A hand-shake between Branch Manager Amy Beaton and Boyd Wykes in February 2020 seals the agreement for Augusta and Districts Community (Bendigo) Bank sponsorship of the Owl Friendly campaign Photo J Gherardi
PRIMARY SUPPORTER
Capes Foundation MRBTA
We thank the Capes Foundation of the Margaret River Busselton Tourism Association for providing enabling support for our campaign and research by:
- ‘auspicing’ our finances,
- contributing 50% share of profits from sales of Owl Friendly T-shirts and other themed merchandise at MRBTA outlets.
The Capes Foundation has also stepped in to maintain and develop the iconic Eagles Heritage Wildlife Centre as a premier raptor rehabilitation and education attraction, with promotion of wildlife friendly pest control a key message to thousands of locals and visitors to the region.
Eagles Heritage provides care and rehabilitation for injured, sick and orphaned raptors including owls.
FOUNDING SUPPORT
bendigo bank
We wish to acknowledge founding support for the Owl Friendly campaign provided in 2020 by a grant from Augusta & Districts Community Bank Branch of Bendigo Bank.
PARTNERS AND SUPPORTERS
Photo S Castan
Many regional organisations are backing the Owl Friendly campaign through promoting awareness and taking action within their areas of influence and responsibility.
Photo S Castan
Many regional organisations are backing the Owl Friendly campaign through promoting awareness and taking action within their areas of influence and responsibility.
Undalup Association
Through the Owl Friendly campaign to tackle rodenticide poisoning of our wildlife we are responding to an invitation by the Undalup Association of the Wadandi People to join with them in ‘Caring for Country’. As expressed in the Kaya (Welcome) on the Undalup website: “Kaya, Nala Maat Kaya Noonduk (Hello, Our Family Welcomes You) to Wadandi Boodja (Saltwater People’s Country). We all come together on Boodja (Country). Whilst on Wadandi Boodja, we ask that you respect the area and walk softly on the Boodja.”
The Masked Owl, known as Yornitj in the Dworden language of the Wadandi People, is a ‘spirit shape-changer’ of deep cultural importance.
Inspirational Wadandi Cultural Custodian Zac Webb, Elder Wayne Webb and Peter Lane with Owl Friendly’s Boyd Wykes promoting the message of wildlife-safe rodent control at Fair Harvest’s Festival of Forgotten Skills, 29 November 2020.
Nature Conservation Margaret River Region
Nature Conservation is supporting the campaign with prominent messaging and advice through its communication outlets of website, Facebook and newsletters. Owl Friendly rodent control is also a strong message in Nature Conservation’s Landowner Stewardship and primary school Our Patch and Adopt-a-Spot programs.
Who could ignore a plea from Echo the Barn Owl and raptor carer Nancy Tang to not use wildlife harmful brands of rodenticides? Certainly not several hundred Our Patch primary school children participating in Nature Conservation’s Bioblitz on the Margaret River foreshore 4 Nov 2020.
Melissa Rose d’ath, MRBN, promoting Owl Friendly at her artisan store
Melissa Rose d’ath, MRBN, promoting Owl Friendly at her artisan store
Transition’s karen majer with owl friend boyd wykes
Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions
The Western Australian Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions is supporting research into the extent of secondary poisoning of wildlife from rodenticides. At the regional level, wildlife officers manage and support the care of sick and injured wildlife by veterinarians and wildlife care volunteers.
The location of nest and roost trees of Masked Owl pairs have been lodged on the DBCA ‘NatureMap’ database as a basis for ensuring their protection in planning decisions
Augusta Margaret River Shire
In November 2020 the AMR Council voted unanimously to declare and promote the Shire as an “Owl Friendly” region. The Shire was already a partner in the Owl Friendly Margaret River Region initiative. Shire Health and Environment Officers have specified that contracted pest management is undertaken through ‘owl friendly’ means on its own premises and provide information to businesses on making responsible choices when meeting local government health standards for rodent control. Formal public endorsement by Council is a powerful means of getting our message out throughout our Shire and beyond.
The AMR Shire’s Health and Environment officers are providing information to businesses and households on making responsible choices when selecting rodenticides, as is the Shire in contracting pest management for its own premises.
Cinde Fisher, Board member of Owl Friendly sponsor Augusta and Districts Community Bank (Bendigo Bank) (right), presented the Shire’s Hero award to Deputy President Pauline McLeod at the ‘Locals helping local wildlife’ seminar in November 2020 at the HEART.
Prominent displays at the Margaret River and Augusta libraries in 2020 helped get the Owl Friendly message out to our community. Pictured (from right), Library staff Kerry and Claire
HEROES
Owl Friendly Heroes are organisations, businesses and individuals who are supporting the campaign by adopting (or requiring their pest control contractors to deliver) best practice rodent control and are willing to be recognised publicly for this leadership. Owl Friendly Heroes display a plaque and responsible rodent control advice at their public interface.
‘Owl Friendly Hero’ plaques featuring a beautiful Masked Owl painting by Tanya Edwards are presented to our Owl Friendly Heroes to recognise and promote their support fro the campaign.
First Owl Friendly ‘Heroes’ at the website launch at Lake Cave June 2020
Tara Finch and Ivy the Barn Owl educate while entertaining thousands of visitors each year to Eagles Heritage
eagles heritage wildlife centre
Eagles Heritage, operated for many years by the legendary Phil and Kathy Pain, is now being maintained and revitalised by the Capes Foundation of the Margaret River Busselton Tourism Association. The centre is best known for public displays and aviary exhibits that foster appreciation and understanding of birds of prey, underpinned by a strong conservation message. Behind the scenes, the centre’s three hectares of bushland hosts the largest collection of eagles, hawks, falcons and owls in Australia – injured and sick birds being rehabilitated for return to the wild and disabled birds which, due to the nature of their injuries, are unable to make a sufficient recovery for release, plus offspring bred in captivity.
A debilitated Masked Owl saved from attack by magpies in Riverslea in November 2020 flew off strongly after a week of ravenous feeding under care of Eagles Heritage’s Phil Pain.
Margaret River busselton tourism association
The MRBTA is supporting the Owl Friendly campaign through encouraging best rodent control practice by its membership and recruiting member businesses to be recognised as Heroes to promote the message to their customers. MRBTA is also an Owl Friendly ‘Hero’ in its own right through undertaking best practice rodent control on all of its own properties.
Owl Friendly t-shirts and a range of beautiful, jazzy jewellery and other owl inspired creations are being sold by the MRBTA at the Margaret River Visitor Centre, Eagles Heritage and cave attractions, to raise funds to enable continued promotion of wildlife friendly rodent control.
Witchcliffe Ecovillage founders Michelle Sheridan and Mike Hulme
witchcliffe ecovillage
In keeping with the world leading sustainability Witchcliffe Ecovillage enterprise, a by-law banning use of SGARs will ensure that the Ecovillage is a safe haven for wildlife, including the Masked Owls that have been heard hunting on the property.
Masked Owl fledglings found closeby to the Ecovillage in November 2020
Alex representing Voyager Estate proudly displays their Hero recognition plaque at the June 2020 Website launch
voyager estate
In line with a commitment to organic best practice viticulture and regenerative agriculture, Voyager Estate is committed to wildlife friendly rodent control, and passing the Owl Friendly message on to its many local visitors and those from further afield
Free Home Stay for vineyard rat catchers
A Barn Owl nest box was erected at a Voyager Estate workshop in June 2020 as a trial encouragement to Barn Owls as a means of controlling rodents around our region’s agricultural enterprises. Pictured are box builder Steve Fairbairn with the Voyager installation team of Steve James, Glen Ryan and Nathan Carabott.
Geraldine Clarke and Hannah Nicholls proudly displaying Mitre 10’s Hero plaque
Mitre 10 Margaret River
Ask at Mitre 10 for owl friendly rodent control!
Owners Lloyd and Anne Shepherdson have been supportive from the outset of our rodenticide campaign. Gardening guru Suzanne Anderson is a keen Owl Friendly citizen scientist but all staff at Mitre 10 Margaret River know which products to purchase if rodents are seeking shelter in your home.
Principal Wendy Roediger was presented with an Owl Friendly Hero plaque at an Owl Friendly seminar in Augusta in August 2020.
The Independent School
The Independent School is already a leader in conservation education on so many fronts including their Wadandi 6 seasons walk trail through their forest reserve. A talk to the Kindy class by Owl Friendly member Sam Hines naturally led to the school supporting the Owl Campaign as a Hero, and owls to be a class theme for the 2021 year.
Sam Hines, dubbed ‘The Owl Man’, was greeted by a parliament of owls when he revisited this owl friendly class.
Jodie Lane flanked by Owl Friend Karen Majer and Bendigo Bank Manager Amy Beaton
Fair Harvest
Jodie and Dorothy of Fair Harvest are leaders in sustainable practice and education in a myriad ways. Adding Owl Friendly Hero leadership to the list was a natural extension.
The message of wildlife-safe rodent control on display at Fair Harvest’s Festival of Forgotten Skills, 29 November 2020.
Committee member Bruce Hamilton accepting Lower Blackwood LCDC’s Hero plaque at the Augusta community seminar in August 2020
Lower Blackwood LCDC
The Lower Blackwood Land Conservation District Committee is leading by example in rodent management at its Kudardup offices and is powerfully placed to promote Owl Friendly awareness through its agricultural community membership and outreach into the Augusta community. Chair Tim Crimp has a special connection through having a pair of Masked Owls residing on his Rosaglen farm, often seen ratting around his sheds.
Director Gene Hardy accepted C2C Explorer’s Hero plaque at an annual MRCCI-Nature Conservation sundowner hosted at Surf Point Resort
Cape to Cape Explorers
Our rodenticide message will be heard far beyond our region through Cape to Cape Explorer Tours stepping out as an Owl Friendly Hero. Cape to Cape Explorer Tours has credibility through best rodent control practice at its Surf Point Resort accommodation and through its Cape to Cape Moveable Feast catering component as a basis for encouraging its large local and visiting clientele to follow suit.
Accepting the Hero plaque at the Augusta Owl Friendly community seminar was veterinarian Amy Forsythe, for whom wildlife care and rehabilitation is a passion.
Margaret River Vet Hospital
The team at Margaret River Vet Hospital and allied Augusta and Cowaramup clinics have always offered their services to care for wildlife in trouble, and were keen to extend this support by raising rodenticide awareness as an Owl Friendly Hero. Our program includes providing support for veterinarians, who are at the sharp end of rodent poisoning in dealing with poisoned wildlife as well as pets.
The Hairy Marron Cafe
Q. Both the Hairy Marron and Masked Owls are charismatic local wildlife under threat. What else do they have in common?
A. Paul Isles is bringing the plight of both to community attention through his popular Hairy Marron Café and off-road bike centre. Paul manages rodents in accordance with Health standards without using SGARs and strongly promotes the Owl Friendly message.
Margaret River Retreat
Ecotourism accredited Margaret River Retreat on the Bussell Highway at Forest Grove is an Owl Friendly Hero for responsibly managing rodents themselves and getting the message out to their guests. As soon as Nick (pictured) and Sonia Edwards heard about the Owl Friendly campaign, they got in contact to get on board.
Glenbrook Estate
Glenbrook has long been a haven for wildlife and guests staying in the eco retreat’s chalets and camping ground. Host Cherie Hindle, pictured with son Dan, is vigilant against foxes and cats in the retreat’s forest refuge but accepts that a local Masked Owl pair probably take the odd possum as well as rats and rabbits.
All of our region’s owls have been recorded at Glenbrook including this Owlet Nightjar spotted on the forest track.
Boyd presenting a Hero plaque to Principal Peter Howse
Cowaramup Primary School
When Boyd presented a Hero plaque to Cowaramup Primary at a Monday school assembly, there was no doubting the commitment of children, teachers and parents to ensure an owl friendly Cowaramup. For many years the school has been home to a pair of Tawny Frogmouths and many of the children experience owls in their own gardens.
Owl artwork by Cowaramup Primary Year 2 students
Montessori Primary School
After Boyd had the pleasure of visiting for book week to talk about our nocturnal birds, Montessori Primary was keen to sign up as an Owl Friendly Hero. With wildlife responsible rodent control in place and the message passed on through school newsletters, student Alex Fenton proudly accepted the school’s Hero plaque at the November Owl Friendly seminar.
A haunting oil pastel of a Barn Owl by Year 6 student Ylori Marshall, who has a keen interest in our native bird and wildlife including ringtails, quenda, birds and frogs in her own backyard.
Accepting a Hero plaque at the November Owl Friendly seminar were Brucey (left) and Kai.
Rapids Landing Primary School
Inspired by a book week presentation by Boyd on Margaret River’s owls for this year’s theme of ‘Curious Creatures, Wild Minds’, Principal Lisa Helenius was keen for Rapids Landing Primary to step up as an Owl Friendly Hero, ensuring responsible rodent control at the school and promoting the message to staff, students and their families.
Boyd giving a wide-eyed owl impersonation for his book week visit to Rapids Landing Primary
Bec Bolton received Discover Deadly’s Hero plaque at the WA Herpetology Christmas break-up at the park in December 2020
Discover Deadly
Discover Deadly is a highly influential Owl Friendly Hero that has never used poisons for managing rodents and has capacity to raise awareness of visitors already clearly interested in the region’s wildlife and natural environment.
Patrick Smith accepting his Hero plaque for display at Smithereens Café
Smithereens
Smithereens Café, nestled off the highway in Cowaramup, has an added reason for settling in to enjoy a peaceful breakfast or morning coffee – proprietor Patrick Smith is a proud ‘owl friendly’ hero, promoting his commitment to meet health responsibilities without using wildlife harmful rodenticides.
Nutrien Ag Solutions Margaret River
Where Ag solutions are also Wildlife solutions
In order to service the agricultural sector, Nutrien Ag Solutions Margaret River must have staff training and standards for dealing with poisons that unfortunately are not required by some other outlets that sell rodenticides that pose major risks to wildlife, pets and people. Pictured are Director Ken Wrigglesworth and Sally Allingham proudly accepting an owl Friendly Hero plaque from Dr Boyd Wykes to be displayed on a dedicated owl friendly product shelf at the Auger Way store.
What does success look like for Owl Friendly?
Chris Carlsen, Merchandise Manager, has provided heartening feedback that Couma blocks and Racumin paste are easily outselling the other products. The Couma blocks are especially important as they are used in outdoor bait stations where an ECU study has shown that a range of skinks, birds and marsupials access the box or feed on invertebrates as they leave the box, not to mention preying on the rats and mice for which the bait is intended.
Roo’s Leap Retreat
Spreading the owl friendly message in leaps and bounds
The Massie clan are promoting responsible rodenticide control to guests at their Roo’s Leap Retreat holiday accommodation, tucked into bush on the outskirts of Margaret River.
Karen Majer presented Andrea and Fraser with their hero plaque enveloped by one of several extraordinary Hope Perth murals that adorn the property. But these cannot compete with the real deal of the resident Kombegaar family.
Marmalade Witchy
Owl friendly heroes nurturing our community and environment
As if Darnell’s and the Ecovillage were not enough to warrant a visit to Witchcliffe, on Saturday through to Monday a must-stop-shop is the old CWA building, brought back to life as Marmalade Witchy to “grow, share and feed our community”.
In setting up a vibrant shop-front and commercial kitchen, Narelle Lukins and Mike Bloxsome are providing the means for “community access to produce and products which support community health whilst nurturing our environment and valuing those who attempt to find this balance within the constraints of our society.”
This is of course a perfect fit with our campaign and we welcome Marmalade Witchy as an Owl Friendly Hero, operating without harm to wildlife and promoting those values to the community.
COMMUNITY SUPPORT
A big thank-you to our many supporters in the Margaret River community (and across Australia) who donated a total of $3345 to a 2019 GoFundMe campaign for kick-starting the Owl Friendly campaign.
This base enabled the Rodenticide Action Group to produce awareness-raising Owl Friendly t-shirts, bumper stickers, information cards and posters.
Look for the bumper stickers with information cards on the counters of many supporting local retailers, available for a gold coin donation to cover costs.