THE South West Maremma Dog Project has taken out the 2010 Australian Government Coastcare Award.

The project, operated jointly by the Point Danger Committee of Management and the Warrnambool Coastcare Landcare Group, was nominated for the award as part of the 2010 National Landcare Awards, because of the innovativeness and effectiveness of using maremma dogs to protect native wildlife — gannets at Point Danger and little penguins at Warrnambool’s Middle Island.

The Middle Island project was set up about four-years ago and the Point Danger project about 12-months later, in mid-2007.

Both projects have been overwhelming successes, with the populations of the native birds booming since the dogs started protecting them.

“This is a great example of community volunteers and the government working together,” Mr Williams said. Mr Williams said the recognition was also great because it created a lot of good noise for Coastcare and volunteering.

“It’s great because it shows what a tiny group of volunteers like the Point Danger Committee of Management can do by winning a national award,” he said.

Point Danger Committee of Management chairman Alistair McDonald said the committee thought they were in with a chance, but it was great news to hear they had won.

“The programme has been a huge success, the increase in the gannet population has been huge,” he said.

Mrs Penny Whatley of the Maremma Club of GB said: ‘As a breed club we have have been following this project with interest.’

The project has also seen a boost in the number of Maremmas in the country.

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