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Healthy waterways underpin our lifestyles and livelihoods. When waterways thrive, so do we.
From restoring vegetation to upgrading stormwater drainage, local governments across the Wet Tropics are delivering projects to help protect the Great Barrier Reef.
Eight local councils have each received a $920,000 funding boost from the Australian Government to extend their actions to help protect the reef.
The Councils are part of the Reef Authority’s Reef Guardian Councils program, and their projects will help us to meet goals in the Reef 2050 Plan, the Australian and Queensland governments’ long-term plan for protecting and managing the Reef. Here’s a snapshot of some of the new projects:
Cairns Regional Council
In Cairns, the new funding is being used to undertake more revegetation of bushland and riparian corridors, continue working with Land and Sea Rangers to reduce the amount of litter entering the reef lagoon and pilot battery electric passenger vehicles in the Council’s fleet. Despite being the gateway to the reef, Cairns’ uptake of electric vehicles lags behind the national average so this project will help boost awareness of the benefits to drive down the region’s emissions.
Cassowary Coast Regional Council
Road upgrades and improvements in the management of unsealed roads, including a 2kms section of road that is frequently inundated, will help reduce sediment runoff. The Council is also using the new funding to develop a climate change strategy, upgrade its solar network and install infrastructure to support the transition of its fleet to electric vehicles. A project, engaging First Nations people and local organisations, to reinstate and rejuvenate wetlands in Innisfail will also be undertaken.
Douglas Shire Council
Besides increasing its capacity to undertake feral pig control work to reduce erosion and sediment runoff, the new funding will enable 283.4kW of solar systems to be installed across Council’s facilities. Support will also be provided for Council and the construction industry to implement a sediment control and stormwater education and compliance program, and ground water sampling in non-sewered communities will form the basis of a community education program to reduce the risk of contamination.
Hinchinbrook Shire Council
Roof-top solar systems are being installed on council buildings – from offices to a water treatment plant and a conference centre – to reduce emissions.
Mareeba Shire Council
The sewer network will be improved in Mareeba and Kuranda, with manholes replaced and repaired, to reduce the risk of sewage overflows in the Barron River catchment.
Tablelands Regional Council
A range of activities are planned on the Tablelands including a feral pig control program, solar panel installation and restoration of riverbank areas including at Priors Creek where an interpretative walk will help to raise community awareness about waterway health. Native vegetation along roadsides will also be trialled to shade out weeds and minimise chemical use and upgrades to stormwater drainage infrastructure in the Tolga area will help improve sediment runoff.
Wujal Wujal Aboriginal Council
This Council is aiming to reduce erosion and sediment runoff into the Bloomfield River from a site that has high visitor traffic. Activities include road stabilisation, erosion control and sediment trapping.
Yarrabah Aboriginal Shire Council
A sewage treatment plant is being upgraded and old underground fuel tanks will be replaced with above-ground refuelling tanks with advanced safety features, to reduce the risk of contaminants entering local waterways.
The Reef Guardian Councils Program is a stewardship partnership between the Reef Authority and local governments. For more information go to: https://www2.gbrmpa.gov.au/our-work/programs-and-projects/reef-guardian-councils
Capture the beauty of our local waterways for your chance to win awesome prizes.
More than 200 species of jellyfish are found along the Great Barrier Reef.
Scientists and community groups are working hard to reduce on of our most littered plastic items
Martine joined the Wet Tropics Waterways team as a Science Technical Officer in early 2024 and is keen to apply her experience in statistical programming and database development for the Report Card.
She is an environmental scientist and ecologist and has worked on water quality and aquatic ecology projects as a consultant and in private industry for over 20 years.
Martine has many hobbies and is currently dabbling in horticulture.
With a degree in marine biology and zoology from JCU, Phil has had a diverse career covering research in fisheries biology, 15 years in reef tourism and 13 years with GBRMPA delivering engagement and partnerships programs. Since 2019 he has been self-employed and operates as a consultant to a range of stakeholders on waterway related programs.
He is a keen fisherman.
James joined Wet Tropics Waterways as Executive Officer in 2021 and is passionate about working with stakeholders to communicate the value of our unique waterways. His role involves facilitating and coordinating our partnership program, growing our network and investment into the report card program, and science communication. James oversaw the 2022 Innovations in Waterway Health Forum, and hosted season four of the Reef and Rivers podcast.
James is an ecologist and has previously worked on wetland management in the Murray Darling basin, fish passage in Mackay, and aquatic research in the Wet Tropics.
Outside of work you’ll find him in a local waterway with a mask and snorkel, or hiking or biking around our beautiful region.
Richard has been the Science Technical Officer for Wet Tropics Waterways since 2016. His role involves producing the annual results for the waterway health assessment of the wet tropics region using data from a wide range of sources, to present as scores and grades, as well as developing new indicators to address knowledge and monitoring gaps. He works in collaboration with technical staff at other regional report cards.
Richard has a background in freshwater ecology research projects and environmental assessments with CSIRO, University of Queensland, Queensland Government and as a consultant. For a long time he’s been interested in freshwater aquaculture and continues this interest through farming freshwater crayfish, alongside other farming activities.