Welcome Coastcarers!
Welcome to our first edition of the Coasts and Communities quarterly eNewsletter. We all love the coast, it’s where we live, play, work, fish, relax and explore. The Coasts and Communities program is all about maintaining and improving the condition of our coast so that future generations will be able to enjoy the same things that we do, but no one can do this on their own! Reef Catchments is working with lots of organisations, community groups and individuals to improve the condition of our coast. We do this through coastal planning, monitoring, on-ground activities, and our volunteer Coastcare program. Through our Coasts and Communities quarterly eNewsletter, we look forward to keeping you updated on how we are all working together to care for our coast. We would love to see you at our Coastcare Activities this winter.
Cheers! From Kerri and Claire, your Coasts and Communities team
Coastcare Autumn Snapshot
The last three months have seen 45 Coastcare volunteers taking to Bucasia Beach, Ball Bay, Eimeo Creek and Blacks Beach Spit to remove invasive weeds, revegetate with native plants and clean up litter from our coastal environment.
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Volunteers - 112 hours of labour have been donated by our amazing volunteers
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Invasive weeds - around 650 kg of invasive weeds have been removed from the dunes
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Revegetation - 200 native seedlings were planted to replace weeds removed which will stabilise the dunes and provide future habitat for native fauna
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Litter - approximately 1.7 tonnes of litter was removed from Blacks Beach Spit, roughly the same weight as an four door sedan
To read more and see pictures from our Autumn Coastcare Activities (and earlier), visit www.reefcatchments.com.au/coastcare
Focus on: Bucasia Beach
North Bucasia Beach has been the site for a major dune rehabilitation project over the last year. The project is an initiative of Mackay Regional Council and Reef Catchments, and will reinstate a functioning dune system along a 350 metre stretch which was historically cleared.
Project activities include:
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Removing invasive weeds from the area
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Planting 3,000 local native species to reinstate the natural dune vegetation
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700 metres of post and rail fencing to mark the boundary of the rehabilitation area
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Installation of two pedestrian access tracks to the beach and upgrade of Homestead Bay Avenue access track
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Program of ongoing maintenance, e.g. weed control
Northern Bucasia Beach retains a significant natural corridor of coastal vegetation, including nationally threatened beach scrub and important habitat for nesting marine turtles. This project is about improving the condition of our coastal environment, whilst providing appropriate p access points for pedestrians. By reinstating a natural dune system this project will assist to stabilise the shoreline, improve habitat for wildlife, and reduce maintenance requirements in the long term.
Eco Barge Clean Seas hits our southern beaches
By Fiona Clarkson, Eco Barge Clean Seas Inc.
The second official Mackay Coastal Clean Up was held on the 18th and 19th of May 2013. The event, an initiative of Eco Barge Clean Seas Inc. in partnership with the BMA HPX3 Project, was a huge success with community members and representatives from local organisations turning out in force to clean over 20 kilometres of coast line south of Mackay between Hay Point and Cape Palmerston. Thousands of bottle tops, plastic bags and tiny pieces of plastic were just some of the 4.7 tonnes of rubbish found and disposed of by more than 200 volunteers as part of the Mackay Coastal Clean Up.
The following kilograms were collected from each of our target beaches over the cleanup weekend:
Half Tide Beach - 160 kg
Salonika Beach - 601 kg
North Mick Ready Beach - 1611 kg
Mick Ready Beach - 281 kg
Mick Ready Point (inc. Grasstree) - 272 kg
Campwin Beach - 235 kg
Sarina Beach - 592 kg
Freshwater Beach - 102 kg
Armstrong Beach - 193 kg
Cape Palmerston - 704 kg
The debris has been transported back to Eco Barge head quarters where it is currently being counted and sorted in preparation for a full debris audit report.
Eco Barge Clean Seas would like to say a huge thank you to everyone that was involved in this Mackay Coastal Clean Up, especially the BMA HPX3 Project and our wonderful beach adoption supporters: Conservation Volunteers Australia, Engineers Australia – Mackay Regional Group, Mackay Land Rover Club, Grasstree Beach Progress Association, First National Real Estate Sarina, Sarina Surf Life Saving Club, Sarina Landcare Catchment Management Association, Queensland Parks & Wildlife Service and Mackay & District 4WD Club.
This event was proudly supported by:
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Channel 7 Local News
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Zinc 101.9 FM
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Kapow Interactive
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Mackay Regional Council
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Reef Catchments
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Sarina Landcare Catchment Management Association
The next Mackay Coastal Clean Up will be held on 26 and 27 October 2013 and will target Mackay’s Northern Beaches. For further information visit, www.ecobargecleanseas.org.au
Want to learn more about the
Coasts and Communities Program?
Visit our website, www.reefcatchments.com.au/coasts
Or contact our friendly team;
M | 0429 155 841
E | claire.bartron@reefcatchments.com
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