Bird experts are concerned a multi-million-dollar redevelopment of a harbour in Western Australia’s South West will disrupt the nesting of a vulnerable bird species.
The South West Development Commission (SWDC) is leading the Transforming Bunbury’s Waterfront project, which is updating coastal areas stretching from Koombana Bay to Casuarina Boat Harbour.
The next phase includes the construction of new breakwaters in the harbour, upgrading boat launching facilities and associated dredging works.
But some people are worried and believe the proposed location for one of the harbour’s breakwaters is in the same spot where fairy terns nested last season.
Fairy terns are WA’s smallest seabird and human disturbance is a major cause of failure at some colonies.
Birdwatcher Sue Kalab said the birds had been known to nest at a sandy beach outside of the harbour, but they were forced to relocate last season due to earthworks.
She said the fairy terns “intuitively” chose a vacant block within the Casuarina Boat Harbour, where they had a “very successful nesting colony” last summer.
“The WA Fairy Tern Conservation Network came down in early January and we banded nearly 40 chicks that evening,” she said.
Ms Kalab made a submission to the Environmental Protection Authority airing her “disappointment” with the redevelopment’s next phase.
“The breakwater is scheduled to go exactly on the site where the fairy terns set up their colony in the summer of 2022-23 and the earthworks will be terribly disruptive … it’s a big deterrent for the birds,” she said.
“I’ve tried to point [this] out to a couple of authorities, but it seems that the plan is still going to go ahead … so basically, the fairy terns lose out again.”
SWDC acting chief executive officer Ashley Clements said the project was working with Birdlife Bunbury to manage any nesting birds encountered in the area being developed.
“Strict protocols are in place for contractors around the management of nesting birds on site,” Mr Clements said.
