Regional Gathering 2026
Friday 30th – Saturday 31st of October
Sabina River Farm, Busselton & On Country
Coming together to protect Country, restore nature, and transform the systems shaping our shared future.
Join us for CCWA’s Regional Gathering – a space where member groups, First Nations voices, conservationists, community leaders, and innovators come together to connect, learn and strengthen action for climate and nature.
Together, we’ll explore what it will take to protect what remains, restore biodiversity, and transform the systems shaping our environment and communities.
This gathering is an opportunity to share knowledge, build meaningful relationships, and inspire collaborative action grounded in respect for Country, community leadership, and the vital perspective of regional voices.
Conference Program
Registration and Networking
Verandah
8:00 AM – 8:30 AM
Smoking Ceremony
Zac Webb
Undalup Association
Lawn
8:15 AM – 8:45AM
Welcome to Country and Opening
Zac Webb, Victoria Pavy
Main Hall
8:45 AM – 9:15 AM
Morning Tea & Member Group Expo
10:15 PM – 10:45 PM
Lunch & Member Group Expo
12:30 PM – 1:30 PM
Breakout Sessions
Choose one
Presentation & Discussion: The future of bushfire management in the Southwest
Jason Fowler, Nowanup Rangers, Nic Hurley, Kevin Bonner
Main Hall
1:30 PM – 3:00 PM
Workshop: Back from the Brink: South West in Focus
Facilitator: Kelly Boden-Hawes
Verandah
1:30 PM – 3:00 PM
Workshop: Working With What We’ve Got
Practical Action for Nature in a Growing Region
Facilitator: Giz Watson
Afternoon Tea & Member Group Expo
3:00 PM – 3:30 PM
Rehydrating our landscapes
A unifying way forward for climate, biodiversity, forests and farms
Rod Mitchell
Main Hall
3:30PM – 3:50 PM
Panel Discussion: What Keeps Us Going?
Community, Legacy and What Comes Next
Lucy Murdoch, Harper McKinney, Ellie Ward, Sol Slattery, more TBC
Main Hall
3:50 PM – 4:40 PM
Reflections & Key Takeaways
Dr. Richard Yin
Main Hall
4:40 PM – 5:00 PM
Sundowner & Raffle Draw
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
On-Country Tours
Choose One
Cape Naturaliste Conservation Enterprise
A walk in the Park – An insight into the complexities of Meelup Reserve
Hosted by: Bill Biggs (CNCE)
Join knowledgeable local guides for a morning walk through Meelup Reserve exploring its Wadandi connections, unique coastal flora, fascinating geology, local history and collaborative conservation efforts.
Cape Naturaliste
9:00am – 1:00pm
Nature Conservation Margaret River Region
Protecting Wooditjup Bilya: A Catchment Conservation Tour
Hosted by: Hannah Weir, Wooditjup Bilya Project Manager
Join us for a half-day journey through Wooditjup Bilya to explore how Traditional knowledge, science, revegetation and community partnerships are working together to proactively protect one of the South West’s healthiest and most valued river systems for future generations.
Wooditjup Bilya (Margaret River)
8:00am – 12:00pm
Busselton/Dunsborough Environment Centre
FAWNA Possum Finishing School & Flight Academy Tour
Hosted by: Suzanne Strapp (FAWNA)
A former mine site transformed into a thriving wildlife sanctuary.
Join FAWNA for a behind-the-scenes tour of the Possum Finishing School and FAWNA Flight Academy in Ludlow, where a former mineral sands mine is being transformed into a sanctuary for wildlife rehabilitation, research and conservation.
Tuart Forrest
8:00am – 12:30pm
