Maree Baade, a Councillor for the Tablelands Regional Council, talks about the critical role the Council plays in managing 10 river catchments as part of the Reef Guardian Councils program.

These upper river catchments contribute up to 22% of the annual water flow to the Great Barrier Reef, so even though the Tablelands area is a long way from the reef it still has a critical role to play in improving water quality. The areas rich natural assets also rely upon good waterway health.

As a Reef Guardian Council, TRC is a partner in the collaborative stewardship arrangement between local government and the Reef Authority, and in 2024 received almost $1 million from the Australian Government to improve waterway health. The funding is being targeted towards soil conservation, stormwater management, feral pig management, riparian restoration and roadside vegetation.