News & Updates

Landholders from Byford to Leschenault have the chance to grab some free herbicide and learn how to tackle one of WA’s most damaging environmental weeds this July through a series of Arum Lily Blitz workshops hosted by Peel Harvey Biosecurity Group (PHBG). Featuring guest presenter Ben Howell from Green Room Conservation, the workshops will provide practical, best-practice advice on managing arum lily on private property. Also known as death lily, arum lily is a declared weed that invades wetlands, waterways, bushland and agricultural land throughout the region. Dense infestations can smother native vegetation and reduce habitat for wildlife. The plant is also toxic to livestock, pets and people, as every part contains calcium oxalate. PHBG Executive Officer Rachel Rand said winter offered the best opportunity for communities to work together against the weed. "The more arum lily we control this season, the fewer plants we'll be dealing with next year," Ms Rand said. ...

Residents across the Peel-Harvey region are being invited to once again have their say on local biosecurity issues, with Peel Harvey Biosecurity Group (PHBG) opening its biennial community survey. Now in its second round, the survey builds on previous community feedback and will help guide the direction of biosecurity services across the region over the next two years. Key issues in Peel-Harvey include foxes, rabbits, wild pigs and invasive weeds such as cottonbush and Cape tulip. PHBG Communications Officer Suzie Winterton said the survey is key to tracking community awareness and ensuring services continue to meet changing needs.  "This is the second time we've run this survey, which means we can start to see how community understanding and priorities shift over time," she said.  "Biosecurity isn't just a farming issue - it affects everyone, from people living in our more urban spaces to large rural landholders. This survey will help us focus our efforts where ...

Students at Mundijong Primary School have taken action to support local wildlife after learning about the challenges facing Western Australia’s iconic black cockatoos. During Term 1 this year, 28 Year 6 students used Peel Harvey Biosecurity Group’s (PHBG) Black Cockatoo Resource Box to learn about the threats facing our iconic and endangered local black cockatoo species, including habitat loss and competition for nesting hollows. Inspired by what they learned, the students organised a school fundraiser to contribute to local conservation efforts. By the end of March they had raised just over $400, which the students chose to donate to the Black Cockatoo Project run by local not-for-profit, Landcare SJ. PHBG commended the students for their initiative and enthusiasm in turning classroom learning into real-world action. “This is a really great example of young people turning what they learn at school into meaningful action,” said Ms Fran Lengeling, PHBG’s Learning and Engagement Coordin...

Recent changes to Western Australia’s Code of Practice for Registered Pesticides have revised requirements for the safe use of restricted pesticides, including 1080, PAPP and strychnine. Peel Harvey Biosecurity Group (PHBG) is encouraging landholders to come along to an upcoming workshop to learn about their responsibilities under the revised Code. “The requirement is still for landholders to complete training, obtain the appropriate permits, and use registered pesticides correctly as part of coordinated pest control efforts,” said Teele Hooper-Worrell, Executive Officer for PHBG. Under Western Australian legislation, landholders must hold a Registered Pesticide Permit (RPP) to possess or use restricted pesticides such as 1080 (sodium fluoroacetate), PAPP (para-aminopropiophenone) and strychnine. The new Code has updated requirements for training, storage, transport and use of these products for private landholders. To support landholders who wish to obtain or renew a permit, PHBG will...

Twenty local landholders gathered last Saturday despite the heat to tackle one of Australia’s most costly invasive pests at a hands-on rabbit control workshop hosted by the Peel-Harvey Biosecurity Group (PHBG). The Practical Rabbit Control for Small Landholders workshop was held at a site with active rabbit warrens in North Dandalup. Participants learned to identify rabbit activity, mark burrow entrances, use a warren smoker, and set pindone bait stations correctly. PHBG Feral Animal Officer Lacey Ford was encouraged to see how many landholders took advantage of free bait station loan equipment at the workshops and said rabbit baiting could be a highly effective control method when used correctly. “It’s crucial to follow label instructions, and using bait stations to reduce off-target risk and coordinating efforts with neighbours can extend successful rabbit control across property lines,” she said. Ms Ford acknowledged that pesticide use can be controversial, but said that baiting is ...

  Peel-Harvey landholders are being asked to collect rabbit blood samples this summer, after new evidence suggests most local rabbits may now be immune to a key biocontrol tool, calicivirus. Testing by the Peel Harvey Biosecurity Group (PHBG) earlier this year found that two-thirds of sampled rabbits carried antibodies to one or both strains of calicivirus. That means a broad release of the virus would likely have little effect on rabbit numbers. PHBG Executive Officer Teele Hooper-Worrell said the group now needs a much larger pool of samples to identify where the virus could still make a difference when released late this summer. “Each year we plan staged calicivirus releases across the Peel-Harvey region,” she said. “The study we did last summer was small but showed high resistance levels. To achieve the most effective impact this season, we need more samples from more properties.” PHBG is calling on local shooters, whether landholders or professionals, to pick up a free ‘shoot...

Local not-for-profit Peel Harvey Biosecurity Group, has been awarded the 2025 Australian Biosecurity Award - Community. The awards, issued by the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, recognise and celebrate those who have shown a commitment to supporting and promoting Australia’s biosecurity and the systems that underpin it.  PHBG Executive Officer Teele Hooper-Worrell said she was proud of what the team had accomplished. “We’re a small team and our operational area is fairly unique - it’s heavily populated and has the full mix of properties, from rural to peri-urban to urban, from inland farms and lifestyle properties to smaller coastal blocks. It can be quite challenging to make sure we can stay in touch with, and deliver our services to, such a diverse community. This award recognises the impact our group has delivered since incorporation in 2014.” One of 14 recognised biosecurity groups in WA, PHBG helps landholders in their operational area...

Western Australia faces a growing threat from feral pigs, and a free upcoming workshop will help landholders rein in this destructive and expensive pest.  Feral pigs cost Australia more than $100 million a year in animal predation and environmental damage across all kinds of landscapes. The animals aren’t just a rural problem. Their rooting and wallowing erode soil, pollute waterways, and damage riverbanks. An opportunistic omnivore, feral pigs will also hunt, kill and eat small or vulnerable animals, which only compounds the threat they pose to pets, livestock and landscapes through disease.  Local not-for-profit Peel Harvey Biosecurity Group (PHBG) is urging private landholders to take part in coordinated control efforts to help curb the population. The group is inviting landholders to a free workshop on October 16 that will cover best-practice control techniques and practical, on-ground management. “Pigs can breed prolifically, meaning that ad hoc shooting as a control meth...

Bookings are now open for Peel Harvey Biosecurity Group’s popular school holiday programs as part of the Pesky Pests initiative— an informative, fun and interactive experience for children as they get hands-on with the science of biosecurity.  Offered free of charge to community organisations in the City of Mandurah, Shire of Serpentine-Jarrahdale, Shire of Harvey, Shire of Waroona, and Shire of Murray, the programs run for sixty to ninety minutes and are tailored for a wide age range.  During school holiday programs, kids will explore the native animals and invasive pests found in the Peel-Harvey region, get involved in hands-on activities, and learn about the importance of pest management, ecology, and biosecurity in their local environment in an age-appropriate way.  The parents of past participants have given this locally developed program rave reviews, with one saying, “A brilliant, informative session. Engaging for a lot of age groups and very well explained to youn...

Peel Harvey Biosecurity Group (PHBG) is calling on photographers of all ages and skill levels to take part in the 2025 'Protecting Your Patch' photo competition. Locals are invited to capture the unique beauty of the Peel-Harvey region and the effort put into protecting its biosecurity. The competition opens on 15 August and will close on 10 October, with winners to be announced in November. Entrants are encouraged to showcase the rich biodiversity of the area, from farmland, bush, or wetlands to backyard corners. Photos that show the actions taken to safeguard our environment from invasive weeds and pests are encouraged - participants might even capture the elusive fox and feral pig, or the less elusive feral rabbit.  Entries will be divided into two divisions: Open (16 and over) and Junior (under 16 years), and can be submitted via the PHBG website www.phbg.org or competition email photocomp@phbg.org. Entries will be judged by a panel comprising professional and experienced a...

  Landholders are used to keeping predators away from chickens, but one landholder is using his feathered friends to win the fight against foxes.  Brunswick landholder Mike Jack has caught four foxes in just a few months—without bait, carcasses, or his chooks going off the lay—thanks to the clever integration of a fox trap into his chicken coop. The trap, positioned directly beneath where the chickens roost, exploits foxes' natural behaviour.  “They sneak around the pen and lo and behold—there’s a nice hole in the side. They can’t help themselves,” said Mike. Mike built the chicken coop himself, making it fox-proof—impossible to dig under or break into—and fitted it with an automatic door so the chooks put themselves to bed each night. He further customised the coop to suit the trap by cutting a hole in the hen house just big enough for it and placed the bulk of the trap inside the house, with the mouth of the trap jutting out from the wall.  He also added star picke...

Peel Harvey Biosecurity Group (PHBG) is hosting a special screening of the ABC’s Eat the Invaders on March 6 . Join us and an expert panel in Pinjarra as we watch the rabbit episode and debate innovative, sustainable, and sometimes controversial solutions to managing invasive species. Rabbits, introduced to Australia in the 18th century, have become one of the nation’s most destructive pests. They decimate native vegetation, contribute to soil erosion, and outcompete local wildlife for resources. While rural Australia has long battled these pests, peri-urban areas—where urban sprawl meets the countryside—are becoming the new frontline. Limited control measures in these zones allow rabbits to flourish, creating challenges for conservationists, farmers, and homeowners alike. “Rabbits are slowly spreading across our peri-urban and urban areas,” says Teele Hooper-Worrell, Executive Officer of PHBG. “A small number of rabbits can become ecosystem architects, determining what native plants w...

Local landowners need to jump onto rabbit control this summer, says Peel Harvey Biosecurity Group (PHBG). In an effort to help locals battle Australia’s most costly pest, PHBG will host information sessions across the Peel-Harvey region in December. The sessions will provide landowners with practical guidance on effective rabbit control methods. PHBG Executive Officer Teele Hooper-Worrell said it’s essential that property owners understand how to control rabbits effectively, regardless of whether the property is a few acres or a productive farm. “Rabbits cause over $270 million in damage to agriculture every year, but that figure doesn’t capture the damage to our native ecosystems or the day-to-day impact on landholders,” said Teele. “Rabbits impact on landholders in a range of ways–they graze on crops, prevent native plants from regenerating, their warrens can make a paddock unusable or even undermine buildings. Just one or two rabbits can lead to long-lasting effects and should initi...