REHABILITATING THE SARINA CATCHMENT
This is a Great Barrier Reef Foundation’s Community Action Plan project funded by the partnership with the Australian Government’s Reef Trust.
(November 2021 to 30 June 2023)
Mackay Whitsunday Isaac Reef Community Action Plan identifies expanding multi-stakeholder revegetation events as a primary priority. Sarina Landcare Catchment Management Association (SLCMA) will implement a multi-pronged approach that engages the ’community’, including youth, volunteers, landholders, stakeholders and Traditional Owners, in coastal rehabilitation. The ‘community’ will be engaged in the delivery of on-ground rehabilitation activities at priority coastal sites within the Sarina Catchment as well as participate in awareness raising events.
The project aims to improve the on-ground condition of and build resilience at two community sites (Grasstree Beach and Carmila Beach) that will provide benefits to adjacent marine environments and ultimately protection of the reef. The project aim will be achieved through land-based activities of weed control, revegetation, marine debris collection and surveys, native plant propagation as well as raising awareness of the importance of having healthy, resilient coastal areas, being the interface to our marine environments. The project will also provide opportunities for the community to be involved with on ground activities through planned events such as working bees, monitoring and marine debris collection events.
ENHANCING THE SARINA INLET TRAIL
Funded by The Aurizon Community Giving Fund
(December 2021 to December 2022)
The project will enhance the biodiversity and resilience of native vegetation and habitat along the Sarina Inlet Trail. The Sarina Inlet trail is a 400m walking trail that meanders along the mangrove edge linking Sarina Beach to Johnsons Beach. It is well regarded and utilised by locals and visitors to the area.
REEF ASSIST PROGRAM 1.0
The Reef Assist project is funded through the Queensland Government’s Reef Assist Program through Reef Catchments (Mackay Whitsunday Isaac) Limited.
(January 2021 to November 2021) extended to December 2022
SLCMA is delivering the Reef Assist Program in collaboration with Whitsunday Catchment Landcare (WCL)and Pioneer Catchment and Landcare Group (PCL) through the Central QLD Coast Landcare Network (CQCLN), in partnership with Reef Catchments.
The Reef Assist program will provide short, medium and long term economic and environmental outcomes to the Mackay Whitsunday Isaac region by providing the community with new skills, resources, and opportunities to protect and enhance its land and sea assets. Through the program, SLCMA will employ and train 2.5 FTE staff to assist landholders in a variety of conservation and land management activities at new and existing rehabilitation project sites within the Sarina Catchment.
Communities Environment Grant Program
Funded by Australian Government
December 2019 to December 2020
We are very grateful to have three projects funded recently through the Australian Government—Communities Environment Grant Program. All of the projects will include onground activities and provide opportunities for our local community to learn more about our natural environment, particularly our coastal areas and wetlands and the animals and plants that use them. We are looking forward to working with our project partners and the community on these projects and sharing our successes and achievements.
Rehabilitation of Carmila Beach Reserve
December 2019 to June 2020
This project w ill assist to improve the health and condition of endangered vegetation within the 14.5ha Carmila Beach Reserve with the aim to build resilience within the landscape from impacts such as storms, weed invasion, fragmentation of vegetation and habitat degradation. We will be undertaking: targeted weed control to suppress competition with native plants and encourage natural regeneration; revegetation with local native plants to assist the regeneration process. A community planting event will raise awareness about the site and encourage involvement from locals and visitors.
Rehabilitation of Louisa Creek Reserve
December 2019 to December 2020
SLCMA will work in partnership with Mackay Regional Council and the community including Conservation Volunteers Australia, to undertake rehabilitation activities within the Louisa Creek Reserve. Louisa Creek Reserve is registered with the Land for Wildlife Program and is a valuable section of coastal environment providing a buffer between residential land and important mangrove and estuarine habitat. We look forward to working with the community to undertake activities such as revegetation, weed control and litter collection and raising awareness about the importance of coastal areas.
Tedlands Wetland Fishway Assessment
January 2020 to December 2020
This project will monitor and evaluate the successfulness of a recently installed rock ramp fishway into the Tedlands wetlands, which provides habitat for recreationally and commercially important fish species. We are looking forward to working alongside staff from Catchments Solutions to undertake the monitoring, which will provide information about the fish (such as size, number and species) utilising the fishway as well as validate the cost-effective design of the structure for use at other sites throughout Queensland. The project will also incorporate a community field day to showcase the fishway and wetlands to the local community and promote the benefits to the biodiversity and fisheries resources that the fishway and associated wetlands provide. This round of funding focusses on connecting communities to the environment for eligible organisations to undertake on-ground activities to rehabilitate degraded landscapes protect and improve habitat and biodiversity and improve the climate resilience of natural environments.
Riparian Rehabilitation after Cyclone Debbie
Funded by Queensland Government – Community Sustainable Action Grant
October 2017 to October 2020
This round of funding focusses on connecting communities to the environment for eligible organisations to undertake on-ground activities to rehabilitate degraded landscapes protect and improve habitat and biodiversity and improve the climate resilience of natural environments.
Plane Basin Grower Led Water Quality Monitoring Program
Funded by the Queensland Government and Reef Catchments (Mackay Whitsunday Isaac) Limited.
Started January 2020 to August 2020
The Plane Basin Grower Led Water Quality Monitoring Program aimed to provide landholders with first-hand knowledge and experience collecting water samples to help create awareness and ownership of local waterways while also allowing us to assess levels of nutrients and pesticides entering local waterways in the Plane Basin.
Stabilising Willie Creek
Aurizon Community Giving Fund
December 2017 to February 2019
This project undertook rehabilitation works including revegetation and weed control with the aim to stabilise the banks of Willie Creek. The project provided a demonstration to surrounding landholders and the wider community, via a community planting event.
NDRRA Maintenance West Hill Creek
Funded by Reef Catchments (Mackay Whitsunday Isaac) Limited
September 2018 to June 2019
Servere Tropical Cyclone (STC) Debbie and the subsequent flooding caused significant damage to waterways within the Mackay Region. Recovery work is essential to remediate flood impacts and minimise the ongoing impact of sediment and nutrients on the waterways and sensitive downstream environments including the Great Barrier Reef. SLCMA completed planting and maintenance of this site.
NDRRA Maintenance Marion Creek
Funded by Reef Catchments (Mackay Whitsunday Isaac) Limited
November 2018 to June 2019
Servere Tropical Cyclone (STC) Debbie and the subsequent flooding caused significant damage to waterways within the Mackay Region. Recovery work is essential to remediate flood impacts and minimise the ongoing impact of sediment and nutrients on the waterways and sensitive downstream environments including the Great Barrier Reef. SLCMA completed planting and maintenance of this site.
NDRRA Maintenance Cheery Tree Creek
Funded by Reef Catchments (Mackay Whitsunday Isaac) Limited
January 2019 to June 2019
Servere Tropical Cyclone (STC) Debbie and the subsequent flooding caused significant damage to waterways within the Mackay Region. Recovery work is essential to remediate flood impacts and minimise the ongoing impact of sediment and nutrients on the waterways and sensitive downstream environments including the Great Barrier Reef. SLCMA completed planting and maintenance of this site.
