville-managed ABC Reserve, including the installation of a bush corridor of mostly hybrid native plants along 200 – 300 metres of Burke Drive road verge, parallel to the ABC Reserve. National Heritage funding was gained for the installation of two Osprey Towers at Point Waylen.

Such efforts were recognised when FOAF was a finalist in the 2005 WA Environmental Awards.

Since then, FOAF has continued to apply for and receive funding each year for continued rehabilitation through planting and ongoing weed control in the two areas; and the Swan River Trust has provided volunteer assistance as well as a marquee and refreshments in support of these projects.

The installation of final section of bush corridor on verge at Roberts Road junction with Burke Drive took place in October, 2008. This was funded by Lotterywest and the Melville Rotary Club in conjunction with the City of Melville.

In November 2009, after many years of dedicated leadership, Lindsay Lloyd resigned from the position of Chairperson, remaining, however, as a member of the FOAF Committee.

Under the chairpersonship of Catherine O’Neill, other long-term projects have followed, with the Blue Wren Project commencing in 2009 and the Osprey Project in 2010. Funding has also been sought for what will become known as the Native Duck Project, which will start in 2011.

At the recent AGM in October 2011, members elected a new Chair in Mike Nichol, Treasurer Paul Wang, supported by new committee members in Jan Heggart and former City of Melville Councillor Pam Neesham