Let’s Celebrate!

18 November 2021

Over the next few weeks, in three great locations (Denmark, Margaret River & Fremantle), we are hosting three Forest Fiestas to celebrate the magnificent South West forests and the State Government’s recent commitment to end native forest logging by January 2024. 

Register here!

Let’s come together to acknowledge and celebrate the forests we love and the long road we have travelled so far to defend them.

We will be following the same path that the campaign has followed for many years, from the South Coast forest areas on Pibelmen Country, to where the forest meets the sea in Wardandi Country, and up to Whadjuk Country.

Denmark is first up on Sunday the 28th of November on Strickland Street.

The details for the three events can be found here.

We have been inundated with offers of support and we’re so excited about the amazing musicians, top quality food, smoking ceremonies, exhibition of campaign history, art and entertainment that are going to be highlights of these fantastic free public events. 

From here, much work remains to be done to get the details right and ensure forests are properly and securely protected, and as we celebrate, we regenerate, recharge, and stoke the fires of the forest movement.

We look forward to seeing you in Denmark, Margaret River and/or Fremantle.

Registration is free, however, we welcome donations to help cover costs and remunerate the bands and artists. Every dollar counts and when you donate, you go in the draw to win a door prize valued at $1,000 (one prize for each event).

We have just set up this crowdfund to help with the costs, so if you aren’t registering to come, but would still like to contribute please do so here. Thank you so much for your support, we are formidable together. 

The details for the Margaret River and Freo Fiestas are firming up, and new exciting additions are coming in every day, so stay tuned for artist and entertainment updates.

Protect the tingles from prescribed burning, for good

Tingles are a large, ancient tree species that are only found in a small area in WA’s Southwest, close to Walpole. They can live for more than 400 years, reach heights over 55 metres and have the largest base of any eucalypt, and provide critical habitat to many threatened plants and animals. They are vulnerable to frequent fire.

In December 2024, Giants East, a tingle forest block in the famed Valley of the Giants, was torched as part of the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA)’s prescribed burning program. 

More than 100 giant trees collapsed in the intense burn, with flames reaching the tops of many trees in one of the worst outcomes seen by WA’s prescribed burning program.

After persistent community action, three tingle-karri blocks,  Nornalup, Coalmine and Mount Clare received a reprieve at the end of 2025 and were removed from the burn plan until July 2026. 

But these blocks, and other tingle forests, aren’t safe forever. They could be on the burn plan for 2026-27. There must be a commitment from the WA Government to permanently protect tingles from prescribed burning and revise how fire is managed in these areas.

Over time, tingle forests self-thin and become naturally less flammable. Left unburnt, they are less of a fire risk than forests burnt in the last 30 years. 

In a drying climate that is increasingly prone to bushfires, it’s important to be bushfire ready, but prescribed burning shouldn’t be the only tool in our bushfire prevention kit. It is vital that the Southwest’s prescribed burning practices reflect current science and a changed climate, and funding is directed towards rapid detection and suppression of bushfires.

Smoking collapsed Tingle after the giants east burn

It is of the highest priority that the tingles are protected from fire not just in this burn plan, but for good.

Please contact the Premier and relevant Ministers using our template to urge them to permanently protect tingle forests from prescribed burning. Enter your details to start writing your email.

Read more about the Giants East burn or about rapid suppression technology.