As the sun sets on
#CoastcareWeek22, let's take a look at some of the amazing work being done by our Coastcare teams across Australia!
In the Northern Territory,
Larrakia Land & Sea Rangers hosted the 13th annual Darwin Clean-Up! Under their leadership, teams of volunteers spread out across 17 sites- picking up 295 bags of rubbish that weighed nearly 1.8 tonnes.
Now on to
Lennox Head Landcare, in NSW, and their amazing efforts to rehabilitate and restore natural areas around Lennox Head - including a former mining site at Boulder Beach, where sand dunes once stood 3 metres high but were flattened by sand mining in the 1950s.
In QLD,
Southern Moreton Bay Islands Coastcare have almost too many achievements to list.. but some of their standout projects include undertaking the first comprehensive survey of the extensive saltmarsh areas of Russell Island and cleaning up abandoned boats through its War on Wrecks project, which entailed tagging and gathering information on every wreck found. After looking at existing legislation, SMBI Coastcare's suggested amendments were included in the War on Wrecks Taskforce Interim Report delivered to the QLD Government.
Over in Tassie,
Friends of Randalls Bay Coastcare Group have spent hundreds of hours volunteering to establish and maintain the low impact Echo Sugarloaf nature trail (including sandstone steps). The group established this fantastic project with funding from the Tasmanian Community Fund in collaboration with their local community, local government, and the Parks and Wildlife Service, to protect the natural values of the Echo Sugarloaf State Reserve-Randalls Bay-Mickeys Beach area and encourage sustainable recreational use!
To the West, the
Stirling Natural Environment Coastcare Group in WA work tirelessly to conserve and protect the coast around Stirling. Not only has their incredible work improved the area's biodiversity and created green corridors along the coast, but their focus on community engagement is second to none. This year, with the support of artist and biodiversity educator Angela Rossen, Perth NRM and Stirling Council, the Stirling Natural Environment Coastcarers set up a field lab on Trigg Beach to observe and record the tiny invertebrates that live amongst the leafy canopies of marine plants.
Working out of Magnetic Island, within the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area in QLD,
Arcadia Coastcare have had a stellar 2022 with activities including: supporting Townsville council to fight erosion along Geoffrey Bay by maintaining Casuarinas and native groundcovers; working with council and the Wulgurukaba people on the presentation of the cultural and natural values of the Geoffrey Bay foreshore; protecting Geoffrey Bay foreshore and endangered vine thicket and Alma Creek from weeds; assisting the Australian Crane Network with research on Blue-winged and Laughing Kookaburras at Arcadia! PLUS... the launch of a brand-new book, "Some native plants of Arcadia, Magnetic Island (Yunbenun)!
Down to SA, for nearly 16 years the dedicated coastcarers of
Goolwa Coastcare have been protecting over 200 hectares of the Goolwa coastline. The group's prolific work (did someone say 14 working bees this year?!) has not only improved vegetation and dune health but resulted in the discovery and protection of multiple rare and endangered plant species.. including the Mallee Greencomb Spider Orchid!
How amazing is that?!P.S. While it may be the end of Coastcare Week, it's the beginning of Summer Up with Coastcare! So there is still plenty of opportunity to hit our seas, coasts, and rivers βfor relaxation and rehabilitation. ββ
Check out
Coast & Waterways events for local Summer up with Coastcare themed activities!
(Photo by
Lisa Gageler on
Unsplash)#CoastWaterways