Wheatbelt NRM is delighted to announce that Royalties for Regions funding has been successfully obtained for the upgrade of two Wheatbelt lakes – Yealering and Ewlyamartup. 

Lake Yealering is an important wetland of Australia on the edge of the Yealering township 219 km from Perth, while Lake Ewlyamartup is just out of Katanning 300 km from Perth.

As part of the ‘Living Lakes’ project, Lake Yealering and Lake Ewlyamartup will be enhanced to improve water quality and to create permanent and accessible water bodies for the enjoyment of local communities and tourists.

The project will use creative engineering to maintain water levels and improve water quality in recognition of the key role these natural assets play in our communities – as important places of play, part of the local nature scape and a huge drawcard for visitors to the Wheatbelt. Preliminary assessments show that the proposed works at the lakes will have positive environmental impact.

The selection process for these two lakes and the work that will be undertaken at each was an excellent example of community driven decision. Each lake has a committed local community group who will continue to be the dominant guiding force during construction, coupled with commitment from the respective local governments to maintain and operate the water control structures. 

Wheatbelt NRM worked closely with the Wheatbelt Development Commission and the Great Southern Development Commission in writing the funding application and thank them for their help and support.

Wheatbelt NRM is proud to be providing the project management for the work at both lakes. Our NRM strategy for the Wheatbelt has a strong focus on a ‘sense of place’ and we intend to manage this project in a way that delivers positive outcomes for both the community and the environment.