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The Napier Catchment Group formed in July 1999 and is one of the groups that operate within the Napier King Land Conservation District area of the Oyster Harbour catchment (south of the Porongurups). The area that is serviced by the group covers the Lower Napier, Wycombe, Booth Road and Takenup sub-catchments. The main waterways in the area are the Napier Creek, the Little Napier Creek, Yellanup Creek, Takenup Creek and the Kalgan River.
As with most sub-catchments in the Oyster Harbour catchment, the catchment area has a high population, greatly variable soils, vegetation types and underlying hydrology and geology along with a variety of land uses. The issues identified by the group are just as variable and include: water quality, salinity, waterlogging, soil degradation, weeds, pest control, loss of biodiversity, lack of data regarding salinity and the long term survival of the group itself.
The group have developed 10 objectives that address each of these and other issues. To ensure that the group are addressing these and making steps towards achieving their objectives the group developed an Action Plan in 2000. The Action Plan highlights actions (activities), responsibilities, associated costs and source of funds, monitoring and timelines for implementation and is used to. This is a living document that guides group activity for the next 9 months when it will again be renewed. This in future may be linked to the developing catchment plan.
Since beginning, the group have had a number of field trips, catchment tours and information sessions. The group are also keen to keep surrounding areas informed of group activities and issues and do this through the production of the Napier Catchment Group Newsletter that is is produced quarterly and sent out to over 300 landholders.
One of the major projects currently being run by the group is the Napier Catchment Group Monitoring Project that began in late 1999. The project aims to monitor the salinity levels for 25 years in local waterways as well as bores, soaks and dams located on farms. The project also more broadly aims to increase awareness of water quality issues and provide a local water testing service to landholders within the Napier King Land Conservation District area. The project collects data twice yearly (generally March and November). Increasing interest in the project has led to the group recently purchasing a better analysis unit to ensure the results obtained are of a highest possible quality.
A more recently developed project that the group are working on is looking at the control of blackberry (Rubus fruticosus L. agg.) in waterways. Lengths of the catchments waterways are currently being surveyed to assess the level of infestation and decide the most appropriate method of control. To date there have been 2 days of control and from the results of the surveys there are many more the come.
While the catchment area itself has not attracted any large funding grants, a number of individual landholders have been able to access funds through the Oyster Harbour Catchment Group and the Gordon Reid Foundation for activities such as fencing and rehabilitating remnant vegetation and waterways.
The contact person for this group is Charmaine Hickman, phone 9844 3441. | 
