ABOUT US
The CRBA is a not-for-profit association formed under the Associations Incorporation Act 2015, providing declared pest control services for land managers throughout Shark Bay, Carnarvon, Exmouth, Murchison, and Upper Gascoyne Shires, along with those pastoral properties below the State Barrier Fence in the Shire of Northampton and City of Greater Geraldton.
The associations’ primary purpose is the control of declared pests utilising funding from the Declared Pest Rates paid by landholders on these pastoral stations. These Declared Pest Rates funds are matched dollar for dollar by the WA Government to reflect the public benefit of controlling declared pest animals and weeds.
The association is formally recognised by the Hon Minister for Agriculture and Food as a recognised biosecurity group (RBG).
AREA OF OPERATION
The CRBA area of operation takes in the Shires of Carnarvon, Exmouth, Shark Bay, Murchison and Upper Gascoyne. Along with additional pastoral properties below the state barrier fence within the Shire of Northampton and City of Greater Geraldton (locality of Mullewa) that also form part of the CRBA area of operation. There are over 90 pastoral leases covering some 14.5 million hectares, with around 20% small stock carrying properties; multiple Exclusive Native Title properties covering approximately 1 million hectares and approximately 3.5 million hectares of land under the control of the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA).
The population for the CRBA area is approximately 9,500, with this number and numbers across the CRBA region increasing exponentially during the tourism season. Our largest town is Carnarvon, with a population of approximately 5,500 residents. Carnarvon is the regional service centre for the whole Gascoyne-Murchison area.
The CRBA region includes the Shark Bay & Ningaloo World Heritage Areas; Cape Range National Park, Mount Augustus and Kennedy Ranges National Parks, multiple nature reserves and former pastoral leasehold properties. The types of land tenures and access to them continues to change annually, with the CRBA working closely with the three DBCA regional offices that are responsible for the management of these and other such properties within our region to ensure, where possible access is granted and pest control activities are undertaken.
The CRBA shares its northern boundary with the Pilbara Regional Biosecurity Group (PRBG), the eastern boundary with the Meekatharra Rangelands Biosecurity Association (MRBA) and the southern boundary Northern includes Kalbarri National Park and unallocated Crown Land (UCL).
COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT
Ross (Jox) Collins - Chairperson
Alister Gordon - Vice Chairperson
Andrew Whitmarsh - Treasurer/Secretary
Harry McKeough - Full Member
Roger Davis - Full Member
Greydon Mead - Full Member
Tim Shallcross - Full Member
Simon Thomas - Full Member
Ray Hoseason-Smith - Full Member
Gina McKee - Full Member
Gavan Mullan, DBCA - Associate Member
Krystie Bremer - Executive Officer
MEMBERSHIP
The CRBA Region covers the Shires of Carnarvon, Exmouth, Murchison, Shark Bay & Upper Gascoyne with selected pastoral properties located in Shire of Northampton & City of Greater Geraldton (locality Mullewa).