The CWBA is a recognised biosecurity group (RBGs) and has a key role in assisting landholders to control declared pests in the area of management. This area is currently defined, as Koorda, Perenjori, and Dalwallinu and Morawa which encompasses a full area of 21,901 square kilometres.
The CWBA encourages landholder and Shire involvement in a broad scale, coordinated approach for effective pest control, targeting wild dogs, red foxes, European rabbits and Feral Pigs as well as other declared pests seen as a priority for the group.
The CWBA will continue to assist landholders in the control of these species using funding raised by the declared pest rate in 2018. Additional funding will be sought to supplement the program from government and industry grant opportunities.
Aims and Objectives
- Develop, implement proactive strategies and report on the progress of reducing the effects of declared pests including but not limited to wild dogs, rabbits and foxes.
- To increase stakeholder participation and encourage landholders and the wider community to adopt sound biosecurity practices and provide members with a forum to exchange information, advice and assistance where appropriate.
- To implement best practice declared pest management on private and public lands in the area of management.
- The CWBA would welcome the opportunity to support declared pest management in adjacent shires and potentially amalgamate with other shires in the future allowing CWBA coordinated pest control over a broader area.
- Grow and engage management strategies to minimise future impacts on landholder properties.
- Apply best practice management on private and public lands.
- Boost landholder participation, both private and public.
- Observe, assess, and report on the progress concerning the reduction of impacts.
- Deliver practical and encouraging community consultation to broaden stakeholder awareness.
History
The Central Wheatbelt Biosecurity Association (CWBA) is the newly incorporated group formed in 2017 from the previous Central Wheatbelt Declared Species Group (CWDSG) servicing the Shires of Koorda, Dalwallinu and Perenjori. The CWDSG was formed by local landholders in 2012 in response to escalating dog attacks on livestock in the area. Bait racks were formed to target the worst affected areas.
The group managed to obtain funding and since then has worked hard with this funding to contract Licenced Pest Management Technicians (LPMT’s) to work on affected farms, pastoral land and crown land night and day to reduce stock attacks and losses. CWBA also runs bait rack days to produce free 1080 meat baits for landholders, as well as funding free rabbit bait mixing days to combat the feral pests which affect our land and livelihood.