The bird sanctuary will be largely symbolic for little fellows like this fairy tern who like to nest out on the Pt Walter spit.

MELVILLE council has officially established a bird sanctuary in Alfred Cove, a project that emerged out of the wave park debate.

At Tuesday’s meeting, the council adopted the boundaries for the park, with stage 1 covering most of the 200 hectares of the cove’s marine park and stage 2 to take in the Point Walter Spit, Blackwall Reach and the Bicton Foreshore.

Stage 2 is a relatively late addition to the project and council officers recommended delaying its implementation until more community engagement was undertaken, but an impassioned councillor Jane Edinger convinced her colleagues to declare the full sanctuary.

145 species

The sanctuary is largely a symbolic gesture to recognise the 145 species of birds that either call the area home or drop by on their international migratory routes, and its management won’t change much, according to a staff report.

But staff are working on a memorandum of understanding with the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions to help focus their conservation efforts.

There are also long-term plans for a discovery centre and cafe to be incorporated into the sanctuary, as well as more viewing platforms (there’s currently one which opened in December 2022) and Indigenous interpretive signage.

Friends of Melville Bird Sanctuary sent out a jubilant email to supporters after Tuesday’s meeting, thanking Cr Edinger and her colleague Margaret Sandford for supporting the project.

They’d been in the tranche of councillors who swept to power on the back of discontent about the proposed wave park in 2019, which the Friends feared would disturb the foreshore area.

“We our Member for Bicton, Lisa O’Malley MLA a debt of gratitude for being our supporter and encourager from day 1,” Friends stalwarts Tom Lubin and Jenny Christenson said in their email.

“It was Lisa who put us in touch with community leaders and elected representatives so we could bring to their attention the Melville Bird Sanctuary and win support.”

Restore

Speaking at a recent council briefing, Mr Lubin said that apart from helping protect the birdlife, the sanctuary had another important role.

“Nature has the capacity to restore and heal – to revitalise and renew our spirits,” Mr Lubin said.

“On our most recent walk, 27 people of all ages joined us, including children.

“At the conclusionof the our walks, people tellus they feel better, that they forget their worries during the walk and feel inspired by the beautiful views and the birdlife.”

Mr Lubin pointed to further rehabilitation and revegetation of grassed areas at Waylen Point and an area dubbed the Blue Wren Site, saying it would make an “amazing difference” and attract more bird species.

by STEVE GRANT