1 Hilliards Creek: Know your creek... 2 Hilliards Creek: Know your creek...

Hilliards Creekknow your creek...

It’s your waterway

3 Hilliards Creek: Know your creek... 4

Table of contents 1 Discover Hilliards Creek – it’s your waterway

3 History of the Hilliards Creek catchment

5 Catchment and waterway

7 Flora and fauna

15 Understanding flooding

17 Waterway management

22 Glossary of terms

24 Appendix A

Please note...Look out for hyperlinks throughout this document, as they will connect you to web pages with more information.

1 Hilliards Creek: Know your creek...

Hilliards Creek – part of our lifestyle

Discover Hilliards Creek – it’s your waterway

Our lifestyles revolve around waterways, from local creeks and streams to the Brisbane River, Logan River and Moreton Bay. The future quality of our waterways depends on all residents and businesses keeping our waterways clean by looking after their own backyard.

Our waterways are valuable assets that help shape the personality of the region. These rivers and creeks serve as havens for many of the native plants and

animals found in the area.

Because our waterways are so important, Redland Shire Council is working to keep them healthy, clean and free from pollution. To ensure the future quality of our waterways, every resident and business needs to help.

Over the past few years, Redland Shire Council has been working with community groups, individuals and state government to preserve, rehabilitate and improve facilities within the region’s catchments. These positive actions help improve the environment for people, as well as the flora and fauna of the area.

You can help to improve the Hilliards Creek catchment by joining a community group or by making sure your actions do not negatively impact, either directly or indirectly, on waterways.

For example, use fertilisers and pesticides sparingly and only in dry weather, refrain from littering and collect rubbish on roads and footpaths, help keep chemicals, paint, oil and sediment out of the stormwater system and plant your garden with plant species native to your area. Contact Council’s Environmental Education Team at IndigiScapes for a list of Bushcare Groups in the Hilliards Creek catchment.

This booklet aims to inform the community about the Hilliards Creek catchment and how to look after it. Local businesses, recreational groups, sports associations, community service groups, schools and bushland groups should find this booklet increases their understanding of the value of Hilliards Creek to the community.

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More detailed information about Hilliards Creek and its catchment can be found in the Hilliards Creek Waterway Management Plan.

Where is Hilliards Creek?

The Hilliards Creek catchment covers 27.6km² and is located in the northern suburbs of the Redland Shire, south-east Queensland. Hilliards Creek rises in Sheldon, flowing northward through the suburbs of Thornlands, Cleveland and Wellington Point where it drains into Moreton Bay, north of Raby Bay. The main channel of the creek provides the boundary between the suburbs of Ormiston and Wellington Point and between Cleveland and Alexandra Hills. The creek is 12.9km in length. The estuarine section extends 3 – 4km (with a tidal influence of 5km), with the remainder length being freshwater.

Neighbourhood parks and bushland reserves

A great deal of the Hilliards Creek catchment is protected through provisions of the Redlands Planning Scheme and land tenure. These include conservation and special protection areas. Some of the larger areas of this type are the Doug Tiller Reserve, the Squirrel Glider Conservation Reserve, the Scribbly Gums Conservation Area, and the Weippin Street Conservation Area. You can enjoy the outdoors in the Hilliards Creek catchment through some of the neighbourhood parks and bushland reserves listed in appendix A.

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History of the Hilliards Creek catchment

The Indigenous influence

Hilliards Creek and its catchment have provided people with resources for thousands of years. Bora rings and scar trees along the creek near Weippen Street are some of the surviving physical evidence left behind by early Aboriginal people. The local clan was the Koobenpul, who spoke the same language as the Gorenpul of Dunwich.

Preliminary research has identified one existing Aboriginal cultural heritage site in the Hilliards Creek catchment which contains a bora ring and at least two scarred trees. The bora ring consists of a circular mound approximately 0.5m high, with a diameter of approximately 22m. A gap in the mound to the east suggests an opening for a pathway which has since been destroyed. Another gap in the mound immediately north of the pathway gap appears to be the result of bulldozer activity.

Approximately 50 metres west of the bora ring, two large tallow wood (Eucalyptus Microcorys) trees are located 28 metres apart while evidence scars are suggestive of Aboriginal origin. The bora ring and the scarred trees are in relatively good condition, despite being subjected to bulldoze activities. This site is under threat from encroaching industrial and residential development which makes the future of the bora ring far from certain.

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The European influence

The first surveys of Hilliards Creek and the surrounding catchment were carried out in the early 1840s by James Warner who surveyed the creek up to what is now known as Boundary Road in Thornlands.

Hilliards Creek is believed to have been named after Lieutenant Hilliard, an ensign in the British 28th Regiment of Foot, which was stationed in Moreton Bay. In 1839 Hilliard was briefly in charge of the penal settlement between Commandant Cotton and Lieutenant Gravatt.

With the settlement of the Redlands, Hilliards Creek became increasingly important as a centre of economic activity. Industries that were located along the creek included brickworks, woolscours, saltworks, sawmills, slaughteryards, gravel extraction and farming. These early industries were fundamental in the establishment of the Redlands economy, and shaped the face of the Redlands that we know and love today.

In addition to its industrial importance, Hilliards Creek has served numerous community needs since European settlement. Hilliards Creek has supplied the community as a water supply, as a means of transportation and as a recreational facility, whilst the catchment area has provided the community with cemeteries, rifle ranges and more recently, an industrial estate.

As essential as these early services were for the establishment of the Redlands, it has since been discovered that these early enterprises were responsible for waterway degradation, the consequences of which are still felt today.

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Catchment and waterway

What is a catchment?

A catchment is an area of land bounded by natural features, such as hills, from which all water flows to a common low point, such as a creek, lake, river of bay. The Hilliards Creek catchment covers 27.6km² and is located in the northern suburbs of the Redland Shire, south-east Queensland. Hilliards Creek rises in Sheldon, flowing northward through the suburbs of Thornlands, Cleveland and Wellington Point where it drains into Moreton Bay, north of Raby Bay. The main channel of the creek provides the boundary between the suburbs of Ormiston and Wellington Point and between Cleveland and Alexandra Hills. The creek is 12.9km in length. The estuarine section extends 3-4km (with a tidal influence of 5km), with the remainder length being freshwater.

Natural catchments

Soil and plants absorb much of the rainwater that falls onto a natural catchment. Ground-covering plants, which bind the soil and slow water flow, reduce soil erosion caused by stormwater runoff.

As water makes its way down the creek, rocks and bends in the creek also slow the flow of water. Past land use activities (farming and logging) have decreased the amount of natural bushland in the Hilliards Creek catchment. However, some of the original forest is regenerating and increased community awareness and action are slowly changing land use practices in the catchment.

Improving the health of our waterways and the bay

Stormwater is rainwater that flows from the land in a catchment into any form of stormwater drain in urban areas. Unlike wastewater (such as sewerage), stormwater flows untreated into the waterways that provide habitats and food resources for animals and plants.

A good downpour might appear to clean our streets and paths of grit and oil, but this waste simply washes into our waterways as pollution. Such pollutants can include pesticides, fertilisers, chemicals, cigarette butts, plastic bags, paper waste, animal droppings and chlorine and salt from swimming pools. When washed from our backyards, these pollutants can poison, choke and disturb plants and wildlife and encourage harmful weed and algal growth.

A typical waterway and catchment

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The best way to protect our waterways is to prevent pollutants from entering the stormwater system in the first place.

Redland Shire Council is installing Stormwater Quality Improvement Devices (SQIDs) in new development throughout the region. SQID’s trap and treat litter and other pollutants before they enter our waterways.

Here are some helpful tips on being stormwater wise:

• Make sure that motor vehicles do not leak oil or other chemicals, such as brake fluid where the oil or chemical can runoff to the stormwater system. Have your vehicles serviced regularly (this is also good for air quality). • Reduce the amount of fertilisers used in the garden to that recommended for the application. Do not apply pesticides or fertilisers in the garden if rain is forecast. Lightly hose fertilisers into the soil immediately after application. Once the fertilisers are in the ground they are less likely to be washed into our waterways.• Compost grass clippings and garden waste in a compost bin. This way you can pass the nutrients back into your garden rather than into the waterways. Do not dump your garden waste in parklands or on roadsides. During rain, garden waste can wash into creeks and surrounding bushlands, clogging drains and spreading weeds. Removing these weeds costs Council and community groups many thousands of dollars and countless hours of work every year. • Take a plastic bag when walking your dog to pick up their droppings. Ensure you dispose the bag in a wheelie bin. This helps reduce the level of bacteria and nutrients entering our waterways.• Report chemicals or oil spills, whether accidental or deliberate, to Redland Shire Council on 3829 8999 or the Environmental Protection Agency on 1300 130 372.• Minimise the area of bare ground and loose top soil in your garden. Lawn, shrubs and trees prevent your topsoil from being washed into waterways. Groundcover plants or mulch help slow the runoff of stormwater, reduce the amount of erosion of soil and other organic matter and provide habitat for our wildlife. Find out about native groundcovers and those that will attract native animals from Council’s IndigiScapes Centre. Include shallow depressions and gullies in your garden to collect and absorb rain. Your plants will love it!

You can help by becoming stormwater wise and preventing pollutants from entering Hilliards Creek and Moreton Bay.

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Flora and fauna

Flora

Throughout the Hilliards Creek catchment, the most widely distributed vegetation type is that of scribbly gum forests on sedimentary substrates. This vegetation type extends for 292.3ha within the Hilliards Creek catchment area. Other vegetation types which occur within the Hilliards Creek Catchment are:

• mangal areas: intertidal and supratidal areas dominated by mangrove communities• saltmarsh and mudflats• swamp she-oak, forest red gum, and melaleuca communities• basalt foreshores and nearby slopes and crests: the canopy of which includes forest red gum, grey ironbark, pink bloodwood, and Bribie Island pine (or coast cypress pine) • pure melaleuca wetlands• melaleuca, forest red gum and swamp box wetlands and riparian areas• freshwater riparian mix

The section of Hilliards Creek which is subject to tidal influences contains valuable mangrove communities. These mangrove groupings are protected under the Queensland Fisheries Act, 1994.

All marine vegetation is protected under this Act, which prohibits marine vegetation being removed or disturbed without approval from the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries. The vegetation within the tidal section of the catchment is also listed as a Ramsar wetland, which means it is protected under an international treaty for the convention of wetlands.

Mangrove vegetation in the estuary of Hilliards Creek

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Weeds

As parts of the Hilliards Creek area have been cleared and used for agricultural, industrial and residential purposes, a number of weeds have found their way into the catchment.

Despite weeds being widespread throughout the catchment, there are major problems in watercourses and drainage lines that provide adequate water, nutrients and transmission for weeds. Weeds tend to be excellent ‘pioneer’ species (plants that are the first to grow in exposed areas) colonising a creek bank following disturbance. Once the weed species colonise the banks they quickly out-compete native plants for water, nutrients and light.

Weeds also grow in creek beds where silt and sediment accumulate – for example, near crossings and bridges. These areas are known as ‘control points’. Weed control is usually focused along waterways and at these control points. Councils’ activities ensure that stormwater flow is unimpeded, flowing to the creek and towards Moreton Bay with minimal restrictions. These control points are usually cleaned out, on an ‘as needs’ basis.

Weeds in and along the creeks of the catchment have not only degraded the beauty and ecological value of the area, but have also diminished the number of native animals living near the creek. Concerned residents are aware of the damage weeds are creating and are working together with Council to control and eradicate weeds throughout the catchment.

In some cases, however, weed infestations provide home for native species that have adapted to the modified ecosystems. Smaller birds (such as wrens and

finches) use introduced grasses and Lantana (Lantana camara) as a refuge and ground vines and thickets provide a refuge for wallabies, ground mammals and ground nesting birds.Therefore we need to balance weed eradication with revegetation to make sure these species are not left without habitat.

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Typical weeds within the catchment include:

• Aspragus Fern Protoasparagus sp.

• Blue Billygoat Weed Ageratum houstonium

• Broad-leaved Pepper tree Schinus terebinthifolius

• Camphor Laurel Cinnamomum camphora

• Chinese Elm Celtis sinensis

• Coral Berry Rivina humilis

• Easter Cassia Senna pendula

• Elephant Grass Pinnisetum purpureum

• Exotic Pine Pinus sp.

• Groundsel Bush Baccharis halimifolia

• Guinea Grass Panicum maximum

• Impatients Impatients sp.

• Lantana Lantana camara

• Moonflower Ipomoea alba

• Ochna Ochna serrulate

• Para Grass Brachiaria mutica

• Pigeon Grass Setaria sp.

• Rhodes Grass Chloris gayana

• Salivina Salvinia molesta

• Singapore Daisy Wedelia trilobata

• Stinking Passionflower Passiflora foetida

• Umbrella Sedge Cryprus involucratus

• Umbrella Tree Schefflera actimophylla

• Water Hyacinth Eichhornia crassipes

• Water Lettuce Pista stratiotes

• Wild Tobacco Tree Solanum mauritianum

It is widely recognised that weed infestations cannot be treated in isolation and that long-term management will be successful only if weeds are eradicated progressively from the catchment.

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The community is working in partnership wih Redland Shire Council to control and eradicate weeds throughout the catchment

To help protect our parks and bushland from weed invasion, do not use plants in your garden that are likely to become a pest plant. Use plant species that are native to your local area, particularly if you live near natural bushland and creeks (native wildlife will also prefer these). For advice on how to choose suitable species, contact the Redland Shire Council IndigiScapes Centre on 3824 8611.Refer to the Redland Shire Council web page RSC Pest Management Plan for a listing of declared pest plants in the Shire.

Fauna

Since European settlement, Hilliards Creek has been subjected to extensive clearing of bushland for farming and the subsequent development of an urban landscape. Despite this, the catchment still supports an extraordinary range of wildlife. Some of these species may well become locally extinct in our lifetime while others thrive in the new environment and exploit new ecological niches. While the loss of species is lamentable, Redland Shire Council and the community of the Redlands should concentrate its efforts to conserve the existing species.

According to surveys undertaken by the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, mammals which inhabit the Hilliards Creek catchment area include:

• Koala Phascolarctos cinereus• Short-beaked Echidna Tachyglossus aculeatus • Common Brushtail Possum Trichosurus vulpecular

Reptile species known to inhabit the Hilliards Creek catchment area include:

• Carpet Python Morelia spilot • Freshwater Snake Tropidonophis mairii • Common Tree Snake Dendrelaphis punctulata

Common tree snake Dendrelaphis punctulata Freshwater snake Tropidonophis mairii

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The Hilliards Creek Catchment area is home to a wide variety of bird species. According to surveys undertaken by the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, these bird species include:

• Osprey Pandion haliaetus

• Whistling Kite Haliastur sphenurus

• Collared Sparrowhawk Accipiter cirrhocephalus

• Azure Kingfisher Alcedo azurea

• Chestnut Teal Anas castanea

• Grey Teal Anas gracilis

• Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosa

• Australian Wood Duck Chenonetta jubata

• Cattle Egret Ardea ibis

• Little Egret Egretta garzetta

• Nankeen Night Heron Nycticorax caledonicus

• Australian Magpie Gymnorhina tibicen

• White-breasted Woodswallow Artamus leucorynchus

• Pied Butcherbird Cracticus nigrogularis

• Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Cacatua galerita

• Galah Cacatua roseicapilla

• Glossy Black Cockatoo Calyptorhynchus lathami

• Varied Triller Lalage leucomela

• Black-faced Cuckoo-shrik Salvinia molesta

• Cicadabird Coracina tenuirostris

Rainbow lorikeet Trichoglossus haematodus moluccanus

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• Satin Flycatcher Myiagra cyanoleuca

• Willie Wagtail Rhipidura leucophrys

• Grey Fantail Rhipidura fuliginosa

• Magpie-lark Grallina cyanoleuca

• Australian Hobby Falco longipennis

• Laughing Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae

• Collared Kingfisher Todiramphus chloris

• Forest Kingfisher Todiramphus macleayii

• Sacred Kingfisher Todiramphus sanctus

• Fairy Martin Hirundo ariel

• Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxena

• Tree Martin Hirundo nigricans

• Variegated Fairy-wren Malurus lamberti

• Red-backed Fairy-wren Malurus melanocephalus

• White-throated Honeyeater Melithreptus albogularis

• Pheasant Coucal Centropus phasianinus

• Masked Lapwing (southern subspecies)

Vanellus miles novaehollandiae

• Eastern Whipbird Psophodes olivaceus

• White-throated Treecreeper Cormobates leucophaeus

• White-throated Treecreeper (southern)

Cormobates leucophaeus metastasis

• Peaceful Dove Geopelia striata

• Spotted Turtle-dove Streptopelia chinensis

• Bar-shouldered Dove Geopelia humeralis

• Crested Pigeon Ocyphaps lophotes

• Wonga Pigeon Leucosarcia melanoleuca

• Dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis

• Torresian Crow Corvus orru

• Shining Bronze-cuckoo Chrysococcyx lucidus

• Little Bronze-cuckoo Chrysococcyx minutillus

• Common Koel Eudynamys scolopacea

• Brush Cuckoo Cacomantis variolosus

• Mistletoebird Dicaeum hirundinaceum

• Leaden Flycatcher Myiagra rubecula

• White-eared Monarch Monarcha leucotis

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• Yellow-faced Honeyeater Lichenostomus chrysops

• Brown Honeyeater Lichmera indistincta

• Lewin’s Honeyeater Meliphaga lewinii

• Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala

• Scarlet Honeyeater Myzomela sanguinolenta

• Olive-backed Oriole Oriolus sagittatus

• Figbird Sphecotheres viridis

• Grey Shrike-thrush Colluricincla harmonica

• Golden Whistler Pachycephala pectoralis

• Rufous Whistler Pachycephala rufiventris

• Little Shrike-thrush Colluricincla megarhyncha

• Brown Thornbill Acanthiza pusilla

• Striated Pardalote Pardalotus striatus

• White-browed Scrubwren Sericornis frontalis

• White-throated Gerygone Gerygone olivacea

• Mangrove Gerygone Gerygone levigaster

• House Sparrow Passer domesticus

• Nutmeg Mannikin Lonchura punctulata

• Red-browed Finch Neochmia temporalis

• Australian Pelican Pelecanus conspicillatus

• Eastern Yellow Robin Eopsaltria australis

• Little Pied Cormorant Phalacrocorax melanoleucos

• Little Black Cormorant Phalacrocorax sulcirostris

• Little Lorikeet Glossopsitta pusilla

• Pale-headed Rosella Platycercus adscitus

• Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus haematodus moluccanus

• Scaly-breasted Lorikeet Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus

• Dusky Moorhen Gallinula tenebrosa

• Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio

• Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris

• Tawny Grassbird Megalurus timoriensis

• Royal Spoonbill Platalea regia

• Straw-necked Ibis Threskiornis spinicollis

• Australian White Ibis Threskiornis molucca

• Silvereye Zosterops lateralis

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Fish

Generally, Hilliards Creek has a relatively high aquatic habitat rating, and as such, provides valuable ecosystems for a range of native fish species. These native fish species include:

Unfortunately, exotic fish species are very common within Hilliards Creek. The two most common introduced fish species within Hilliards Creek are Swordtails (Xiphophorus halleri,) and Mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki).

Introduced fish species can be harmful to native species and if exotic fish species are caught, they should not be placed back in the creek.

• Duboulay’s Rainbowfish Melanotaenia duboulayi

• Ornate Rainbowfish Rhadinocentrus ornatus

• Longfinned Eel Anguilla reinhardtii

• Eel-tailed Catfish Tandanus tandanus

• Flyspecked Hardyhead Craterocephalus stercusmuscarum fulvus

• Striped Gudgeon Gobiomorphus australis

• Western Carp Gudgon Gudgeon Hypseleotris klunzingeri

• Empire Gudgeon Hypseleotris compressa

• Firetail Gudgeon Hypseleotris galii

Ornate rainbowfish Rhadinocentrus ornatus

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Understanding flooding

Flood management

Redland Shire Council has undertaken flood studies to identify land below the 1 in 100 year flood level. Studies have calculated the extent of possible flooding in these local waterways, allowing Council to map the floodplain necessary to carry such floodwaters.

Council has also introduced development regulations, in the form of policies, standards and Planning Controls, for land use near waterways. These controls ensure that development within the floodplain is controlled. It is Council’s intention that the floodplain remains in a relatively undeveloped state, minimising the physical disturbance to riparian habitats. The floodplain can also provide wildlife corridors and open-space linkages.

Flood mitigation in waterways

Flood mitigation is sometimes necessary because past activities, such as filling within the floodplain and development, have changed the drainage characteristics of the catchment and the waterway.

Stormwater drains run directly from road systems into creeks. Some sections of creeks have been straightened or piped for various reasons – this work is referred to as ‘flood mitigation’. All these changes increase the speed of water flowing down the creek and, while providing an effective and faster way of draining stormwater and floodwater, may actually worsen flooding and erosion problems downstream of the modified section.

There are two main methods of reducing flooding impacts on the community.

Structural measures, including:

• raising structures above the flood level• decreasing flood levels for example, channel widening• construction of dams and detention basins as stormwater drainage infrastructure.

Non-structural measures, including:

• limiting development of land adjacent to waterways• flood warning and emergency response system• vegetation control• flood awareness programs.

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Structural mitigation measures are used only where other alternatives are not feasible or where the benefits of reducing the flood damage outweigh the cost of the works. Council’s preferred option is to prevent development within critical areas of waterways and floodplains.

Waterway corridors

The protection of waterway corridors from development is important to protect and enhance water flow, water quality, ecology, open space and recreational and amenity values of our waterways and their corridors in an ecologically sustainable way.

The Redland Shire Council has strict development regulations for land near waterways. If development is allowed to take place on the floodplain, this may cause flooding and erosion problems upstream and downstream, as well as for the development itself.

When placed in the way of floodwaters, large obstructions such as buildings and dense tree plantings reduce the floodplain’s ability to carry water and may increase the flood levels in surrounding areas.

Flood modelling is undertaken to anticipate how the water in a waterway would react under various conditions of rainfall and runoff, and how any alteration to the watercourse and catchment would affect the flow.

Flood modelling is computer simulated to estimate:

• areas of the catchment prone to flooding• the level of flooding that will cause the roads to be covered with water• what size to make bridges and culverts so roads remain flood free• the effect of changes to creek bank vegetation• where waterway corridors and flood regulations lines should be placed to maintain the flood-carrying capacity of the creek and to limit development in areas that are susceptible to flooding.

To control development activity in Redland Shire, Council uses Design Standards for Development, which prohibits development below the Q100 flood level.

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Waterway management

Redland Shire Council encourages community participation in the planning and management of waterways. The process incorporates the principles of Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD) to ensure these valuable resources will continue to meet the needs of current and future generations. Some issues dealt with in waterway planning and management include water quality, flooding and drainage, soil erosion, vegetation management, environmental planning and community awareness.

The Council involves the community in researching background information, identifying key issues in the catchment and exploring programs and partnerships to improve our waterways.

One of the outcomes of this process is a Waterway Management Plan WMP. Development of WMPs involves Council consulting with the community on a range of environmental and planning issues.

WMPs aim to integrate Council’s activities with those of the community and other stakeholder groups to overcome the problems facing our waterways. The main goals of WMPs are to:

• maintain or achieve the waterway’s environmental values• improve the use of, and access to, waterways by the community• maintain the hydraulic capacity of the waterways to minimise flooding and subsequent property damage.

WMPs recognise that catchment land and waterway management are interconnected. They are developed in consultation with the community to determine issues of high priority, required actions and the particular waterway ‘environmental values’ to be maintained or achieved in our waterways.

Stormwater and water quality

The Hilliards Creek catchment has several point and non-point source discharges which appear to heavily influence water quality in the creek. These include discharge from the Cleveland Water Pollution Control Works WPCW, effluent used for irrigation, run-off from urban and agricultural areas including the DPI research station; several turf farms and the Cleveland industrial area. Water is also extracted from the creek for irrigation purposes.

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In addition, levels of copper and zinc were found to be moderately elevated over much of the waterway. This may reflect industrial activity carried out in the catchment, metal content of effluent used for irrigation purposes, road and roofing run-off.

Redland Shire Council is working with the Healthy Waterways Partnership to promote an awareness that what we do in our own backyards has the ability to impact on our creeks and aquatic ecosystems all the way to Moreton Bay. It may involve linking community, business and industry including council activities to promote practical actions which will clean up and protect our creeks and their catchments.

In the past Redland Shire Council, in partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency, has performed annual assessments of water quality in Redlands creeks. The indicators of water quality used in this study assessment are nutrients nitrogen and phosphorus, chlorophyll-a an indicator of the amount of algae in the water, water clarity, oxygen levels, pH and faecal contamination. Results from these analyses are assessed in terms of compliance with the Queensland Water Quality Guidelines so that an overall water quality rating can be reported for each site. The ratings given include very good, good, average, poor, and very poor.

The results of the assessment indicate that the water quality of Hilliards Creek is very poor. These results suggest that surrounding land use practices are influencing, and will continue to influence, the water quality unless significant mitigating steps are undertaken.

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Revegetation and rehabilitation

Redland Shire Council has active programs to encourage residents to become involved in revegetation and bush regeneration projects around Hilliards Creek catchment. This is achieved through the following programs: Community Bushcare, Voluntary Conservation Agreement, Rural Support, Land for Wildlife and Your Back Garden.

These voluntary programs compliment Council’s own waterway rehabilitation and maintenance program funded from the Environmental Levy.

Community Bushcare Program:

The Redland Shire Community Bushcare Program currently coordinates the voluntary activities of approximately 36 Bushcare groups working across the Shire in Council managed reserves.

The primary focus of the program is to provide an educational opportunity for raising awareness of the values of Council’s conservation reserves. Importantly, the additional outcomes of the program include volunteers gaining a strong sense of stewardship of Council conservation reserves to a higher standard than is practical or economic for Council employees and contractors.

Voluntary Conservation Agreement Program:

The Voluntary Conservation Agreement program VCA seeks to increase the amount of privately owned land actively protected, managed and enhanced for biodiversity in the Shire.

It provides the participating land-owners an on-site advisory service, which assists in the development and implementation of a Management Plan. They also receive financial incentives over a ten year period for maintaining and improving management practices on their land.

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Rural Support Program:

The Rural Support Program provides conservation education to rural land-owners and facilitates access to information and services. It is aimed primarily at landowners who may not consider themselves as conservationists, and advocates sustainable economic activities such as nature based tourism or education. In addition to on site advice, Council provides some free plants, herbicide and workshops to a maximum value of $1,000 per property.

Advice provided to land-owners includes information on:

• better bush fire management to promote safety and biodiversity• ways to undertake revegetation and regeneration more easily and efficiently• better management of pest animals and pest plants• better management of erosion and water quality.

Land for Wildlife Program:

Land for Wildlife is a voluntary program that encourages private land-owners to maintain and enhance habitat areas even though the property may, primarily, be managed for other purposes.

Land for Wildlife is a widespread and long running program and, in south-east Queensland, is administered by SEQ Catchments. They provide funding for a regional coordinator, and participating councils each provide an extension officer to promote and facilitate the program.

Participation in the program incurs no legal responsibility. It is entirely voluntary and remains so after joining the program.

Your Backyard Garden Program:

The Your Back Yard Garden program is an extension, or advisory service, provided to urban households. Participation in the program is by invitation only, which ensures that focussed strategic outcomes are achieved and demand for the program is managed.

Invitations are based upon inclusion in a group of properties that fall within an assumed linkage between two conservation reserves.

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Advice is provided on:

• the use of locally native plants in backyards• habitat retention and enhancement• weed removal techniques• water wise gardening.

A free book and vouchers for purchasing plants from the IndigiScapes Centre is also included in the service.

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Glossary of terms

Bora ring:

A name given to a raised area of dirt in the shape of a circle and is a purpose-built structure used for ceremonial and meeting purposes. Aboriginal people from different cultural and language groups met for ceremonies at bora rings.

Bushland reserve:An area of land managed by an authority such as Local Government primarily for conservation and recreational purposes.

Degradation: Reduction of quality of an ecosystem.

Drainage lines:

Features of the landscape that carries water generally during rainfall and storm events only. Riparian vegetation may or may not be present. Drainage lines feed into larger waterways creeks that carry water flows more frequently.

Ecosystems: A natural environment including flora, fauna, hydrological and geographical characteristics.

Erosion: The relocation of sediments from one location to another through the actions of wind, water or gravitational forces.

Estuarine:An area of waterway characterised by a mixing of fresh and saline water, vegetation and ecosystem components.

Flood carrying capacity:The ability of a waterway and its flood plain to accommodate un-interfered flows when the waterway is in a flooded condition.

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Habitat: A natural location which provides shelter for organisms.

Hydraulic capacity: The ability of a waterway to accommodate flow during various-sized storm events.

Non-point source:Describes a source of discharge of stormwater from either numerous small points’ buildings or overland flow within a waterway’s catchment.

Point source:Describes a source of discharge of stormwater or other water source in a catchment that has the capacity to influence the health of a waterway. Operations of this kind are often regulated by environmental laws.

Rehabilitation: Aiding an environment with contains remnant vegetation towards a full recovery.

Revegetation: To plant vegetation in an area in which all previously existing vegetation has been removed.

Run-off: Stormwater which flows overland rather than soaking into the ground.

Sediment: Suspended solids in a waterbody.

Tenure: An interest or rights often pertaining to ownership of a resource.

Waterway: An area in which water either flows or accumulates.

Water quality:A component of the characteristics of a waterway that makes the waterway suitable to support aquatic fauna, flora and a variety of human uses.

Bora ring:

A name given to a raised area of dirt in the shape of a circle and is a purpose-built structure used for ceremonial and meeting purposes. Aboriginal people from different cultural and language groups met for ceremonies at bora rings.

Bushland reserve:An area of land managed by an authority such as Local Government primarily for conservation and recreational purposes.

Degradation: Reduction of quality of an ecosystem.

Drainage lines:

Features of the landscape that carries water generally during rainfall and storm events only. Riparian vegetation may or may not be present. Drainage lines feed into larger waterways creeks that carry water flows more frequently.

Ecosystems: A natural environment including flora, fauna, hydrological and geographical characteristics.

Erosion: The relocation of sediments from one location to another through the actions of wind, water or gravitational forces.

Estuarine:An area of waterway characterised by a mixing of fresh and saline water, vegetation and ecosystem components.

Flood carrying capacity:The ability of a waterway and its flood plain to accommodate un-interfered flows when the waterway is in a flooded condition.

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Wellington Point:

• Geoff Skinner Wetlands, Bligh Street• Station Street Constructed Wetlands• Montgomery Drive Creek Corridor• Heritage Drive Urban Habitat• Poloni Place Nature Corridor• Duncan Street Bushland Refuge• Apex Park• Schonrock Street Nature Link• Hilliards Park Creek Corridor• Jacob Street Nature Corridor• Wellington Point Constructed Wetlands

Ormiston:

• Fellmonger Park• Beckwith Street Wetlands• Doug Tiller Reserve• Fletcher Terrace Wetlands• Finucane Road Bushland Refuge, Francis Street• Hilliards Creek Corridor• Redlands Softball Park, Sturgeon Street• Hilliards Street Park

Alexandra Hills:

• Squirrel Glider Conservation Reserve, McMillan Road• Hilliards Creek Platypus Corridor, Finucane Road• Scribbly Gums Conservation Area, McDonald Road• Macarthur Street Bushland Refuge, Finucane Road• Nanette Court Bushland Refuge, Hanover Drive

Cleveland:

• Department of Primary Industries• Cleveland Water Pollution Control Works• Cleveland Industrial Estate• Coburg West Link• Enterprise Street Bushland Refuge

Thornlands:

• Weippin Street Conservation Area• Andrew Foster Memorial Park• Lorikeet Drive Bushland Refuge• Rushwood Park

Appendix A: Redland Shire Council neighbourhood parks and conservation reserves.

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PO Box 21Cleveland Qld 4163

www.redland.qld.gov.au

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