Create a sustainable Bay OK garden that helps protect Geographe Bay

Urban Environment

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Urban Environment

A healthy bay begins in your own backyard

What is a Bay OK Garden?

Bay OK is our flagship sustainable garden program that promotes gardening practices that help to protect Geographe Bay and waterways within the catchment. 

A Bay OK garden has 3 main principles:

  • Low nutrient

  • Waterwise

  • Supports biodiversity

Creating a thriving Bay OK Garden is easy by taking simple measures to conserve water, reduce the amount of nutrients leaving your garden and entering waterways and Geographe Bay, and making a haven for native plants and wildlife.

You can have a healthy, productive and beautiful garden which has a positive impact on the environment, while also saving yourself time and money.

We believe that keeping Geographe Bay healthy is everyone’s responsibility.

The sandy soils along our coastline do not hold nutrients or water very well. They seep through the soil profile into groundwater or run off the surface when it rains, ending up in local waterways, drains and Geographe Bay.

Too many nutrients fuel the growth of algae, which can smother plants and cause the death of fish and other wildlife. Keeping nutrients, particularly from fertilisers, in your garden and out of the Bay is one way you can keep the Bay healthy.

Simply follow the Bay OK principles and explore our resources, videos and tips on how to create the ultimate Bay OK garden of your own!

Our Urban Environment Projects

Inspiration for your Bay OK Garden creation!
Safeguard your property from bushfires.
Attract wildlife to make a home in your garden.
Keeping nutrients in your garden and out of the Bay.
Save water and money with a native verge garden

Learn from experts on garden design, native species, soil health and productive gardening

Events & Workshops

Join fellow farmers to learn how to collect accurate soil samples, as part of the 2025/26 Geographe Soil Testing Program.
Sustainable Agriculture
Nov 12, 2025

Explore our Bay OK Garden map

Hover over the icons to learn a new sustainable gardening tip that you can apply at home!

Find out how your garden rates!

Garden Assessment Tool

This Assessment Tool will help you measure how your garden stacks up against the Bay OK Garden principles.
 
As you progress through the survey, you will receive advice on:
 
  1. Minimising nutrient runoff
  2. Conserving water 
  3. Supporting local biodiversity

Have fun gardening

Bay OK Day

We can support your school to create a Bay OK garden! 
 
Whether you want to create a productive garden with wicking beds, compost heaps and worm fams, verge landscaping or showcase our local native flora, we can help.

Featured Resources

How To Make Compost

Bay OK Gardening
Master gardener and composter, Steve Wood, outlines how to make great compost.

Garden Guardians of the Bay flyer – Native Plants

Grow Australian native plants.

Coastal Gardens Planting Guide

Bay OK Gardening
A planting guide for Geographe Bay Bunker Bay to Dalyellup.

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About GeoCatch

Find out how we work with farmers, the community and our partners.

Geographe Catchment

Discover what makes our Catchment unique.

Catchment Map

Explore your catchment area and its waterways using our interactive map.

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