Nature Conservation Margaret River Region is inviting the community to come together for an evening of reflection, inspiration and river connection at the River Stewardship Sundowner and Movie Night, held this Wednesday, March 18 at the Margaret River HEART.
The event is part of the inaugural 2026 River Celebration Month, delivered through Nature Conservation’s Protect Wooditjup Bilya program celebrating the Margaret River’s deep cultural and environmental significance.
The sundowner will feature three expert speakers exploring the theme of river stewardship — how we “give voice” to the river through cultural custodianship, scientific understanding and community action. Bringing together different perspectives, the evening will encourage attendees to reflect on their own relationship with Wooditjup Bilya and what caring for this vital waterway looks like in practice.
An image from River. “The Loop” is located six miles above the Green River confluence in Canyonlands National Park, 50 miles downstream of Moab, Utah.
“The sundowner will explore the idea of river stewardship, and how this responsibility is shared, expressed, and experienced in different ways,” says Nature Conservation’s Protect Wooditjup Bilya officer Hannah Weir. “It’ll be a great chance for people to reflect on their own relationship with the river — culturally, scientifically, emotionally, and as community members — and to consider what stewardship looks like in practice.”
Following the speaker panel, guests will be treated to a full screening of the stunning documentary River, a powerful Australian film co-written, co-produced and directed by acclaimed filmmaker Jennifer Peedom.
Another image from the stunning documentary, River
River is narrated by Willem Dafoe and takes audiences on a breathtaking journey across the world’s great waterways, exploring the essential role rivers play in shaping landscapes, ecosystems and human civilization. Both majestic and fragile, the film offers an immersive lens into humanity’s enduring connection with rivers — and the urgent need to protect them.
“The screening of River offers a powerful, immersive lens — zooming out to the global significance of rivers, while grounding us again in the local context we’ve just been discussing,” Hannah says. “The intention is for people to leave feeling connected, reflective, and quietly motivated.”
A climber descends the “valley of silence” perched between Camp I and II at 22,000 ft. at the top of the Khumbu Icefall on Mt. Everest’s south side.
Tickets to the River Stewardship Sundowner and Movie Night are $15 for Nature Conservation members and $25 for non-members, including a free drink and canapes.
The sundowner is one of the final events in River Celebration Month, which has included community art workshops, an interactive river and land art trail, and cultural activities designed to strengthen community stewardship of Wooditjup Bilya. The celebration month will conclude with a Wooditjup Bilya Cultural Paddle on Sunday, March 22, guided by traditional owner Zac Webb from Undalup Association and co-hosted by Josh Palmateer from Margaret River Kayaks and Canoes.
River Celebration Month is an important part of Nature Conservation’s Protect Wooditjup Bilya project, a four-year program of research, on-ground works such as fencing and weed control, and community engagement.
“Wooditjup Bilya is a very special river,” Hannah says. “Through collaboration, research and community action, we can protect the biodiversity of the Margaret River catchment and empower people to actively care for this vital waterway.”
The program is funded by The Ian Potter Foundation and receives support from the Shire of Augusta Margaret River, Water Corporation, and generous philanthropic donors. The river and art trail project has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Festivals Australia program.
Grab your tickets and get involved at www.natureconservation.org.au/events/.