Recently the Department of Agriculture and Food W.A launched its Small land-holder Information Service (SLIS) website (www.agric.wa.gov.au/PC_92609.html).

It's a great source of information for small land holders and farmers on everything from owning live-stock (cattle, sheep, horses) to soils and pasture. Presented in an easy to under-stand language the PDF brochures can be downloaded and stored for future reference.

After working with small landholders for nearly eight years, this is the best source of information I have come across (Craig Carter)

There is information on

• Establishing wind breaks
• Chainsaws
• Fencing
• Soil testing
• Organics
• Irrigation
• Keeping chickens etc.

This information has been available for a while but now that it's online, it will be used by many more people. To down-load a PDF, just right click on the title and click "save target as". Then just choose somewhere to file it on your computer. You can also sign up to receive the free quarterly newsletter by joining online. Finally, check out the Fresh Food Link, a free service aimed at connecting smaller producers with suppliers, processors and markets. Great if you are looking for support for your business selling produce etc. You can contact the friendly team who are very happy to help small landholders get it right.

Craig Carter (T.C.G Project Officer)

With this edition of the newsletter we are including a catchment map. Hopefully this will be the first in a range of maps indicating different aspects of the catchment. The most noticeable part is the large yellow section: the Marbellup Brook sub-catchment Public Water Drinking Supply Area (PWDSA) with a designation of P2. There are also P1 and P3 rated areas, and some locations that are not assigned a rating (see the legend, right).

The Department of Water (responsible for the protection of public water supplies) indicates that P1 areas are typically declared over publicly owned land such as crown reserves or high pollution risk areas and these areas are designated to have the highest level of protection and land use should ensure there is no degradation of the water source.

P2 areas can permit low density and low risk development such as rural areas. P2 is managed so that there is no increased risk of pollution to the water source. While some development is allowable, land use that may be considered to be potentially polluting will be restricted in these areas as the protection of the water supply is a high priority. This would include intensive agriculture and industrial land uses.

P3 is designated where a water source supply needs to coexist with other land uses such as residential, commercial and light industrial developments. These areas are managed through a set of guidelines.

The Department of Water has prepared the Marbellup Brook Catchment Area Drinking Water Source Protection Plan (www.water.wa.gov.au/ publicationStore/first/74843.pdf) to guide management of this water source. While water is not currently harvested from the Brook, the department manages the catchment to protect the potential water supply. Enquiries to: the Water Department on 9842 5760

Register your interest now for the next Landholder Catchment Workshops planned for 2013. Topics include:

• Soil Health and Organic Farming

• Pasture Management

• Property Management for Horse and Small Animal Owners

If you have a topic for a community workshop contact Craig Carter Ph: 9845 8537 or [email protected]