It’s easy to keep our rivers healthy. Small changes to things you do in your home and your garden or while you are out and about enjoying the rivers can make a big difference to river health.
Check our Keeping our Rivers Healthy PDF brochure to find out how you can help.
Tips include:
- Wash your car on the lawn to keep detergents out of stormwater drains.
- Take your rubbish home with you when you’re out enjoying the rivers.
- Pick up your dog’s waste and put it in a bin or worm farm – it is full of nutrients that can feed algal blooms.
- Check with your local council where to dispose of paint, oil and chemicals - they can end up in the rivers if tipped down the drains.
- Use phosphorus-free detergents when washing clothes or dishes because phosphorus is one of the main nutrients that feed algal blooms.
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Gardening Tips
Keeping your garden beautiful while protecting our rivers is simple. By adopting the following water-wise and fertilise-wise principles and choosing from the wide range of WA local plants suitable for your area and soil type, you can save time and money while your garden grows.
Check our Grow Local Plants and Fertilise Wise pages to find out how to be a river-friendly gardener. Tips include:
- Only apply fertiliser when it’s needed in spring or early autumn, and never over water.
- Grow local native plants – they need less water and fertiliser, and attract native birds, lizards and insects.
- Compost your leaves and grass clippings so they never wash into drains and add nutrients to the rivers.
- Keep garden weeds away from drains - they may end up in rivers and overtake foreshore vegetation.
Call 1300 369 833 or visit www.greatgardens.info to attend a free Great Gardens workshop and learn about river-friendly gardening.
Visit a Sustainable Garden Centre for sustainable gardening advice and products.
