The Friends of Sorrento Beach and Marmion Foreshore have marked a significant milestone, celebrating 25 years of dedicated environmental restoration along one of Perth’s most popular stretches of coastline.
The volunteer group recently gathered for a breakfast event to reflect on a quarter-century of volunteer conservation work, which began at Sorrento Beach in 2000 and expanded into Marmion in 2013. Today, their efforts span the entire 2.5km coastal reserve, running alongside a shared path used by thousands of walkers and cyclists each week.
Meeting almost every week of the year, the group has planted nearly 38,000 native seedlings since its inception, achieving an impressive survival rate of around 80 per cent. Volunteers have also removed countless weeds and large volumes of litter, undertaking what Coordinator Mike Norman describes as a full “ecological restoration” of the foreshore.
“When we started, about 70 per cent of the area was considered degraded,” Mr Norman said. “Now, independent assessments rate the entire area as being in ‘very good’ condition, which is something the whole community can be proud of.”
The transformation has not come without its challenges. While an average of around 10 volunteers attend the weekly working bees, the size of the area and amount of weeding work needed requires additional help during peak weed season from July to December.
“To achieve our goals, we’ve had to directly employ experienced manual weeding contractors” Mr Norman explained. “Securing sufficient funding for that has been an ongoing challenge, involving a lot of time spent on grant applications and reporting.”
Support from the City of Joondalup, including the annual Special Purpose Grants received since 2011, has been crucial. More recently, Perth NRM’s agreement to auspice Coastwest grants has helped ease some of the administrative burden, though external funding remains essential for work to continue.
Environmental pressures have also tested the group’s resilience. Between 2018 and 2023, rabbit infestations severely impacted vulnerable native species, preventing natural regeneration in parts of the reserve.
“We trialled mesh guards around some species, similar to quokka-style fencing, but the biggest improvement came when the City re-engaged a pest control contractor in 2024.”
Coastal processes have posed further challenges. From 2020, sand accretion buried primary dune fencing at Sorrento Beach, leading to trampling of vegetation and dune erosion. In early 2025, the City replaced the fencing at a higher level, reduced sand build-up and laid coir matting over damaged areas. The Friends group recommenced replanting the dunes in June 2025, with the help of local school groups.
Climate change has also influenced how the group operates. Hotter, longer dry seasons in recent years have prompted a new approach to seedling care.
“To maintain reasonable survival rates, we now water seedlings planted the previous winter on a three-weekly cycle,” Mr Norman said. “That’s done with the support of the City’s natural environment team, who bring a water trailer.”
Community involvement has evolved over time. What began as weekend activities has shifted primarily to Thursday morning sessions, resulting in a more stable base of senior volunteers. Additional working bees are still scheduled to accommodate school and corporate groups, continuing the group’s strong focus on education and community engagement.
Innovation has also played a role in the group’s success, with Mr Norman designing a custom “half-pipe levering tool” to more efficiently remove persistent weed species such as dune onion weed.
Among the many native plants restored along the foreshore, some hold special significance. The group has increased plantings of myoporum insulare, or blueberry tree, an important food source for local fauna that was previously under-represented, likely due to rabbit grazing.
Looking ahead, Mr Norman hopes to one day reintroduce the blue lace flower (trachymene coerulea), which he believes has disappeared from Marmion Foreshore Reserve over time due to rabbit grazing and weeds.
As the group looks to the next 25 years, the vision remains focused on resilience, sustainability and community leadership.
“I hope we can eliminate the remaining aggressive weed species and complete infill planting to strengthen native vegetation cover,” Mr Norman said. “I’d also love to see more coastal Friends Groups established, because there are still significant areas of our coastline that need care, and new groups can build on what we’ve learned.”
He also acknowledges that stewardship of the coast is an ongoing responsibility.
“There will always be maintenance to do, whether it’s tackling marine debris, reporting vandalism or removing litter from the dunes,” he said. “My hope is that, in time, someone else will step up as Coordinator to ensure the work continues.”
Earlier this year, Mike Norman was awarded Freeman of the City in recognition of his dedication to the City and the local natural environment - a fitting tribute during the group’s 25th anniversary year.
The City is proud to support 18 volunteer Friends Groups across our suburbs which help preserve, protect and manage our local natural areas. If you are interested in volunteering with your local Friends Group or establishing a new one, visit our Friends Group webpage and fill out our Friends Group Expression of Interest form.
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