News

A cyclone threat and forecast rain forced the cancellation of our March survey, however, members were able to conduct plant and bird surveys in early April instead. We were also lucky to garner some insights into bat species present in the Forest.

Portions of the PHS195 and PHS260 prescribed burns commenced last month and have hopefully concluded for the year. We are yet to get the exact area and total hectares that were burned; however, at this stage, it looks to be a smaller area than was thought. 

As they begin the next chapter of their lives in New South Wales, we would like to recognise Greg and Vicki Warburton’s legacy, which is defined by three decades of dedicated advocacy and on-the-ground work to conserve our wonderful local environment.

In an ecosystem where competition for shelter is fierce, tree and log hollows are a fundamental requirement for the survival of several threatened and iconic Western Australian species.

At the Shire meeting on the 7th May, JCAFA presented a formal proposal to the Shire of Toodyay to upgrade Julimar State Forest to National Park status.

It’s a familiar phrase across Australia: “our bush needs fire to survive.” But not all scientists agree. With controlled burns carried out across large parts of Julimar State Forest over the past week, it is a timely moment to take a closer look at that assumption.

The Banksia polycephala, commonly known as the Many-headed Dryandra, is a striking, bushy shrub endemic to the sandplains and woodlands of Western Australia. Found in Julimar State Forest, it is primarily found in the Northern Sandplains region of Western Australia, specifically in the area between New Norcia and Bindoon.

The Chuditch (Dasyurus geoffroii), or Western Quoll, is Western Australia’s largest carnivorous marsupial. Once inhabiting 70% of the Australian mainland, it is now largely restricted to the state’s southwest. Its presence in the Julimar State Forest represents a significant conservation success story.

We postponed the Native Bee survey in Julimar Forest, September last year, led by ecologist, Dr Kit Prendergast. We were relieved when Dr Kit said she would come back in October to continue the survey.

Alongside the Salmon Gum woodlands of Cocanarup, Julimar State Forest and the Bindoon Training Area are Western Australia’s primary Carnaby’s Black-cockatoo breeding grounds. On 22 January, a lightning-sparked bushfire devastated 172,000 hectares in Fitzgerald River National Park, destroying the critical Cocanarup habitat and threatening the species’ future.

We recently held our annual planning meeting and are more determined than ever to see Julimar State Forest managed as a National Park. Here is some of what’s on the horizon for 2026.

Motion-sensing cameras are essential tools allowing allow us to monitor species activity across remote areas, track population movements, and—most importantly—confirm the presence of rare animals without disturbing their natural habitats. The resulting data is crucial for future management decisions and securing the area’s rich biodiversity.

The Woylie, or Brush-tailed Bettong (Bettongia penicillata), is a small, nocturnal marsupial native to Western Australia, existing in fragmented populations, including a crucial wild colony within the Julimar State Forest region. Classified as critically endangered, the Woylie’s survival is an indicator of a healthy, functioning ecosystem.

Recently, we conducted a vital Black Cockatoo hollow survey with the the expert assistance of Adam Peck, previous Black-Cockatoo Project Coordinator at Birdlife Australia, focusing on conservation efforts, especially in light of the upcoming prescribed burns in Autumn.

The watercourses within the Julimar State Forest and their immediate surrounds are vital micro-habitat environments, fostering an increased diversity of fungi, flora, and fauna.

A massive thank you to our dedicated volunteers who attended the Native Bee Great Southern BioBlitz survey in Julimar State Forest, led by Dr. Kit Prendergast, the ‘Bee Babette.’ It wasn’t the only survey happening on the weekend, however.

When enjoying a bush walk in the Julimar Forest this spring with Armadale Wildflower group members, we were fortunate enough to have a WA Drosera enthusiast/expert with us. Thilo Krueger identified a number of Drosera, with a final count for the day reaching 16 different species!

Over 90 citizen scientists joined experts for a weekend of discovery in Julimar State Forest, recording over 360 species, including the Smooth Cage fungi, Velvet Worms, delicate Blood Orchids, and critically endangered Woylie.

As we eagerly await the WA Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) review document on the Gonneville project, Chalice Mining’s community survey results (conducted earlier this year) confirm a troubling trend: while the company’s exploration continues, local trust remains low, and public environmental concerns are intensifying.

We’ve found critical inaccuracies and significant concerns in the proposed prescribed burn plans for Julimar State Forest. The two planned burns, PHS260 and PHS195, cover a massive 7,528 hectares and must not proceed until DBCA addresses these issues.

Join us for a weekend of biological surveying in September’s Bioblitz in Julimar State Forest.

By the mid-20th century, the Julimar area, already impacted by decades of unregulated logging since the 1860s became the site of a significant industrial operation: tannin extraction. This production heavily relied on Wandoo logs from Julimar to produce up to 10 tonnes of “Myrtan” tannin daily, leading to further extensive logging.

The current policy of frequent prescribed burning in WA is based on refuted 2009 science, according to research from Dr. Philip Zylstra. This practice keeps the forest in a permanent state of regrowth, increasing bushfire risk and intensity. Frequent burns devastate local wildlife, pose serious human health risks from smoke haze, and that better outcomes could be achieved by adopting “good science” like Indigenous cool burning and prioritising early fire detection.

In the last two years we have had the wonderful opportunity to talk with our younger generations and hear what they perceive is happening in our natural environment.