Protecting Wooditjup Bilya

Wooditjup Bilya (the Margaret River) is one of the healthiest rivers in WA’s South-West, but is facing threats on all fronts.

Wooditjup Bilya has comparatively good water quality, healthy fringing vegetation and unique aquatic fauna. But the health of the catchment and its resilience is under major pressure from population growth, recreational demands, invasive species and diminishing stream flow from climate change.

A collaborative effort

We work with indigenous Wadandi custodians, local and state government, community groups and schools to implement the Wooditjup Bilya Protection Strategy. It was developed after Nature Conservation set up a special collaborative group to share information, improve communications and coordinate management of the Margaret River.

Key actions

Some of the key outcomes so far include targeted on-ground weed control and planting along riparian zones, and boosting environmental conservation in sensitive areas. We also completed a Lower Margaret River Foreshore Reserve Action Plan for the river foreshore between the coast and the Margaret River town site to guide future decision making.

Meanwhile, our other programs all feed into and contribute to caring for the Margaret River – for example, working with school students to care for sections of the river and its banks; partnering with landholders to control weeds and runoff affecting the river; organising volunteer busy bees for weeding, brushing and planting throughout the catchment; and replanting riparian zones via our threatened species program. But more remains to be done to conserve the Margaret River, and we’re committed!

Locals becoming waterway warriors

Another key to conserving the Margaret River is to educate and inspire locals to be custodians of our waterways. Nature Conservation runs several events to put the spotlight on our special river.

One of them is our Sundowner Series, which featured the Margaret River and looked at some of the major wins for the waterway as well as the ongoing challenges including reduction in flow, introduced species, nutrient loads and pollution. It brought together locals who swim or paddle in the Margaret River, live or walk along its banks, or care about the waterway, to a special evening with guest speakers, the latest science, and an audience Q&A.

Friends of Wooditjup Bilya program

An exciting initiative aimed at caring for the Margaret River through a packed calendar of events to inspire and educate locals about our iconic waterway.

Each free Friends of the Wooditjup Bilya gathering includes a guided excursion and a busy bee where volunteers will tackle important revegetation or regeneration work. They’re held on the first Thursday of every month from 9.30am-12.30pm and everyone is welcome!

The monthly gatherings are a fantastic opportunity for locals to learn more about the Margaret River, hosted by cultural custodians, scientists or local experts.

Locals and visitors connect to the river in different ways, whether it’s walking along the trails, fishing, swimming, taking photos or just as a way of being in nature. Most feel a connection with the river, benefit from it, and can now play a role in protecting it as we work together along key sites of the Wooditjup Bilya foreshore to regenerate riparian vegetation, restore degraded banks, enhance existing habitats, tackle weeds and mitigate erosion.

Stay tuned to our Events page, Nature Conservation’s social media channels, or subscribe to our monthly newsletter for all the details.

Latest news on Conserving the Margaret River

Snake-necked turtle trackers wanted

Sep 25, 2025

It’s nesting season for the snake-necked turtle and Nature Conservation Margaret River Region is calling for volunteers to sign up as turtle trackers, helping to protect this vulnerable species in the Margaret River (Wooditjup Bilya). Through the turtle tracker...

River health in good hands

Sep 25, 2025

The Margaret River’s health is in good hands with new citizen science programs for locals to get involved in, and a new Nature Conservation Margaret River Region officer dedicated to the waterway. Hannah Weir has started with the region’s peak conservation group as...

Planting for Wooditjup Bilya

May 19, 2025

We're still on a high from Sunday's incredible community tree planting day, with 170 local legends, 1800 seedlings planted and almost 800m of the Margaret River or Wootijup Bilya on its way to be restored. It was one of the biggest volunteer community planting days...

Address

Community Resource Centre
33 Tunbridge Street
Margaret River WA 6285

Postal Address

PO Box 1749  Margaret River WA. 6285

Contact Us

Phone: (08) 9757 2202
Email: info@natureconservation.org.au