Situated on the south coast of Western Australia, the greater Torbay catchment covers approximately 45,000 hectares. It is located between the towns of Albany and Denmark and includes over a thousand landholdings. From Redmond in the north to the Southern Ocean, the catchment land use is predominantly agricultural, except for the south west and south east coastal areas which contain the West Cape Howe and Torndirrup National Parks. Located within a world recognised biodiversity hotspot, significant conservation values are found in the diverse habitats in this small area including numerous wetlands and creeks, natural bush and coastal habitats.

Catchment Facts

Catchment area45 000 hectares
Local governmentCity of Albany
Main waterways and water bodiesMarbellup Brook
Five Mile Creek
Seven Mile Creek
Unndiup Creek
Lake Powell
Manarup Lagoon
Torbay Inlet
ReservesLake Powell – “A” class nature reserve
Marbellup Nature Reserve
West Cape Howe National Park
Torndirrup National Park
Barrett Meadows Nature Reserve
Numerous reserves along the coastal strip
Land usesGrazing, predominantly beef cattle, some sheep
Dairy
Seed potato production
Vegetable growing
Vineyards
Silviculture
Rainfall800mm – 1000mm
ClimateMediterranean – warm dry summers, cool wet winters