The Esperance Sandplain sub-region is one of the two eastern-most sub-regions of the South Coast NRM Region. It includes the towns of Munglinup, Esperance and Condingup and takes in the Oldfield-Munglinup, Young, Lort and Dalyup River catchments west of Esperance. To the east are Coramup, Bandy and numerous other smaller creeks. Rainfall ranges from more than 600mm per annum in the south to 400mm per annum in the north. The soils of the Esperance Sandplain consist mostly of deep fine sandy deposits overlying yellow to grey siltstone and spongolite Eocene sediments. The sandy nature of the soils poses the problems of wind erosion and water repellence, while a shallow, clay subsoil in many areas results in water logging. Agriculture in the sub-region consists of cropping and grazing with wheat and barley cropped in rotation with lupins, canola and subterranean or medic pastures. Tourism is another prominent industry in the sub-region, with the area offering many natural attractions including the Recherche Archipelago (Bay of Isles) which is made up of nearly 100 untouched islands that hold particular significance for Indigenous people. The sub-region contains a rich abundance of native flora and fauna with many rare and endemic species. Cape Arid in the far east of the sub-region is one of only two remaining location in which the Western Ground Parrot can be found and the Recherche Archipelago creates a haven for rare flora and fauna including the Recherche Cape Barren Goose, Australian Sea-lions, whales, banksias and many others.  The sub-region also provides important habitat for Carnaby’s Black Cockatoo and has many beautiful wildflower species including the showy Banksia (Banksia speciosa) and Ashy Hakea (Hakea cinerea). Rare flora and fauna can also be found at the internationally significant Lake Gore and Lake Warden, which are both listed as wetlands of international significance under the Ramsar Convention. Lake Gore itself supports the largest known populations of Hooded Plover (Thinornis rubricollis), and is important for moulting by thousands of Australian Shelduck (Tadorna tadornoides) and for drought refuge by thousands of ducks and shorebirds. Lake Gore also supports thousands of Banded Stilt Cladorhynchus leucocephalus. Lake Warden is recognised by the international community as being a major ‘hot spot’ for biodiversity. The wetland system plays host to thousands of rare water birds including the Hooded Plover, Recherché Cape Barren Goose and the Banded Stilt. Vegetation types in the catchment include sandplain heath, banksia heath, transitional mallee, paperbark and flat-topped yate swamps and sedgelands. The sub-region has many threats to its biodiversity and industry. Feral animals, loss of habitat, soil health issues and Phytophthora dieback are major threats that require mitigating. South Coast NRM Inc has funded several projects in the area to do this including projects covering soil health, perennial pastures, invasive species control, Phytophthora dieback management, biodiversity protection and NRM engagement of indigenous people of the area.