Qualen Reserve Talbot

A meeting was held at Qualen Reserve Talbot, on Sunday 20th September 2026 with members of the Talbot Brook Land Management Association (TBLMA). The group included members from the York Wildflower Society, the River Conservation Society, Friends of the Dale River Reserve and the Beverly River Care Group. 

The group heard about the current project ‘mapping the flora and fauna of Qualen Reserve’ and viewed the results of the restoration of the gravel quarry north end of the Reserve then undertook a wildflower walk to the south end of the Reserve where the 1910 Original Wandoo Posts and Jam Dropper fence has been restored.

Qualen Reserve is 49.89 hectares that has not been farmed so has some of the original Wandoo and York Gums plus a wide range of indigenous plants and wildflowers of the Talbot area. For many years the north end of the Reserve was a gravel quarry and then a rubbish dump for some people who were too lazy to go to the local York Tip some 20 km away.

In 2013 after gaining vestment of the Reserve from the York Shire, the TBLMA members undertook the clean-up of the dumped rubbish, construction of new boundary fences for the north, east and west boundaries with adjacent Landholders, along with the installation of an entrance gate off Qualen West Road. Signage was erected, as well as the ripping and the planting of 11,000 seedlings at the north end of Qualen Reserve where the gravel quarry was.

In 2023 TBLMA members celebrated with a public tour to view the results 10 years on of the original project also enjoying a tour of the wonderful range of wildflowers in the Reserve.

A major project for 2024-2025 has been the restoration of the south boundary fence that was not undertaken in the original 2013 project. The south boundary fence was restored to the original Wandoo Posts and Jam Droppers retaining a part of the history of the 1910 Reserve fencing.

The current project is mapping the Flora and Fauna of Qualen Reserve. Initial data recordings of birds in the Qualen Reserve show there is a wide range of birds that reside in the Reserve.  A Wildlife Motion camera will be used to document the animals in the Reserve. The aim is to protect and preserve this special habitat for future generations.

 

 

 

Geoff Williams receives Life Membership Award

On the 29^th March 2026 we acknowledged Geoff Willilams with a Talbot Brook Land Management Association (TBLMA) Life Membership Award for his dedication and service of over three decades of volunteer work within the local environment as a member and the Secretary of TBLMA.

In his “thank you” speech Geoff provided the group with an overview of the history of the Talbot Brook Land Management Association Inc. which was formed out of a meeting held at Tabot Hall in 1994 and incorporated on 14^th July 1995. The legal process was executed by Leigh Warnick pro bono. TBLMA initial management included David Breen, Laurie Fairclough, Bruce Acutt, Peter Brown, John Dawson and George Malkiewycz.

The 1990s was a period of popular and political support for responsible land management that became the Landcare movement. Both Federal and State governments and various charitable organisations offered support for Landcare organisations. This meant there was quite a lot of funding available to incorporated groups.

TBLMA accessed funding to provide fencing material, site ripping and seedlings for a range of projects. This generally required TBLMA to identify suitable properties, fill out complex funding applications in conjunction with the landowner, organise the purchase and delivery of fencing supplies. Build suitable native plant seedling lists, organise nurseries to germinate, grow and deliver the seedings to a suitable property by a date just prior to the proposed planting date. The nurseries used included those in Beverley, Brookton, Wongan Hills and Men of the Trees.

Planting days were initially supported by the State Government Department of Water & Rivers supplying shelters, planting equipment and some personnel. Twice Men of the Trees volunteers were organised and once a bus load of volunteers from Perth City Farms arrived with a DJ and big sound system on a 4x4 ute they and camped overnight in the Talbot Hall.

Planting days were organised well in advance and including the supply of morning tea on site, lunch at the Talbot Hall and a hot dinner at the hall. With up to 40 planters plus cooks and caters, these required considerable logistical planning. Some dinners were epic including farmer supplied dressed sheep for spit roasting, roast veg and on a couple occasion’s a chocolate fountain.

The annual plantings were generally a success but included a couple of failures. An early planting included the use of a Chatfield planter towed by a tractor. Both became very bogged and took considerable time and manpower to extricate. On another annual planting day in early August, it rained all day making for a cold wet planting team, but they struggled on and planted all of the supplied seedlings. The rain stopped the next day and there was no significant rain until Christmas, with massive seedling failure.

The smaller property owners were very supportive in supplying projects The support by the larger farmers in the district was in the main very good and were happy to supply large projects. These included on Davies, Brown, Luelf, Fairclough, and Emin properties. TBLMA completed projects on Talbot Brook, Horrins Brook, 6 Mile Creek, 16 Mile creek, Bland Brook and in many small tributaries. TBLMA also hosted a number of property walking tours including one long one with the then local member Max Trenorden.

TBLMA hosted a soil recognition course prior to a soil mapping workshop and an Acid sulphate soil workshop prior to a small planting program with sedges and reeds.

TBLMA won a State Landcare award in 2001

TBLMA’s most recent project has been the rehabilitation of the old gravel quarry on Qualen West Road.

Despite changing times, government and community priorities, as well as funding structures, there is still work for TBLMA to do in education and advocating for better soil and vegetation management, reduced pollution, for example against rubbish tips, and the clearing of remnant vegetation.

Geoff thanked TBLMA members for the award and his family for their support during his three decades of working within the local community.

Qualen Reserve
Restoration of the 1910 original Wandoo Post and Jam Dropper fence south boundary 2024-2025
 

2024 TBLMA life Membership Award - Colin Cable

On Sunday 24 November 2024 the Talbot Brook Land Management Association honoured Colin Cable with a Life Membership Award. 

Colin is acknowledged for over a decade of service and dedication to the local environment through his role as President of the Talbot Book Land Management Association where he has worked with local community members, farmers, community and government organisations on numerous revegetation projects.

In 1998 Colin was elected President of Talbot Brook Land Management Association Inc., in which he served in that position for a period of 10 years, working in partnership with Dept of Water, Avon Catchment Council, Swan River Trust, sourcing funding from Lottery West and Enviro fund in Canberra.

What began as a passion for the Environment, gave Colin a great insight into the need for further protection of the remaining critically endangered flora and Fauna in the Wheatbelt of our State, with a primary role of engaging and talking to the farming community on the importance of protecting their properties from salt and waterlogged areas. 

Colin has managed Re-Vegetation projects on farming properties and along tributaries that were connected indirectly to the Swan, Avon River systems, mainly to correct, and address waterlogging and the stabilisation of sediments along the banks of creek lines. 

Large areas were planted with native seedling stems which were native to the area, utilizing local volunteers, and Schools and Bush Ranger cadets from the Perth region. 

Colin was also involved in the Wheatbelt Natural Resource Organisation in Northam as a Director on the Board for 6 years. This was formally called the Avon Catchment Council. 

Colin was involved in a new Association during this time called Conserving Avon Riverine Environs (CARE) in which Colin served as Vice President for a period of three years, and President for three years. During this period CARE acted as an advocate for Volunteer Groups in the Wheatbelt region to give a better impetus for funding applications. 

Just as Colin had a passion for the environment he now has a passion for art showing paintings and drawings of Parrots, and birds, that are native to Australia.   

See website https://www.colincableartist.com 

Ten Year Anniversary 2013-2023

This year we celebrate the tenth year of the planting of the Qualen Road Reserve.

In 2013 we cleaned up the rubbish dumped at the Reserve and planted 11,000 seedlings to revegetate the quarry. 

Ten years on we celebrate the success.

2013 Community Helpers and TBLMA members

2021-2022 Community Plantings

During 2021-2022 a group of Talbot Brook Land Management Association  (TBLMA) Members and community members were involved over the two year period in projects managed by Wheatbelt NRM involving Talbot Brook rehabilitation as a part of the Healthy Environments  Avon Clean Waterways. 

Applications are called for Round Two at their website https://wbrnm.your2cents.com.au/wbrnmyour2centscomaucleanwaterways

2021 Community Planting Day

On Saturday 7th August 2021 under the threat of more rain, a group of Talbot community members came together at Angus and Louise Jones' property on Talbot Road to plant just over 3,500 seedlings in a degraded wet area of the property adjacent to Talbot Brook which runs through their property. The project is a part of the 'Avon Waterways' managed by the Wheatbelt NRM and the planting equipment was supplied by the Talbot Brook Land Management Association (TBLMA). 

WALN Members and Stakeholders Forum 2018 20 July - Invitation and request to promote to your networks

   
                Please visit our website to Register Now!
http://landcarewa.org.au/event/2018-waln-members-and-stakeholders-forum/

2017 Community Planting Day

With the threat of storms and heavy rain half a dozen dedicated TBLMA members planted just over 1000 seedlings and distributed wildflower seed bombs Saturday 29th July at Qualen Road Reserve. These plants were donated by Wheatbelt NRM and we thank them again for their support in 2017.