A common brushtail possum sits on a tree branch at night, looking towards the camera.

Projects

Restoring Upper Yakamia Creek

Rows of plant seedlings in a nursery with a greenhouse and a line of trees in the background.
People in high-visibility vests working on the sandy bank of a pond.
A black cockatoo with outstretched wings flying outdoors over blurred green foliage.

About the Project

Yakamia Creek is a highly modified urban waterway running through the most developed catchment on the South Coast of Western Australia. Years of degradation have impacted not only its ecological health, but also the cultural, social, and recreational values it once provided.

In partnership with the Australian Government, the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation, and the City of Albany, South Coast NRM is leading a four-year project to restore important habitat and ecosystem function to the upper reach of the creek and reconnect the community with this important natural space.

We are creating living wetlands and living streams and re-establishing local native plant species.

In combination, this will:

  • Reconnect riparian vegetation and create habitat and food sources for threatened species like the western ringtail possum, Carnaby’s cockatoo, Baudin’s cockatoo, and the red-tailed black cockatoo.
  • Restore in stream vegetation to reduce temperatures and strip nutrients and sediment from runoff.
  • Enhance the quality and accessibility of green and blue spaces across the area, making them healthier and more enjoyable for the community.

We have already made significant progress, with restoration works commencing across all four of our priority sites.

At Whidby Street Basin, major earthworks and weed control have transformed the site and created the foundations for a new living wetland. More than 10,000 native seedlings were grown and planted with help from local suppliers and restoration contractors.

Downstream at Yaka Bilya/Broughton Street, weed control has been carried out beneath the impressive Nuytsia trees that are a feature of the park. The design for a new living wetland is now complete and earthworks will commence shortly, with revegetation to follow next year.

At Barnesby Drive, both Stage 1 and Stage 2 have undergone weed control. A new swale and spillway at Stage 2 will help slow and manage damaging stormwater runoff as it enters the creek. Almost 30,000 native seedlings are now in the ground with thousands more to come in 2027.

Together, these works will help create healthier habitat for our local wildlife, improve water quality flowing downstream to Oyster Harbour, and create greener, more connected spaces for the community to enjoy.

There’s still a lot of work ahead — and we can’t wait to see Yakamia Creek continue to change!

Help us

Get involved with

There will be opportunities for the community to participate in our ongoing on-ground works through fauna monitoring, planting days, and other restoration activities. Keep your eyes peeled on the South Coast NRM website and Facebook page for more details.

Please contact Justin Benson for more information about the project –  JustinBenson@southcoastnrm.com.au

This project is funded by the Australian Government’s Natural Heritage Trust under the Urban Rivers and Catchments Program, with financial and on-ground support from the City of Albany. This project is a part of Healthy Estuaries WA – a State Government program that aims to improve the health of our South West estuaries.

Logos of Australian Government, WA Government, South Coast NRM, Albany city, and Healthy Estuaries WA, left to right.