Point Cook is about to host an exhibition that celebrates Wyndham’s grasslands, rivers and encourages cat owners to keep their feline friends inside.
Artist and Werribee River Association volunteer Kath Jessop moved to Wyndham in late 2016 and fell in love with the place – in no small part because of the natural environment.
“I learned about the incredible biodiversity, people don’t know we have one of the best birdwatching spots and an ancient river system,” she said.
These can be difficult to spot if you aren’t looking.
“When people go through their day to day lives, I don’t think there is a great deal of attention paid to what is around them,” Ms Jessop said.
“Wyndham is not just an LGA, it is a habitat.”
She said that often the destruction cats can cause is through ignorance and not malicious intent.
“I want to assure people a bit there is something you can do, so my key message is keep your cat inside, because it has an immediate impact on your local environment.
“It could be the difference between a native species thriving and going extinct.
“It’s not about the koalas or the kangaroos that everyone knows, it is about all the amazing animals you wouldn’t know about.
“I really hope my exhibition sparks curiosity because what we have is magnificent, but if we don’t care for it we lose it and it will be gone forever.”
The exhibition launches at Saltwater Community Centre between 6.30-8.30pm on Friday, August 15 and will run until September 25.
Tickets: https://events.humanitix.com/level-up-exhibition-opening-in-reverence-kathleen-jessop
