New way of exploring the natural wonders the South West launched at official opening of significant boardwalk

A new way of exploring the wonders of Bunbury’s natural environment has been launched alongside the official opening of the Mangrove Cove boardwalk. Parks and Wildlife launched a new ebook celebrating the culture, nature and beauty of the Kalgulup Regional Park last week, showcasing 3168ha of landscapes and ecosystems, stretching across the Leschenault Estuary and the Collie, Brunswick and Preston rivers in the Greater Bunbury area. The ebook was created by Lorna Charlton from the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions with photographs from renowned WA-based photographer Ian Brodie with the support of members of the Kalgulup Regional Park community advisory committee and Gnaala Karla Booja Aboriginal Corporation. Alongside the launch of the ebook was the official opening of Mangrove Cove’s 190m-long boardwalk, replacing the site’s 20-year-old walkway. Following the same footprint as the original, the new boardwalk winds through the outcrop of white mangroves in the Leschenault Inlet and adjoins a 820m dual-use pathway. Both are accessible to people using wheelchairs and prams. South West Minister Don Punch said the boardwalk is a “brilliant assert” for the community offering a truly unique experience to anyone exploring the region. “It’s just such a magical place, you go out there, in the middle of the mangroves and you could be anywhere, but you’re in a very special place here in Bunbury, where the city sort of fades from view,” he said. “Investing in these sorts of areas means that we’re improving the quality of life and opportunity for people today to experience the bush, and also making sure that it’s there for the next generation.” Ms Charlton said living in a digital age, the decision to make an ebook seemed obvious, engaging an audience with the stunning visuals, videos and audio elements. She said making the ebook a digital asset meant it would be able to reach a much wider audience, giving even more insight into the region’s biodiversity. “By doing the ebook, I can connect a call with the bird, so, that’s invaluable, because often you don’t see a bird, but you can hear it,” she said. “I want anyone in the community to be able to read it and enjoy it, and go back to it time and time again.” South West regional leader Parks and Visitor Services Kerstin Stender said the process to bring back the boardwalk was extensive, using floating barges to install new sections to minimise the impact on the surrounding mangroves. “These are the most southern mangroves that we have, they’re the white mangroves, so it’s very special to have them in this inlet area,” she said. “We have had some really positive feedback already from people, people loving it, people out there every day. “I see people scrolling and looking and looking at the new signs and hopefully soon we’ll see some people out with their iPads as well and the new ebooks so they can explore that.” The opening of the boardwalk and launch of the ebook come after the $5 million revamp of Maidens Reserve lookout walk opened last year. Environment Minister Matthew Swinbourn said the regional park had been a key part of the Plan for Our Parks initiative, with the State Government investing more than $10m to upgrade and improve the park in recent years. “The new ebook is a great way to showcase the park’s cultural and natural significance and will help more people discover and connect with this unique part of our State,” he said. The ebook can be viewed on the DBCA’s website.