Healthy Estuaries WA is a State Government commitment which focuses on improving the health of Estuaries in the south-west and south coast area of Western Australia.
Why estuaries?
More than 80 per cent of the Western Australian population lives around our estuaries, making them one of our most valuable environmental, economic and recreational assets. While there are 166 estuaries in Western Australia, it is the estuaries in the south-west of the State that are the most heavily impacted by housing, agriculture, industry and recreation.
Healthy Estuaries WA coordinates and implements common actions across at-risk estuaries, building regional capability, promoting whole-of-industry engagement, and strengthening cooperative networks to share resources and knowledge. The program includes work to reduce nutrient inputs from priority catchments, use the latest science to monitor and effectively manage waterways, and continue to build collaboration between community, scientists, government and industry.
Torbay catchment covers about 30,000 hectares, with most landholdings used primarily for beef farming. There are also a few specialty horticulture enterprises, several dairies and piggeries, and commercial tree plantations. Torbay Inlet and the surrounding lake system has a long history of algal blooms, fish kills and poor water quality. Threats to the health of Torbay waterways stem from the historical clearing of land for agricultural use and the significant alteration of the natural drainage system, which is now dependent on manual operation to control wetland water levels and mitigate flooding.
The Torbay Catchment Group has identified seven management themes in the community-developed Torbay Restoration Plan. Healthy Estuaries WA will partner in four of the seven management themes:
- Algal blooms and water quality
- Water quantity
- Farming systems
- Community education and communication.
The most effective way to do that is with the extension of the Sustainable Agriculture strategy – a partnership between government, farmers, community groups, and the fertiliser and dairy industries. Torbay catchment farmers will now be eligible for soil testing under the fertiliser management project to reduce nutrient runoff from farms while supporting farm productivity. Over the next four years, additional partnership projects will be identified in consultation with the Torbay Catchment Group.
Soil Testing Program
The soil testing program provides incentives for soil testing and agronomic advice. By participating in this program, you will develop the knowledge and confidence to tailor your fertiliser practices to match your desired level of productivity and soil test results.
Expressions of interest are now available for farmers in south-west WA to join the latest round of the soil testing and fertiliser management program. The program is a part of government-funded programs Healthy Estuaries WA and Soils-New Horizons, delivered in partnership with Torbay Catchment Group, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), and the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER).
Why Soil Test?
Soil testing has given more than 2000 growers control of their fertiliser decisions:
- cutting fertiliser costs
- keeping production high
- preventing nutrient losses
- correcting soil pH
You’ll receive:
- Soil sampling and chemical analysis of all eligible paddocks on your farm.
- Colour coded maps showing nutrient status and soil acidity for all eligible paddocks.
- Your results at a farmer workshop, assistance interpreting the results, and advice regarding soil and plant nutrition.
- One-on-one advice and a personalised fertiliser plan from an agronomist of your choice from the Healthy Estuaries WA panel.
- Plant tissue testing in spring 2026.
- An opportunity to join over 2000 farmers working to improve water quality in our local waterways and estuaries.
- Soil testing and additional advice and support valued over $5000.
For the first time, farmers who have previously participated in Healthy Estuaries WA can refer a friend to the program and in return, both farmers are eligible to receive a $100 discount on soil testing fees. That means new farmers that haven’t previously been involved can participate in a program worth over $5,000 for only $200.
Expressions of interest are open until 20 July 2025 and are open to grazing enterprises with at least 40 hectares of cleared, arable land.
For more information, please contact: Jemma Peters at nrmo@torbaycatchment.org.au or call 0408 693 461.
For more information and to apply head to https://estuaries.dwer.wa.gov.au/strategies/sustainable-agriculture/soil-testing/
This activity is a part of Healthy Estuaries WA and the Bindjareb Djilba Protection Plan, State Government programs; and Soils – New Horizons, a bilateral partnership agreement between the Australian Government and the State Government of WA (DPIRD).
Updates
May 2025
Soil Microscopy Course with EarthWhile Australia
Another amazing workshop held by Ellen from Earthwhile Australia. The community got the opportunity to take a deep dive into the workings of a microscope and how to set them up and use them properly.
Elleker Hall was at capacity and there was a buzz of excitement in the air as we learnt about and located these microscopic critters in the glass in front of us. Protozoa, Nematodes, fungi and bacteria are the basic microbial ecosystem that exists in the soil beneath our feet and each of those has a specific function in the soil and with the plants.
The Healthy Estuaries project has been so generous to gift us a microscope for the community to use, so if you are interested in looking at your own soil, up close and personal, please get in touch with Jemma Peters at nmro@torbaycatchment.org.au
Holistic Farm Management Planning Course by The Regenerative Institute
This 2-day workshop at Oranje Tractor was the beginning of a bigger and deeper journey into our relationship with the land and how to transition into a more regenerative agricultural system. The course covered everything from small scale water management, holistic planned grazing, how to cultivate a positive mind-set and ability to navigate changes and find solutions that work to the best of your abilities. The workshop was well attended by famers from across the south-west and its always a great experience to get in a group and learn together.
April 2025
We love learning about soil health with like-minded people!! It was a great day out with David Hardwick from Soil Land Food and the team from Healthy Estuaries WA.
In addition to the nutrient mapping results Healthy Estuaries WA participants recently received, additional tests of parameters that relate to soil health were done on our soil samples and were provided at this workshop.
We also learned more about how to measure, monitor and manage our soil health and received a free field soil assessment kit containing items that will help to assess and monitor soil health.
March 2025
Thanks to everyone who came to our Accu-Spread field day, where specialist Russell Nicholl provided a hands-on workshop demonstrating how to test and calibrate fertiliser spreading equipment.
we were joined by local farmers who had their spreaders calibrated, saving them from wasting fertiliser and money, and making sure the right amount of fertiliser gets evenly spread across the paddock. Thanks to Whole Farm Nutrient Mapping and Healthy Estuaries WA.
Publications and Resources
Below are links to useful publications and resources:
https://www.wa.gov.au/government/publications/water-quality-snapshot-yeerup-torbay-inlet-2023
https://www.wa.gov.au/government/publications/water-quality-snapshot-torbay-2021
https://www.museumofperth.com.au/lib-swanland
https://www.museumofperth.com.au/lib-swanland
Thanks to our Project Partners:
