The Port Hedland Industries Council (PHIC) continues to lead by example through a series of voluntary environmental programs that are delivering tangible results for the region’s unique ecosystems.
A standout success is the feral animal management program, which began as a local initiative and has grown into a full-scale community collaboration. The program has now gone three consecutive years without any fox predation of turtle nests, a remarkable turnaround from 2005, when every nest was lost. As a result, it’s estimated that over 63,000 turtle hatchlings have safely made it to the ocean since efforts ramped up.
“This is a fantastic outcome, driven by consistent coordination and commitment from local organisations, government and industry,” said Kelly Howlett, Operations Manager at Care for Hedland at the May PHIC CIF.
With fantastic results continuing to trend towards a reduction of foxes and feral cats and an increase in native fauna, PHIC has entered into the Department of Energy, Mines, Industry regulation and Safety Golden Gecko Award. The department’s Golden Gecko Award for Environmental Excellence recognises and rewards leading practices, innovation and excellence in environmental management in the resource sector.
PHIC is also supporting marine health through two key monitoring programs. The first targets invasive marine species, acting as an early warning system, while the second tracks long-term trends in water quality. Both initiatives go above and beyond regulatory requirements, reflecting a shared commitment to environmental stewardship.
The results speak for themselves: no invasive species detected in five years, and water quality reporting shows consistently strong performance.
More information and environmental fact sheets are available here.