Society for Kimberley Indigenous Plants and Animals (SKIPA) was busy in 2025 celebrating the beauty, diversity, and ecological importance of Kimberley native plants with a variety of events. Earlier in the year SKIPA held their annual plant sale at the Broome Botanical Park. Grown by members at their own homes (in the absence of a central nursery) the plants sold out within one hour, showing the popularity of native plants and the growing appreciation of how native plant gardens contribute to biodiversity and conservation, reduce water usage, and create habitats for local wildlife.

Native garden enthusiasts among the swales listen to tips on harvesting water. Photo: Kylie Weatherall.

SKIPA also held their inaugural Kimberley Native Garden Open Day, exploring three very different gardens around Broome. With informative talks from each garden host, participant learnt about the successes and challenges of creating a native garden from scratch, how to introduce native plants to an established garden and how to harvest water on residential properties. While the gardens all had very different looks, a few ‘principles of success’ were common across all the gardens: mulch heavily, reticulate, keep on top of weeds, and provide plenty of sunshine.

The water-harvesting garden showed how to get the most out of the Kimberley's tropical downpours by retaining water on site without causing erosion or flooding. Tips included making vital initial observations to see where the water ran, where it pooled and where erosion could occur. This information can help the gardener plan how to redirect and capture the water through the construction of temporary watercourses, swales and mounds. Other tips included having porous driveways and paths (minimising hard surfaces), reducing evaporation through mulching, capturing rainwater in tanks and reusing grey water in gardens. With three delightfully different gardens to visit, the open day was an educational and inspiring morning for native-plant lovers, which SKIPA hopes to run again.

In between these events, busy bees were held at the Broome Botanical Park and at the new SKIPA/EK nursery. Generous grants from the Shire of Broome, the Foundation for Rural Regional Renewal, Horizon Power and the Water Corporation have all helped fund the construction of the nursery.

SKIPA greatly appreciates the support of all the funding bodies, as well as the tireless efforts of volunteers. We welcome everyone to get involved and learn about Kimberley plants and animals. If you'd like to find out more, visit our volunteer page here.

- Kylie Weatherall

Earlier this year The Kids Research Institute Australia came to Broome for the third year in a row to host a two-day STEM festival (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).

Students from Years 3–10 from eight different schools and communities participated in the event, with a variety of displays and experiments. Students could learn about UV radiation and sugary drinks, and have fun making DNA. Local organisations were invited to attend the festival with their own exhibitions, to show our Kimberley kids how much fun a career in science can be. Environs Kimberley staff Kylie Weatherall and Alex Gibson put on a Wetland Wonderland display, with a helping hand from volunteer Kim Frank-Koczwara.

Our own mini wetland. How many species can you spot?

First off, the students were taught about the great diversity of wetlands we have here in the Kimberley. Next was a water filtration experiment, where the students tested how effective wetlands are at absorbing excessive rainfall and filtering out surplus sediment. Listening to the beats of singing zoologist Lucas Millar, the students enjoyed a music video full of engaging and easily digestible wetland facts.

Kylie and Alex engaging the students in our wetland water filtration experiment.

Finally, EK created its very own wetland, with a range of species: Australian rainbowfish, our common friendly garden resident, the green tree frog, and plants such as lilies and sedge. Students were tasked with identifying the different species in our aquarium, to demonstrate how high biodiversity creates a healthy ecosystem. Over 670 students participated in the STEM event. We were thankful for this opportunity to engage, educate and inspire the budding scientists of our Kimberley community.

- Alex Gibson

Concerns are mounting in Broome about the threat to Scott Reef off the Kimberley coast from Woodside’s Browse Basin proposal for 50 oil and gas wells around the iconic marine biodiversity hotspot.

This morning a gathering of locals requested Kimberley Member of Parliament Divina D’Anna convey their concerns about the proposal to the WA Minister for the Environment Matthew Swinbourn and Premier Roger Cook.

“The community clearly doesn’t want Woodside’s damaging, risky, polluting project that would send most of the gas overseas. There’s only a downside to this proposal for West Australians and our globally significant coastlines,” said Martin Pritchard, Executive Director of Broome-based conservation group Environs Kimberley.

Broome residents gathered to voice concerns about Woodside’s Scott Reef plan. Photo: Wendy Mitchell.

The proposal is under assessment by the WA EPA, and the Cook Labor Government is expected to make a decision in early 2026.

“Scott Reef off the Kimberley coast is a marine biodiversity jewel of the Indian Ocean and is one of Australia’s most important offshore oceanic reefs,” said Mr Pritchard. The reef is a haven for 900 species of fish, 300 coral species, 1,500 species of invertebrates and 29 species of marine mammals including the endangered pygmy blue whale. Sandy Islet, a sandy cay at Scott Reef, is the nesting ground of 1,000 genetically distinct green turtles, any damage to the islet could be catastrophic for the species. If oil and gas is extracted from underneath the reef, Sandy Islet is expected to sink and would no longer be suitable for green turtle nesting.

Locals hold handmade signs asking for protection of Scott Reef. Photo: Wendy Mitchell.

“A major oil spill would be catastrophic for marine life at Scott Reef and we have a nearby example of the Montara oil disaster from 2009 which devastated the West Timor economy and seaweed farmers’ livelihoods. An oil spill of this magnitude is too much of a risk for Scott Reef and the Kimberley coast,” Mr Pritchard said.

The emissions from the Browse oil and gas project would be on a global scale at 1.6 billion tonnes of CO₂ according to Woodside’s reports. This would further fuel climate change which is devastating reefs globally, with the latest coral bleaching covering over 1,500km of the West Australian coast and reefs from Ashmore Reef to Ningaloo.

Hundreds of community members gathered for the premiere screening of Corals’ Last Stand here in Broome this week. Corals’ Last Stand by documentary filmaker Jane Hammond, tells the story of the Kimberley marine treasure, Scott Reef and the challenges it faces as Woodside, BP, MiMi and Petrochina threaten the reef system with a proposal to extract oil and gas from beneath it. The story is narrated by West Australian author Tim Winton, accompanied by musician John Butler and a host of leading conservationists from Western Australia including EK's Martin Pritchard who secured the boat and went out to Scott Reef with them.  

The night also featured a screening of A Crude Injustice, another film by Jane Hammond, which tells the harrowing story of the Montara oil spill that occurred in 2009, off the Kimberley coast. The uncontrolled spill lasted for over 74 days in the Timor and reached as far as the coast of Indonesian Timor, devastating marine life and seaweed farms in its path, damage that has still not fully recovered. The Montara oil spill disaster is a timely reminder that when things go wrong in oil and gas extraction, they can go very wrong.  

Hundreds of Broome residents turn out for screening of Corals’ Last Stand. Photo: Wendy Mitchell.

The campaign to save Scott Reef is gaining momentum, with people from across Australia getting on board to protect the magnificent marine life there from the damaging effects of drilling for fossil gas. Scott Reef is a biodiversity hotspot in the Kimberley and should not be jeopardized for profit, nor should the Kimberley coast line be put at risk of a spill. Keep an eye out for further events in Broome as the fight to Stop Woodside and Save Scott Reef continues.  

To see if there is a screening happening near you check out: https://www.coralslaststand.com.au/screenings 

Or registered to host a screening for friends and family: https://www.coralslaststand.com.au/book-a-screening  

Woodside’s Browse oil and gas drilling plan for Scott Reef rejected by EPA

Oil and gas multinational Woodside’s Browse Basin project at Scott Reef with joint venture partners BP, Japan Australia LNG and PetroChina has suffered a huge blow after being rejected by the WA Environmental Protection Authority (EPA).

Congratulations to the EPA for a sensible first step in rejecting a terrible proposal.

Scott Reef. Pic: Alex Westover

The EPA have said the company’s plans to drill 50 oil and gas wells around the globally significant Scott Reef off the Kimberley coast has unacceptable impacts on endangered Blue Whales, be a threat to endangered Green Turtles, and risk pollution and oil spills at the highly biodiverse and fragile reef, according to reports made public today. The EPA considers these risks too high.

Scott Reef is a marine biodiversity hotspot that supports 29 marine mammal species including endangered Blue Whales. Nine hundred species of fish have been found at the reef and 1,500 species of invertebrates, including soft and hard corals, sponges and crustaceans. It is also a hotspot for sea snakes, including the elusive Dusky Sea Snake, which hasn’t been seen since 2002.

Save Scott Reef protest in Broome. Pic: Alex Westover.

“This proposal to drill 50 oil and gas wells around Scott Reef off the Kimberley coast, one of the most important marine hotspots in Australian waters, would be rejected out of hand at the Great Barrier Reef and Ningaloo, so it’s not surprising the WA EPA has rejected it,” said Martin Pritchard, Director of Strategy at Broome-based conservation group Environs Kimberley.  

The WA EPA has been assessing this proposal for 5 years and, in a letter to Woodside, it has been reported that there could be unacceptable impacts on endangered Blue Whales, Green Turtles and the reef itself,” said Mr Pritchard.  

Woodside withdrew its controversial plans for $80 billion LNG refineries on the Kimberley coast at James Price Point in 2013 after fierce opposition from locals and protests across the nation.

“The risks of destroying one of the world’s great coral reefs with oil and gas drilling are clearly too great, and we’re calling on Premier Roger Cook and Environment Minister Reece Whitby to also reject the threat to Scott Reef,” said Mr Pritchard.

It is understood that Woodside now has an opportunity to respond to the EPA, which will make its recommendation to the State Government. Both the State and Federal Governments will then make final decisions on whether or not the Browse project and drilling at Scott Reef can go ahead.