Environmental Projects
Strategic Planning and Environment undertakes strategic town planning and environmental projects for the City and provides general environmental advice to all operations within the Council and the public.
- Strategic Planning and Environment
Establishes environmental priorities for native plants, coasts and soils.
- Greenhouse Reduction Initiatives
The Council has made a commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
- Stakehill Swamp Local Town Planning Scheme Amendment
Details on the current plan to rezone this area.
- The Rockingham Foreshore Strategy
Management of the coastline including the current Foreshore Policy.
Strategic Planning and Environment
Strategic Planning and Environment undertakes strategic town planning and environmental projects for the City and provides general environmental advice to all operations within the Council and the public.
State of Environment Reporting
Council is committed to ongoing State of Environment (SoE) Reporting and Environmental Action Plans (EAP). This type of reporting establishes the priority environmental issues within Rockingham, gives a measure of the state of the environment, the pressure that the issues are under, and provides an Action Plan for the City to address these issues. It is an important tool for assessing the City's progress on environmental issues and for establishing environmental priorities in the future. Council conducts a full review every 4 years and releases a Report Card in the interim period.
The SoE Reports are an informative and useful resource for people seeking information about the key elements of the environment in the Rockingham area. The key issues covered in the report are:
Inland Waters:
- Energy
- Bushland
- Noise
- Coastal Waters
- Coastal Foreshore
- Atmosphere
- Land Management
- Waste
- Heritage
The City has undertaken an interim review of the SoE Report and produced The State of Environment Report Card 2006/2007, this report was released in early 2008. Copies are available at the front counter at the City's Administration Building or alternatively you can download the document.
Download 2006/2007 State of Environment Report Card.
Greenhouse Reduction Initiatives
Council is a member of the Cities for Climate Protection (CCP) Campaign, which encourages local government to reduce corporate and community greenhouse gas emissions. In May 2005, Senator the Hon. Ian Campbell, Federal Minister for the Environment and Heritage awarded the City for its successful achievement to the CCP Plus Program.
Council focuses on reducing greenhouse gas emissions at both a corporate level and across the community.
At a corporate level, Council undertakes a number of measures to reduce its energy use, including the purchase of Earth Friendly power, the installation of Eco Lighting devices, Energy Audits, construction of an air heater at Safety Bay Library, installations of Aqualocs (water saving devices) and a photovoltaic (solar) array at the Warnbro Y Community Centre which converts sunlight to electricity. The City also has a TravelSmart Officer who works with the community and Corporate sectors to provide information, motivation and support to reduce reliance on cars while promoting walking, cycling and the use of public transport as a healthy alternative. Council contributes towards the Southern Metropolitan Regional Council and its focus is on reducing community greenhouse gas emissions. These include the "Green Houses" household energy reduction program and the "Living Smart" program, which was awarded the Australian Eureka Prize for Sustainability Education.
Council remains at the forefront of renewable energy technologies and supports Murdoch University's Structured Workplace Learning Program by engaging Renewable Energy Engineering Students to continue research initiatives for the Rockingham community. In April 2006, Council was awarded the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI’s) initiative of the month award for its unique partnership with Murdoch University and its dedication to reducing greenhouse gases.
Other websites providing information about Greenhouse Gases and ways to reduce emissions include the Sustainable Energy Development Office (SEDO) and the International Council for Local Environment Initiatives (ICLEI).
Bushland Conservation Strategies
Biodiversity protection is an important issue for Council. The ongoing implementation of Council's Local Biodiversity Strategy, the Greening Plan, the preparation of management plans and incentives to protect locally significant native vegetation on private landholdings are high priorities.
Council has now advertised four rounds of Biodiversity Grants for landowners. The grants have proved popular and Council is set to continue funding until 2008. To complement this program, Council joined the Swan Catchment Council's Wetland Watch Program. The grants provide funds to private landowners to implement measures (fencing, re-vegetation, etc) to protect bushland and wetland areas on their properties.
The Greening Plan identifies remnant vegetation and proposes a strategic network of green links or corridors across the City, where protection of existing vegetation or revegetation should be a priority. As part of the implementation of the Greening Plan, Council is undertaking a vegetation survey of its reserves containing native vegetation and is seeking to prioritise these reserves for the retention, protection and management.
Under its Local Biodiversity Strategy and local policies, Council continues to consider the protection of native vegetation through its ongoing assessment of development applications.
Council continues to liaise closely with State Government agencies to protect regionally significant vegetation across the City. The Rockingham Lakes Regional Park system protects large parts of the Rockingham area and the State Government's Bush Forever strategy sets aside regionally significant vegetation.
The recently completed Environmental Management Plan (EMP) for Bush Forever Site 369 at Doghill Road provides a management strategy for the protection of Bush Foerver as part of the future development of the surrounding land for Special Rural uses.
A copy of the Council’s Greening Plan and the EMP for Bush Forever Site 369 are available on this website. Also available is further information about Council's Biodiversity Grants.
You can also download the Greening Plan PDF and Bush Forever Site 369 PDF File.
More information about the Wetland Watch Program is available at the Swan Catchment Council’s website at www.swancatchmentcouncil.org. Further information about the Rockingham Lakes Regional Parks is available through the Department of Environment and Conservation at www.dec.wa.gov.au. Information about Bush Forever can be obtained through the Department for Planning and Infrastructure at www.dpi.wa.gov.au.
Stakehill Swamp Local Town Planning Scheme Amendment
Council has commenced studies to facilitate an Amendment to the City’s Town Planning Scheme to introduce Special Rural zone Planning Precinct 4B – Stakehill Swamp under the City’s Rural Land Strategy. This Amendment is associated with a Metropolitan Region Scheme (MRS) Amendment being undertaken by the Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC) to rezone Stakehill Swamp from Rural to Parks and Recreation Reserve.
Council appointed Belton Taylforth Planning & Environmental Consultants to undertake the local Scheme Amendment. Consultation has been ongoing with affected landowners and the consultants are undertaking the necessary studies and assessment to facilitate the Amendment process.
The Rockingham Foreshore Strategy
Council has undertaken a number of studies for the City's coastline to ensure the best possible management of foreshore areas and coastal waters. These have included regional studies for the entire coastline of the City to include more detailed studies and management plans focusing on specific beaches and foreshore areas.
The two key regional studies undertaken by Council are the Rockingham Foreshore Appraisal (1995) and the Rockingham Foreshore Strategy (2003). These studies considered the dynamic processes occurring at the coast and made a series of recommendations for sustainable use and management for the coastline. The studies divided the coastline into 11 Precincts and made recommendations for each which included prioritising their need for implementation. The studies are being progressively implemented.
The State Government also plays a significant role in managing the City's coastline while the Department of Environment and Conservation (formerly Conservation and Land Management - CALM) manage the Port Kennedy Scientific Park area (as part of the Rockingham Lakes Regional Park) and the Shoalwater Islands Marine Park which extend from Cape Peron south to Becher Point at Port Kennedy.
You can download the Online Rockingham Foreshore Strategy (2003).
More details about the Rockingham Lakes Regional Park and the Shoalwater Islands Marine Park is available on the Department of Environment and Conservation's website at www.dec.wa.gov.au.
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Waterfront Village
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Strategic Planning and Environment undertakes strategic town planning and environmental projects for the City and provides general environmental advice to all operations within the Council and the public.
Council is committed to ongoing State of Environment (SoE) Reporting and Environmental Action Plans (EAP). This type of reporting establishes the priority environmental issues within Rockingham, gives a measure of the state of the environment, the pressure that the issues are under, and provides an Action Plan for the City to address these issues. It is an important tool for assessing the City's progress on environmental issues and for establishing environmental priorities in the future. Council conducts a full review every 4 years and releases a Report Card in the interim period.
The SoE Reports are an informative and useful resource for people seeking information about the key elements of the environment in the Rockingham area. The key issues covered in the report are:
Inland Waters:
- Energy
- Bushland
- Noise
- Coastal Waters
- Coastal Foreshore
- Atmosphere
- Land Management
- Waste
- Heritage
The City has undertaken an interim review of the SoE Report and produced The State of Environment Report Card 2006/2007, this report was released in early 2008. Copies are available at the front counter at the City's Administration Building or alternatively you can download the document.
Download 2006/2007 State of Environment Report Card.
Council is a member of the Cities for Climate Protection (CCP) Campaign, which encourages local government to reduce corporate and community greenhouse gas emissions. In May 2005, Senator the Hon. Ian Campbell, Federal Minister for the Environment and Heritage awarded the City for its successful achievement to the CCP Plus Program.
Council focuses on reducing greenhouse gas emissions at both a corporate level and across the community.
At a corporate level, Council undertakes a number of measures to reduce its energy use, including the purchase of Earth Friendly power, the installation of Eco Lighting devices, Energy Audits, construction of an air heater at Safety Bay Library, installations of Aqualocs (water saving devices) and a photovoltaic (solar) array at the Warnbro Y Community Centre which converts sunlight to electricity. The City also has a TravelSmart Officer who works with the community and Corporate sectors to provide information, motivation and support to reduce reliance on cars while promoting walking, cycling and the use of public transport as a healthy alternative. Council contributes towards the Southern Metropolitan Regional Council and its focus is on reducing community greenhouse gas emissions. These include the "Green Houses" household energy reduction program and the "Living Smart" program, which was awarded the Australian Eureka Prize for Sustainability Education.
Council remains at the forefront of renewable energy technologies and supports Murdoch University's Structured Workplace Learning Program by engaging Renewable Energy Engineering Students to continue research initiatives for the Rockingham community. In April 2006, Council was awarded the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI’s) initiative of the month award for its unique partnership with Murdoch University and its dedication to reducing greenhouse gases.
Other websites providing information about Greenhouse Gases and ways to reduce emissions include the Sustainable Energy Development Office (SEDO) and the International Council for Local Environment Initiatives (ICLEI).
Biodiversity protection is an important issue for Council. The ongoing implementation of Council's Local Biodiversity Strategy, the Greening Plan, the preparation of management plans and incentives to protect locally significant native vegetation on private landholdings are high priorities.
Council has now advertised four rounds of Biodiversity Grants for landowners. The grants have proved popular and Council is set to continue funding until 2008. To complement this program, Council joined the Swan Catchment Council's Wetland Watch Program. The grants provide funds to private landowners to implement measures (fencing, re-vegetation, etc) to protect bushland and wetland areas on their properties.
The Greening Plan identifies remnant vegetation and proposes a strategic network of green links or corridors across the City, where protection of existing vegetation or revegetation should be a priority. As part of the implementation of the Greening Plan, Council is undertaking a vegetation survey of its reserves containing native vegetation and is seeking to prioritise these reserves for the retention, protection and management.
Under its Local Biodiversity Strategy and local policies, Council continues to consider the protection of native vegetation through its ongoing assessment of development applications.
Council continues to liaise closely with State Government agencies to protect regionally significant vegetation across the City. The Rockingham Lakes Regional Park system protects large parts of the Rockingham area and the State Government's Bush Forever strategy sets aside regionally significant vegetation.
The recently completed Environmental Management Plan (EMP) for Bush Forever Site 369 at Doghill Road provides a management strategy for the protection of Bush Foerver as part of the future development of the surrounding land for Special Rural uses.
A copy of the Council’s Greening Plan and the EMP for Bush Forever Site 369 are available on this website. Also available is further information about Council's Biodiversity Grants.
You can also download the Greening Plan PDF and Bush Forever Site 369 PDF File.
More information about the Wetland Watch Program is available at the Swan Catchment Council’s website at www.swancatchmentcouncil.org. Further information about the Rockingham Lakes Regional Parks is available through the Department of Environment and Conservation at www.dec.wa.gov.au. Information about Bush Forever can be obtained through the Department for Planning and Infrastructure at www.dpi.wa.gov.au.
Council has commenced studies to facilitate an Amendment to the City’s Town Planning Scheme to introduce Special Rural zone Planning Precinct 4B – Stakehill Swamp under the City’s Rural Land Strategy. This Amendment is associated with a Metropolitan Region Scheme (MRS) Amendment being undertaken by the Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC) to rezone Stakehill Swamp from Rural to Parks and Recreation Reserve.
Council appointed Belton Taylforth Planning & Environmental Consultants to undertake the local Scheme Amendment. Consultation has been ongoing with affected landowners and the consultants are undertaking the necessary studies and assessment to facilitate the Amendment process.
Council has undertaken a number of studies for the City's coastline to ensure the best possible management of foreshore areas and coastal waters. These have included regional studies for the entire coastline of the City to include more detailed studies and management plans focusing on specific beaches and foreshore areas.
The two key regional studies undertaken by Council are the Rockingham Foreshore Appraisal (1995) and the Rockingham Foreshore Strategy (2003). These studies considered the dynamic processes occurring at the coast and made a series of recommendations for sustainable use and management for the coastline. The studies divided the coastline into 11 Precincts and made recommendations for each which included prioritising their need for implementation. The studies are being progressively implemented.
The State Government also plays a significant role in managing the City's coastline while the Department of Environment and Conservation (formerly Conservation and Land Management - CALM) manage the Port Kennedy Scientific Park area (as part of the Rockingham Lakes Regional Park) and the Shoalwater Islands Marine Park which extend from Cape Peron south to Becher Point at Port Kennedy.
You can download the Online Rockingham Foreshore Strategy (2003).
More details about the Rockingham Lakes Regional Park and the Shoalwater Islands Marine Park is available on the Department of Environment and Conservation's website at www.dec.wa.gov.au.