Wetlands AustraliaNATIONAL WETLANDS UPDATE FEBRUARY 2012 - Issue No 20

Wetlands Australia

© Commonwealth of Australia 2012

This work is copyright. You may download, display, print and reproduce this material in unaltered form only (retaining this notice) for your personal, non-commercial use or use within your organisation. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, all other rights are reserved. Requests and enquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Populations and Communities, Public Affairs, GPO Box 787 Canberra ACT 2601 or email public.affairs@environment.gov.au

The views and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Australian Government or the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities.

Front cover photos: (Right to left) Osprey (Adam Gosling), Cootamundra Wattle (Jenny Tomkins and DSEWPaC), Rock ramp and culvert baffle fishway (Queensland Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation), Woolly butt flowers (John Baker and DSEWPaC), Diver with weedy sea dragon (David Power), Yellow Water Lagoon (Sarah Stuart-Smith and DSEWPaC)

Rear cover photos: (Right to left) Birdlife at Yellow Water Lagoon (Michelle McAulay and DSEWPaC), Blue seastar (Richard Coward), Kid Swinging (Adam Gosling)

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CONTENTSIntroduction 5

Government Updates 6Australian Government Update 6

Australian Capital Territory Government Update 10

New South Wales Government Update 10

Northern Territory Government Update 11

Queensland Government Update 11

South Australian Government Update 12

Tasmanian Government Update 12

Tourism - Ramsar Wetlands 14Kakadu National Park - a distinctive natural and cultural experience 14

Securing a healthy future for the Coorong and Lower Lakes 17

Active Tourism – The Key to Achieving Core Wetland Objectives at the Hunter Wetlands Centre Australia 20

An integrated approach to protecting our wetlands in Port Phillip 22

Tourism - Urban Wetlands 25Protecting Gold Coast Beaches: using coastal wetland habitat to improve water quality 25

Small constructed wetland makes it mark on the community, Canberra 27

Conserving and enjoying urban wetlands: Tamar Island Wetlands, Launceston 29

Adelaide’s Botanic Wetlands 32

Saving What’s Left – A Manly Community Success Story 34

Visitor Engagement 37Queensland’s wonderful wetlands: what do wetlands visitors want to know? 37

The Living Murray’s icon sites — a natural tourist trail 40

The Value of our Volunteers 43

Events linking wetlands together in Wimmera’s south-west 46

A strategy for engaging people in the East Asian - Australasian Flyway 49

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Tourism - Coastal Wetlands 52Declared Fish Habitat Areas benefit tourists, fishers and nature lovers 52

Coastal Wetlands and WetlandCare Australia’s Blue Carbon program 55

Coastal 20 – An investment for future tourism and recreation 58

Connecting freshwater ecosystems and increasing tourism value 61

WetlandCare Australia expands floodplain management across the Nambucca and Bellinger Catchments 63

Visitor Health 65Wetlands and mosquitoes: Reducing the public health risks to visitors 65

Tourism - Case Studies 67Wonga Wetlands (NSW): ecotourism on Albury’s doorstep 67

The Mareeba Wetlands (Qld) – Conservation through Sustainable Tourism 70

Nunnock Swamp (NSW) – a hidden treasure perched on the escarpment 74

Yanga National Park (NSW) – a wetland wonderland 77

In Brief 80Construction of the Gingham pipeline and restoration of core areas of the Gwydir Wetlands, NSW 80

A $20 million wetland restoration project underway – Winton Wetlands 81

Warren to the Barwon Project, NSW 82

Namoi’s Endangered Wetlands 84

Swamp tea-tree forest conservation supported by landholders 85

Edutainment: For a Sustainable Future 86

2012 Calendar of Events 88

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INTRODUCTIONAustralian wetlands are dynamic ecosystems which are host to a variety of native species, from seagrasses to sandpipers, crocodiles to curlews and duckweed to dugongs. Wetlands vary in size and character. They provide benefits and services which help sustain Australia’s landscapes as well as our urban and rural communities.

A total of 64 Australian wetlands, covering 8.1 million hectares, have been listed as wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (www.ramsar.org). There are also 900 wetlands listed on the Directory of important wetlands in Australia.

This year the theme of Wetlands Australia is ‘Wetlands and Tourism’. This aligns with the theme of World Wetlands Day 2012 and is also linked to the theme of the 11th Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention (‘Wetlands, Tourism and Recreation’). This conference is being held in July 2012 in Romania.

In 2009–10 tourism directly employed over half a million Australians and contributed $34 billion or 2.6 per cent to Australia’s gross domestic product (Tourism satellite account 2009–10, Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism). Many tourism destinations are at wetlands, including iconic sites such as Kakadu National Park. Wetlands also provide local tourism and recreational opportunities, including boating, fishing and bird watching.

Tourism can have a variety of positive and negative impacts on a wetland. This year, articles in Wetlands Australia consider the benefits and challenges of tourism and recreation in and around wetlands. These articles also consider how tourism activities can be managed to maintain the ecological value of wetlands.

In 2012 Wetlands Australia celebrates its 20th edition. Over the years it has been published in partnership with a variety of organisations, including the Australian Nature Conservation Agency, the Murray-Darling Basin Commission (now Authority) and WetlandCare Australia. The publication has evolved significantly since its inception in 1995 when it was introduced as a simple six-monthly newsletter. With this issue Wetlands Australia moves to a new format, with an e newsletter linked to a fully online magazine. The publication includes new features such as online subscription and live links to relevant websites.

The interest that has sustained this magazine over many years is evidence of the ongoing commitment and enthusiasm of Australia’s wetland managers, researchers, governments and local communities to work together and share their stories.

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GOVERNMENT UPDATESAustralian Government Update

Ramsar Wetlands

In 2011, to ensure Australia meets its international obligations in the management of Ramsar sites, the Australian Government, in partnership with state and territory governments and private land owners, continued the pilot phase of the rolling review of Australia’s Ramsar wetlands. The review serves to document the current status of Ramsar sites across Australia. The methodology for future phases of the review is being finalised, putting in place a process for describing and measuring change in the condition of Australian Ramsar wetlands.

Ecological character descriptions for Australian Ramsar sites were published to describe the ecosystem components, processes, benefits and services that characterise each wetland and to inform future management planning.

Preparations were undertaken for the 11th meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties, to be held in July 2012 in Bucharest, Romania.

See: http://www.environment.gov.au/water/topics/wetlands/ramsar-convention/index.html

EPBC Act

The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) protects matters of national environmental significance, which include Ramsar listed wetlands. Actions

which have or are likely to have a significant impact on the ecological character of the Ramsar wetland must be referred to the Australian Government Environment Minister for approval.

On 24 August 2011, the Australian Government responded to the independent review of the EPBC Act undertaken by Dr Allan Hawke with a reform package which represents a major step towards a streamlined, cooperative and harmonised national approach to conserving Australia’s environment and resources. Aspects of the reform package which are relevant to the conservation and wise use of wetlands include more strategic assessments and regional environment plans, a more streamlined assessment process, producing a single national list of threatened species and ecological communities, identifying and protecting ecosystems of national significance and providing more public information.

See: http://www.environment.gov.au/epbc/publications/epbc-review-govt-response.html

Queensland Wetlands Program

The Queensland Wetlands Program, jointly established by the Australian and Queensland governments, provides support for improved management of Ramsar sites, national wetland priorities, communication and stakeholder engagement. During 2011 projects have delivered a variety of new mapping, information and decision-making tools as well as educational products.

See: http://www.environment.gov.au/water/policy-programs/wetlands/qwp.html

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Water for the Future

The Water for the Future initiative aims to secure long-time water supplies for the nation and to better balance the water needs of communities, farmers and the environment. A major focus is on the Murray-Darling Basin, where action is being taken to improve the health of basin rivers and wetlands and the communities that depend on them.

A range of ecological benefits resulted from higher rainfall and improved river flows throughout 2010 and 2011 after many years of drought. An increased volume of Commonwealth water entitlements for the environment were purchased to improve the health of rivers and wetlands through the Restoring the Balance program.

This water is contributing to ecological benefits including better health of the river red gums and improved habitat for birds, fish and frogs. Highlights included:

• more than 100 gigalitres of water delivered to hundreds of wetlands along the Murrumbidgee River

• inundation of the Gwydir wetlands and the Macquarie Marshes for the first time in a decade was extended with use of environmental water

• delivery of more than 80 gigalitres of Commonwealth environmental water to the Lower Lakes and Coorong, helping to reduce the risk of acidification and improve habitat for waterbirds and other species.

See: http://www.environment.gov.au/water/australia/index.html

http://www.environment.gov.au/water/topics/environmental-watering.html

Murray-Darling Basin Plan

The independent Murray-Darling Basin Authority released the draft Murray-Darling Basin Plan on 28 November 2011. The purpose of the Basin Plan is to achieve a healthy working Basin. It includes:

• basin wide environmental objectives for ecosystems in the Murray–Darling Basin

• environmentally sustainable limits on the amount of water that can be taken from the Basin’s water resources (known as sustainable diversion limits or SDLs). These limits are enforceable, and apply to both surface water and groundwater

• an environmental watering plan, to achieve the best outcomes from coordinated use of environmental water in the Basin

• a water quality and salinity management plan;

• rules for water trading to ensure water reaches its most productive use

• requirements for catchment-level plans prepared by states to align with relevant settings of the Basin Plan.

A formal process has been established to accept public submissions during the 20 week consultation period on the draft Basin Plan from 28 November 2011 to 16 April 2012.

See: http://www.mdba.gov.au/basin_plan

Caring for our Country

Through Caring for our Country, the Australian Government has invested in protection of coastal environments and critical aquatic habitats. Priority activities have included improving the quality of water entering the Great Barrier Reef lagoon, protecting and rehabilitating areas for endangered species and migratory shorebirds, improving

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the quality of water discharged into coastal environments, and protecting Ramsar wetlands.

See: http://www.nrm.gov.au

High ecological value aquatic ecosystems (HEVAEs)

A framework is under development to identify HEVAEs (including rivers, wetlands, floodplains, lakes, inland saline ecosystems, groundwater-dependent ecosystems and estuaries). It is based on criteria relating to international recognition, diversity, distinctiveness, vital habitat, evolutionary history, naturalness and representativeness.

As part of the framework, the Australian National Aquatic Ecosystem (ANAE) Classification Scheme is being developed to establish a consistent and systematic method of identifying all aquatic ecosystems across the Australian landscape.

Clean Energy Future Plan - Land Sector Package

The Prime Minister announced the Clean Energy Future plan on 10 July 2011, including funding for a Land Sector Package of $1.7 billion over six years.

The Land Sector Package includes a suite of measures to reward activities that tackle climate change and/or improve landscape resilience to climate change. Among these are the NRM Planning for Climate Change measure and the Biodiversity Fund.

The Regional NRM Planning for Climate Change measure will provide funding for regional NRM organisations to update regional NRM plans to be ‘climate-ready’. The updated plans will be endorsed by the Australian Government and will

help guide decisions on the location and nature of carbon abatement and biodiversity projects across the landscape.

The Biodiversity Fund will be an ongoing program, with $946 million allocated to it over the first six years. It will support establishment, restoration and management of biodiverse carbon stores in priority landscapes such as wildlife corridors, wetlands and waterways. Assistance will be available for activities that:

• establish new mixed species plantings (reforestation and revegetation activities)

• restore, manage or enhance existing biodiverse carbon stores (including wetlands)

• manage invasive species in connected landscapes.

For more information see:

www.environment.gov.au/cleanenergyfuture

www.climatechange.gov.au/cfi

www.cleanenergyfuture.gov.au/clean-energy-future/land-use

Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth

The Australian Government has announced funding of $168 million for the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth recovery project to manage the ecological values of the lake system through revegetation, salinity reduction, community partnerships and early works. Major achievements include the removal of the Narrung Bund to restore more natural flow between Lakes Alexandrina and Albert, and preparatory work for the full removal of the Goolwa Channel regulators to restore connectivity in the channel also partly funded by the Murray Darling Basin Authority. Large scale revegetation works have

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also commenced to deliver a healthy and resilient wetland through planting to restore habitat. An additional $10 million in Australian Government funding was also provided for revegetation works under the Bioremediation and Revegetation Project.

For more information see:

http://www.environment.gov.au/minister/burke/2011/mr20110804.html

http://www.environment.gov.au/minister/burke/2011/mr20110518.html

Acid Sulfate Soils

In 2011 a national guidance document was released on the management of acid sulfate soils in inland aquatic ecosystems, to help people limit disturbance to these soils and mitigate the potentially harmful effects such as water quality decline, fish kills and damage to ecosystems.

See: http://www.environment.gov.au/water/topics/acid-sulfate-soils.html

Northern Australia Water Futures Assessment

The Northern Australia Water Futures Assessment will provide the science needed to inform the development and protection of northern Australia’s water resources, so that development is ecologically, culturally and economically sustainable. A project to assess the likely impacts of development on aquatic ecological assets in northern Australia commenced in early 2011:

See: http://www.environment.gov.au/water/policy-programs/northern-australia/index.html

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Australian Capital Territory Government UpdateMonitoring and rehabilitation of internationally recognised sub-alpine Sphagnum bogs is continuing in the ACT after the 2003 fires. The rehabilitation techniques have been found to be highly successful in helping the wetlands to recover to functional condition. Captive-bred northern corroboree frogs were release into Sphagnum bogs in spring 2011 to help bolster breeding.

The ACT Government is preparing a master plan for the Jerrabomberra Wetlands Nature Reserve, which is the largest lowland palustrine wetland in the ACT. The reserve has a biodiverse waterbird population that includes local, threatened and migratory species. It is located at the eastern end of Canberra’s Lake Burley Griffin and provides a regionally important drought refuge for water birds. The plan aims to conserve and maintain the wetlands and recognise recreational, educational and research opportunities.

The ACT Government is also involved in the construction of wetlands within the Sullivans Creek Catchment in Canberra. The wetlands will improve the water quality, enhance urban biodiversity and provide stormwater for irrigation. In 2010 the Banksia St, O’Connor wetland was constructed. Two wetlands are under construction at Dickson and Lyneham. Community planting days and working bees are regularly held at the urban wetlands; for details visit www.environment.act.gov.au/water/constructed_wetlands.

New South Wales Government UpdateIn 2010-2011 NSW delivered environmental water to wetlands across the state. Together with natural floods, the water produced extensive inundation at sites such as Narran Lakes and the Darling Anabranch. The ecological response was dramatic, with some of the largest bird and fish breeding events seen since 2000, along with significant vegetation regeneration.

Through NSW RiverBank, the NSW Rivers Environmental Restoration Program (RERP), the NSW Wetland Recovery Program (WRP) and The Living Murray Initiative, NSW has water holdings totalling 351 746 megalitres. Of this total, 11 603 megalitres of water entitlement was purchased in 2010–11.

WRP also delivered the final Gwydir Wetlands Adaptive Environmental Management Plan in February 2011, jointly funded by NSW and Australian Government’s Water for the Future Program. Read more at www.wetlandrecovery.nsw.gov.au/Management_ Framework.htm.

The year also saw the completion of the highly successful $181.12 million RERP. Highlights of the program included the purchase of four wetland properties, completion of two major fishways, infrastructure improvements in Yanga National Park, completion of the Gingham pipeline and landholder agreements securing wetland outcomes on more than 3200 hectares of private land.

Funded by NSW Riverbank and the Australian Government Water for the Future Program, the RERP Final Report is available at: www.environment.nsw.gov.au/environmentalwater/rerp.htm

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Northern Territory Government UpdateEcological values of aquatic ecosystems across the Lake Eyre Basin (LEB) and northern Australia were assessed in two major projects trialling national guidelines for identifying High Ecological Value Aquatic Ecosystems (HEVAE). Also in the LEB, some of the first systematic fish sampling for central Australian rivers is happening under the cross-jurisdictional LEBRA (River Assessment) program.

On-ground work at HEVAE sites, funded through Caring for Our Country and several NT Government programs, include pig and banteng control at Cobourg Peninsula (Northern Territory Parks and Wildlife Service and Indigenous Rangers) and a joint (NT Government, Charles Darwin University and the Extractive Industry Association) project to minimise the environmental impacts of gravel and sand extraction on the Howard Springs Sandsheets.

Three recent conservation agreements under the NT Governments’s EcoLink program will directly benefit wetlands; at Henbury Station (covering a significant diversity of arid wetland types), at Conlon’s Lagoon (near Alice Springs) and at Fish River Station (Daly River catchment). See http://www.nt.gov.au/nreta/parks/ecolink/index.html

Multiple programs in the recently launched Integrated Natural Resource Management Plan 2010–2015 will benefit wetland conservation and management. See http://www.territorynrm.org.au/inrm-plan/2010-2015-inrm-plan

Monitoring impacts of camels at waterholes is central to the large camel control project for central Australia. Remote cameras are recording animals using these important water sources and there is a program of invertebrate sampling at remote wetlands.

Queensland Government UpdateManaging some of Queensland’s most sensitive and valuable environments has been made more effective throughout 2011 with the launch of several new and updated online tools for wetlands managers and decision makers.

The Queensland Wetlands Program, a joint initiative of the Australian and Queensland governments, develops projects for the sustainable use, management, conservation and protection of Queensland wetlands, and continues to deliver quality outcomes which are available to all Queenslanders.

Many new products were delivered this year, including a Queensland Wetland Buffer Planning Guideline, which helps planners and managers design the most appropriate buffer to protect wetlands. The guideline assists in the assessment of the wetland values of the site and the pressures on these values. See: http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/wetlandinfo/site/ManagementTools/Guidelines/bufferguidelines.html

The Queensland Wetland Buffer Planning Guideline, the WetlandMaps tool, numerous databases, information sources and guidelines developed through the Queensland Wetlands Program are used directly or called up in State planning policy 4/11: protecting wetlands of high ecological significance in Great Barrier Reef catchments, which became permanent in late 2011.

Some other outcomes of the program in 2011 include the report Inventory of instream structures impacting on Ramsar wetlands, multiple site-specific conceptual model case studies, the Queensland’s wonderful wetlands brochure and poster and aquatic conservation assessments of

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wetlands in the Great Barrier Reef, all available on the WetlandInfo website. See: http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/wetlandinfo/site/

South Australian Government UpdateThe two year $10 million Lower Lakes Bioremediation and Revegetation Project, funded by the Australian Government with support from the South Australian Government, was completed in September 2011. The project’s achievements over the two years include:

• Planting around 1.1 million plants on about 800 hectares of exposed soils.

• Aerially seeding about 10,000 hectares of exposed lakebed.

• 185 km of fencing and 80 water points to protect lakebeds from livestock.

• Improved facilities for nine community nurseries and three Ngarrindjeri nurseries.

• Establishing Lakes Hubs at Milang and Meningie, providing centres for two-way communication between the local community and government.

The successful vegetation program will continue as part of the Murray Futures Coorong and Lower Lakes Recovery program.

In 2011 community volunteers also planted more than 1000 native plants as part of the Meningie Lakefront Habitat Restoration. A highlight of the project is the launch of Pelican Path, Meningie’s new interpretive trail which aims to make the lakefront even more attractive for the local community and visitors to enjoy.

The SA Government is progressing a nominationto the Australian Government that the Piccanninnie Ponds Karst Wetland System, in the South East of SA, be considered for listing under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. As a part of an ongoing project to restore the Piccaninnie Ponds, the SA Government has completed design work to examine the feasibility of restoring flows from the Piccaninnie Ponds to another wetland basin that has been hydrologically altered by the construction of a road.

Tasmanian Government UpdateIn Tasmania more than 900 hectares of wetlands have been protected under conservation agreements by the Private Land Conservation Program (PLCP). This program delivers conservation agreements to protect important natural values, and wetlands have been a focus of this work. The program encourages an integrated approach to private land management and planning that helps landholders fully benefit from the sustainable management of their properties’ natural diversity. It provides a coordinated and targeted approach to the establishment of voluntary conservation agreements with private landowners. To this end, the PLCP manages all of Tasmania’s voluntary covenanting under the Nature Conservation Act 2002, as well as the Land for Wildlife and Gardens for Wildlife initiatives.

All freshwater Tasmanian threatened communities are represented in the PLCP, together with large areas of saltmarsh, saline lagoons and sedgelands. In the past two years the PLCP Monitoring Team has produced a manual of

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wetland monitoring methods, and has set up baseline monitoring on at least half of the 42 properties involved. This baseline monitoring will be important in assessing the changes in these wetlands over time with regards to changes in land management and impact of future climate change on these generally resilient ecosystems.

Also, Tasmania’s contribution to the National Groundwater Dependant Ecosystem (GDE) Project is progressing well. Workshops were held to determine rule sets for identifying GDEs and the first draft map has been completed.

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TOURISM - RAMSAR WETLANDSKakadu National Park - a distinctive natural and cultural experienceParks Australia, Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities

Internationally famous, World Heritage and Ramsar listed, Kakadu National Park is Australia’s largest mainland national park. It is an ancient landscape of exceptional beauty and diversity. Lying at the northern fringe of the Northern Territory, Kakadu is 230 kilometres by road from Darwin, and stretches across 19 804 square kilometres from mangrove-fringed tidal plains in the north to vast floodplains, lowland hills and the sandstone cliffs of the Arnhem Land escarpment.

The Aboriginal people of Kakadu (known as Bininj in the north and Mungguy in the south) are proud to share their country with visitors. Generations of Bininj/Mungguy have lived on and cared for this country for tens of thousands of years. Art, language, ceremonies, kinship and caring for country are all aspects of cultural responsibility that have passed from one generation to the next, from the Creation time.

Bininj/Mungguy believe that during the Creation time important ancestral beings, known as the first people or Nayuhyunggi, journeyed across the landscape creating the features and landforms, plants, animals and the generations of Bininj/Mungguy who live there today. The land and its people have always been linked. Kakadu has one of the greatest concentrations of rock art sites

in the world, and one of the longest historical records of any group of people.

Kakadu teems with wildlife in the water, on the land and in the air – the range and concentration of species is seen nowhere else. Combined with the rich Indigenous culture, diverse landscapes and six seasons, tourists can choose from many outstanding and memorable experiences.

Kakadu National Park was declared in 1979, listed under the Ramsar Convention in 1980 and inscribed on the World Heritage List in two stages, 1981 and 1987. It is one of very few places listed for both its cultural and natural values, and features a successful model of joint management between the Aboriginal traditional owners and the Australian Government’s Director of National Parks. Through joint management, Bininj/Mungguy work together with park staff to balance the protection of their culture and the places that are important to them with the needs of tourists and other stakeholders. Combining traditional skills and knowledge with contemporary park management enables the park to be looked after in line with world’s best management practices.

Kakadu is a key element in Australia’s National Landscapes program which promotes the best tourism destinations Australia has to offer for distinctive natural and cultural experiences. As an iconic drawcard for tourism to Australia and the Northern Territory, Kakadu is consistently used to promote the whole of Australia overseas. In 2010–11, Kakadu received 175 423 tourists (56 per cent domestic and 44 per cent international).

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The possibilities for tourism experiences are endless in Kakadu. To fully appreciate the breadth and beauty of the park, tourists are advised to stay at least three to five days. Kakadu has six seasons and all year round there are always amazing things to see and do. The park has developed a range of suggested itineraries and the key tourism experiences are summarised below.

Experience ancient art and living culture

Tourists can immerse themselves in Kakadu’s rich culture through Aboriginal guides explaining detailed rock art galleries such as Nourlangie, Anbangang and Ubirr. Here,Creation ancestors such as the Rainbow Serpent and Namarrgon (Lightning Man) are etched into the walls. There are opportunities to stay overnight with Aboriginal families and learn traditional weaving, hunting

Crocodile at Yellow Water Lagoon in Kakadu National

Park, NT (Michelle McAulay & the Department of

Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and

Communities)

Rock art in Kakadu National Park, NT

(Director of National Parks)

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and didgeridoo playing. Other ways to experience culture are through a visit to Warradjan Cultural Centre or by taking a cultural cruise through the waterways and wetlands, spotting an abundance of animals and birds, or on a bush tucker tour.

Experience thriving nature

Kakadu is home to one-third of Australian bird species and is an international tourism attraction for birdwatchers. Spot bird species found nowhere else, as well as migratory birds (some that fly from as far away as Siberia). Pelicans, egrets, heron, spoonbills, sea eagles, ducks, brolgas and jacanas can be seen on the walk around Mamukala Wetlands and from the bird hide. In the milder Wurrgeng months of June and August, tourists will see magpie geese swarming around shrinking billabongs. A cruise on the famous Yellow Water Wetlands will reveal crocodiles sunning themselves on the banks and the comb-crested jacana birds – known as ‘jesus’ birds - stepping daintily across the lily pads. Crocodiles and wildlife can also be seen in close proximity on a cruise along the East Alligator River or on a unique night wildlife boat cruise on Djarradjin Billabong. Wallabies, dingoes, termite mounds, bats and fruit bats can be spotted in the woodlands. A quarter of all Australian freshwater fish species can be found in Kakadu and tourists can fish for barramundi from many places, including the East and South Alligator rivers.

Experience diverse landscapes

Tourists can drive or take a 4WD tour to Maguk year round and to Jim Jim Falls, Twin Falls, and Jarrangbarnmi in the dry season. To truly appreciate Kakadu’s grandeur, scenic flights can be taken over the Arnhem Land escarpment and majestic Twin and Jim Jim Falls – this is best experienced during Gudjewg monsoon season from January to March. Many walking trails weave through the wetlands, sandstone cliffs and shady monsoon forests. Tourists can walk to Gubara Pools, experience the rugged sandstone escarpment along the Barrk Walk or ride a bike along the Bowali Track. There are many scenic and relaxing places to camp, including Sandy Billabong, Waldak Irrmbal and Four Mile Hole. May to mid-June, Yegge, is the best time of year to see wetlands covered with water lilies. In the Stone Country tourists can take a walk to the top of Gunlom waterfall and be rewarded with breathtaking views over southern Kakadu.

Appreciation, enjoyment and understanding of Kakadu’s unique values are an important component of managing the Ramsar listed World Heritage Area. Bininj/Mungguy are proud to share their country with visitors and welcome tourism opportunities.

For further information visit http://www.environment.gov.au/parks/kakadu/index.html

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Securing a healthy future for the Coorong and Lower Lakes Alison Perkins, South Australian Department of Environment and Natural Resources

World class wetlands

Located at the downstream end of the Murray-Darling river system, the Coorong and Lakes Alexandrina and Albert Ramsar site is internationally recognised under the Ramsar Convention as one of Australia’s most significant wetland systems.

Covering approximately 142 500 hectares, it includes a diverse range of freshwater, estuarine and marine habitats and is known for its rare birds, fish and plants.

The region includes attractions including the Murray Mouth, Goolwa and Coorong National Park and is one of the most visited tourist destinations in South Australia. It is popular for outdoor activities, including camping, fishing, boating and four-wheel driving.

It is also an important area for birdwatchers, attracting a third of all migratory wading birds that summer in Australia. The annual Meet the Waders Festival is a highlight for many who visit the Coorong.

Wetlands at risk

By 2009 the impacts of drought and water over-allocation across the Murray-Darling Basin left the Coorong and Lower Lakes region on the brink of environmental collapse. Salinity increased and vast areas of exposed lakebeds caused soils to acidify and led to loss of habitat and soil erosion. Environmental impacts on this scale were unprecedented.

Many local businesses that rely on the wetlands’ unique wildlife and beauty to attract tourists, including caravan parks, hotels and shops, were affected.

The return of freshwater flows has provided much-needed relief and the wetlands are showing signs of recovery. But more work is needed to restore the site to a productive, resilient wetland system.

Taking action

Urgent action was needed to ensure the ecosystem could recover when conditions improved.

The South Australian Government’s Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth Recovery Project was developed, with funding from the Australian Government, to address the environmental issues facing the region and rebuild a healthy ecosystem that can better adapt in the future.

Achieving this will directly support the local communities and industries, including tourism, that rely on a healthy wetland system.

Vegetation trials were carried out to test if adding organic material to the soil could help naturally occurring bacteria consume acid in the soil on such a large scale. They were believed to be the largest bioremediation trials of their kind in the world.

Results from these trials guided a large-scale vegetation program that initially focused on stabilising soils and managing acid sulfate soils. Now that water has returned the program continues, with a strong focus on restoring habitat for native plants and wildlife.

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Other actions included:

• limestone dosing to neutralise acid sulfate soils ‘hot spots’

• managing water levels to keep high-risk acid sulfate soils submerged

• coordinating the rescue and recovery of threatened species

• restoring Meningie’s lakefront habitat

• monitoring and research.

Meningie - gateway to the Coorong

Meningie is the gateway to Coorong National Park and is a popular tourist destination. Government, Ngarrindjeri and local communities are working together to restore Meningie’s lakefront habitat and build resilience into the ecosystem.

By carefully designing the foreshore and planting native vegetation, wildlife and plants will be encouraged to return and important breeding sites will be restored. This will attract tourists to the region.

An interpretive trail along the foreshore includes a textured pathway, seating and information on

Pelicans - iconic to the region - at Narrung Narrows

(SA Department of Environment and Natural

Resources)

Part of what is believed to be the world’s largest

bioremediation trials of their kind in the world, Lower

Lakes (SA Department of Environment and Natural

Resources)

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the environmental and cultural significance of the Coorong and Lower Lakes, providing a focus for tourists.

As well as improving the health of Lake Albert at Meningie, the environmentally sensitive design will encourage visitors to spend longer in the town and learn more about these special wetlands.

Securing the future

In partnership with the community, scientists, industry and the Ngarrindjeri, Coorong and Lower Lakes Recovery has developed a long-term plan to secure a healthy, sustainable future for the region.

The Coorong (South Australian Department of

Environment and Natural Resources)

The plan includes a range of actions to restore habitat, manage acid sulfate soils and salinity, protect threatened species, minimise erosion and maintain an open Murray Mouth.

The way the region’s environment is managed will be adapted according to factors such as inflows and information from monitoring and research.

The community has played an important role in delivering urgent projects to restore the environment and its continued involvement through a community advisory panel is crucial in maintaining the site into the future.

‘Lakes Hubs’ centres were established at Meningie and Milang on the edges of Lakes Alexandrina and Albert as a base for government and community to share information. They play a key role in coordinating local volunteers, encouraging community input and providing information on wetland restoration work for visitors to the region.

By restoring these unique wetland ecosystems, Coorong and Lower Lakes Recovery is helping to rebuild the focus of the tourism industry that much of the local community relies on and attract more tourists to the region.

This is part of the South Australian Government’s Murray Futures program, funded by the Australian Government’s Water for the Future initiative.

For further information or to receive regular email updates contact: cllmm@sa.gov.au or visit www.environment.sa.gov.au/cllmm

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Active tourism – the key to achieving core wetland objectives at the Hunter Wetlands Centre AustraliaKen Conway, CEO Hunter Wetlands Centre Australia

The Hunter Estuary Wetlands are the only community owned and run Ramsar listed wetlands in Australia. The Hunter Wetlands Centre Australia is located in the estuary of the Hunter River, 10 kilometres from Newcastle City Centre. The wetlands’ pinnacle of achievement to date is Ramsar listing in 2002. Before 1985 the 45 hectare site was used as sporting fields, a dump and for grazing. The centre has also achieved a number of tourism and education awards over the years.

The four pillars of our Strategic Plan are:

1. Wetlands Conservation and Management – Promoting and demonstrating sustainable conservation and management of wetlands through community participation

2. Education – Increasing and sharing our knowledge and understanding of wetlands and promoting the Ramsar convention

3. Tourism and Recreation – Providing services and facilities to create a high quality and enjoyable experience for visitors that showcase wetland values & functions

4. Governance – Develop corporate sustainability through ethical practice, achieving financial stability, and fostering community involvement.

Conflicting pillars

The first two pillars are not always easy bedfellows of the third, nor of achieving financial stability, one of the goals of the fourth pillar. From time to time this sets up challenges within the community based organisation responsible for ensuring survival of the wetlands.

The first 25 years involved a considerable focus on pillars 1 and 2. The centre has significant infrastructure including a visitor centre, an environmental education centre, tracks, bridges, bird hides and other infrastructure.

Tourism and recreation offer an important opportunity to raise funds to supplement membership income and the boom and bust cycle created by over-reliance on grant funds to enable conservation and education goals to be achieved.

Tourism and entertainment

Tourism is based on entertaining your customers successfully. In a high-speed society like ours, to keep the turnstiles ticking, attracting a number of different market segments simultaneously is the key to financial security. The younger generation is being brought up in an era where the environment is to be enjoyed by trail bike riding, mountain biking, 100 kilometre runs and adventure races.

Active versus passive tourism at Hunter Wetlands

Passive tourism at the Hunter Wetlands is epitomised in our previous motto which was “A Haven for Wildlife and People”. It implies a passive tourism defined by quite walks, bird watching and participation in education and conservation activities, and indeed has been the tourism focus in the first 26 years of existence.

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Active tourism at the wetlands has historically been restricted to canoeing, occasional bike riding around designated tracks and an occasional bout of orienteering. Despite that, the founding members clearly recognised these activities were a way to attract additional revenue to the centre.

A new focus and motto

Our motto has recently changed to Conserve, Educate and Discover. The key driver of this is recognition of the fact that after 25 years the core passive focus, if continued, would most likely result in insolvency. The removal of the word “Haven” signals recognition of the need to change and innovate to attract more paying customers from new market segments to provide funds for maintaining our conservation and education pillars.

Key drivers of the change:

• the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) significantly depleted sponsorship and financial reserves built up from the sales of non-core land to developers in previous years

• the changing of the guard as the founding volunteers have aged and retired

• the cost of maintaining and funding an expanded infrastructure base, holding onto the

environmental gains made and improving the education offer

• the post-GFC tightening of grant availability and sponsorship revenue streams.

Change in strategic focus toward active tourism

The Board and senior management met in January 2011 in response to financial imperatives and approved the pursuit of a more active tourism agenda. Segway tours and challenges were introduced. The corporate training market has been entered with offerings such as canoe challenges, Segway Olympics and mini adventure races including orienteering. We are also pursuing approvals for an adventure/educational ropes course for the site.

The aim of this is to attract a younger, more physically active market segment to fund the traditional pillars of conservation and education and ensure financial survival while showcasing wetland values and functions to new market segments. The changes made by the board will help achieve our conservation and education goals and ensure the ongoing viability of the Hunter Wetlands Centre.

For further information visit www.wetlands.org.au

A group canoeing at the Hunter Wetlands Centre

Australia (Anna Ryan)

A segway tour at the Hunter Wetlands Centre Australia

(Anna Ryan)

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An integrated approach to protecting our wetlands in Port Phillip BaySW Tuohy, Parks Victoria

The Port Phillip Bay (Western Shoreline) and Bellarine Peninsula Ramsar site is one the most complex in Australia. The ecologically significant site extends along the western shore of Port Phillip Bay from Altona South to Limeburners Bay near Geelong, contains parts of the Bellarine Peninsula including Swan Bay and Lake Connewarre State Game Reserve, and includes the Mud Islands section of Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park. Key locations along the western shoreline include Point Cook Coastal Park and Cheetham Wetlands, Melbourne Water’s Western Treatment Plant, The Spit Wildlife Reserve, Point Wilson, Limeburners Lagoon in Corio Bay, Avalon Coastal Reserve and Werribee River Park.

Situated close to Melbourne and Geelong, the western shoreline of Port Phillip Bay and the Bellarine Peninsula are popular visitor destinations. Some of the main activities undertaken by visitors include recreational fishing, bird watching, duck hunting, boating and swimming.

The Point Cook Coastal Park and Cheetham Wetlands is popular among nature enthusiasts, birdwatchers and family groups. The park provides an excellent opportunity to see a diverse range of flora and fauna with the added benefit of being close to Melbourne and adjacent coastal suburbs. Visitors can participate in a variety of recreational opportunities across the entire complex, which is crossed by kilometres of walking tracks. At Point Cook the adventurous can follow marked trails to the bird

hide at Spectacle Lake or climb “The - Tower, a Monument to Migration and Aspirations” to see the 360 degree views and catch a glimpse of some of the international migratory birds that frequent the wetlands below. The beach recreation area provides spectacular views of the city from across the bay and has all the facilities required for a family picnic, including free gas barbecues, picnic tables, a children’s playground and regularly maintained toilets with wheelchair access.

The park regularly plays host to a variety of community events including World Wetlands Day, Harmony Week, Clean Up Australia Day, Coast Care summer programs, and tree planting days. Such activities provide numerous opportunities for community members and schools to actively participate in these important awareness initiatives and environment protection programs.

The Port Phillip Bay Western Shoreline and Bellarine Peninsula Ramsar site is one of 11 wetlands of international significance in Victoria listed under the Ramsar Convention

The endangered saltmarsh communities provide a valuable food source and roosting habitat for many of the native and migratory birds that frequent the wetlands, and are vital in supporting the critically endangered orange-bellied parrot. The site regularly supports more than 20 000 water birds, and more than 1 per cent of the global population of several listed species including curlew sandpipers, double-banded plovers, red-necked stints, and sharp-tailed sandpipers.

Given the wetlands are so close to Victoria’s major population centre, many factors have combined to place pressure on the Ramsar site and adjoining lands over the years. Rubbish

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dumping, poor drainage, stock grazing and infestation by pest plants and animals such as boxthorn or rabbits have all taken their toll on the vegetation communities throughout the region.

In addition, there are increasing demands on the use of the site for recreation and open public space for health and well-being in rapidly expanding urban communities such as nearby Point Cook. It is clear that a well planned and integrated approach is required to sustainably manage the unique values of the Ramsar wetlands and the globally important species they support.

In 2008 the Port Phillip Bay Western Shoreline Protection Program commenced as a partnership between Parks Victoria, the Department of Sustainability and Environment, Port Phillip Westernport Catchment Management Authority, local government and other key stakeholders, including Melbourne Water and Birds Australia. The program aimed to establish effective partnerships with stakeholders, deliver integrated and effective pest plant and animal control programs, map vegetation and site use by shorebirds, and develop community engagement programs for building stewardship within local communities.

“The Tower” at Point Cook is a Monument to Migration and Aspirations and provides a 360 degree view of the

Cheetham wetlands (Parks Victoria).

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The work of the Program was recently recognised when it was awarded a Victorian Coastal Council Award for Coastal Planning and Management in 2011. The award acknowledged the value of the conservation initiative and the establishment of successful partnerships between the various land managers to meet the challenges of wetland management. Since late 2008 the steering committee has obtained significant site investment, delivered improved pest management, informed and provided opportunities for engagement of local communities, and has also established a framework for improved cooperation across the site.

The successful delivery of the project has enabled Australian Government Caring for Our Country funding to be secured until 2013. This will enable further engagement with local communities to help protect flora and fauna in this internationally significant wetland.

For further information contact Parks Victoria Information Centre on 13 19 63.

View of wetlands from above (Parks Victoria).

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TOURISM - URBAN WETLANDSProtecting Gold Coast Beaches - using coastal wetland habitat to improve water quality.Kris J Boody, Dan Parker, Gold Coast City Council

The Southport Broadwater Parklands Mangrove Wetlands Habitat Area has been constructed primarily to improve the stormwater quality going into the Broadwater from part of the Southport urban catchment area.

Southport is adjacent to Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast. Throughout the Broadwater Parklands, open spaces blend seamlessly with the beach and a number of created natural habitat areas. These areas take form as water gardens, constructed wetlands and landscaped gardens and their function is to filter stormwater using bio-retention processes, increasing water quality entering the ocean from a 3.2 hectare catchment of Southport’s CBD.

These types of water sensitive urban designs are used in various park developments Australia-wide. What makes this development different is the fully accessible 1.2 hectare Mangrove Wetlands Habitat Area. Constructed from scratch, this area was once tidal waters of the broadwater. Now it has been rehabilitated to what it may have looked like before the Gold Coast’s foreshore was developed 200 years ago.

The wetlands are located in Broadwater Parklands, a large expanse of newly developed parklands designed for tourism and recreation.

Broadwater Parklands has an extensive entertainment calendar and hosts some of the Gold Coast’s premier events, including the Gold Coast Marathon, large-scale concerts such as The Wiggles and regular movies in the park. The Rockpools at Broadwater Parklands is a popular water play area with cool water fountains and vibrant marine-themed equipment. It includes a creek bed and several tidal rockpools for children to splash in, dam and explore.

The Broadwater Parklands are linked through an extensive pathway system. Assets such as water tanks, solar panels, recycled plastic furniture, barbecues and swimming enclosures help to link the natural vegetation with the park’s facilities. The paths run around the mangrove area, which has been a great asset for education and awareness of the need to enhance and protect our coastal bay waters. Local school groups and international visitors use this mangrove wetlands area to see how a natural system can be constructed and used as a stormwater treatment device.

Gold Coast City Council’s Catchment Management Unit (CMU) is undertaking a mangrove survey and monitoring program to measure the success of this built mangrove habitat, seagrass translocated, treatment of urban stormwater, enhancement of marine habitat and species diversity along the foreshore, and use of the wetlands for marine/coastal education facility in an urban setting.

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Griffith University is also assisting with a number of research projects to evaluate and quantify this site for its habitat viability and capacity as a stormwater treatment device.

The Mangrove Wetlands Habitat area, though still in the establishment phase, is providing increased habitat area for various coastal plant and animal species while educating visitors of the importance of water quality and natural system processes taking place in and around our marine and ocean areas.

The site in May 2010 at high tide

(Gold Coast City Council)

The site in August 2011 at high tide

(Gold Coast City Council)

The Gold Coast City Council and Griffith University will be working on various research projects to understand and evaluate the site for changes to species diversity, mangrove condition, habitat use and capacity for mangroves to filter stormwater over the long term.

For further information contact Kris Boody, Catchment Liaison Officer, kboody@goldcoast.qld.gov.au, or Dan Parker, Technical Officer, dparker@goldcoast.qld.gov.au

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Small constructed wetland makes its mark on the community, CanberraEdwina Robinson, ACT Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate

The Banksia Street, O’Connor wetland is one of three water bodies constructed by the ACT Government in Canberra’s inner north during 2010–2011. Together these wetlands improve the quality of urban stormwater entering the iconic Lake Burley Griffin. As well as enhancing water quality and detaining floods they provide a diverse aquatic and terrestrial habitat in the suburbs. At the much larger Dickson and Lyneham wetlands, harvested stormwater will be delivered to irrigate local sportsgrounds instead of potable water.

One of the unexpected consequences of the development of the Banksia Street wetland is how it has been embraced by the community and provides a destination for individuals, community groups and educational institutions.

Although only 1250 square metres in area, this wetland provides informal recreational opportunities for locals. Pedestrians stroll along paths or sit quietly to observe waterbirds and eastern long-necked tortoises. Children veer from the path to get closer to the water’s edge and create pathways through the native grasses. They play imaginative games focused on ‘catching’ fish and yabbies and construct cubbies from sticks. It’s rewarding to see primary school-aged children interacting with the ‘natural’ environment in the suburbs.

While the wetland is not a tourist hot-spot it has become a focus for field trips and community events. Local primary students and Girl Guides have participated in planting and Waterwatch activities. Recently ANU School of Art students

visited the inner-north wetland and are designing sculptures that respond to the site.

As part of its engagement strategy, the ACT Government has organised a number of community events at Banksia Street. These aim to promote the Wetland Development Program and have a sustainability focus. Prior to excavators moving in, a community fair was staged on the site in 2009. Residents were treated to a smoking ceremony, live music, games, food and information about the wetland proposal. On World Wetlands Day 2010, the Urban Waterways team organised a bike tour of the inner-north wetland sites accompanied by Minister Simon Corbell. A twilight picnic was staged for World Wetlands Day 2011, but many residents were kept away by looming thunderstorms.

The Banksia Street Wetland Carers played an active role in planting and maintaining the wetland. Thousands of macrophytes, grasses, groundcovers, ephemerals, climbers, shrubs and trees from local provenance stock were planted over 10 community planting days. Tree guards were installed to thwart marauding cockatoos. In the coming years, volunteers will play a role in weeding, replanting and monitoring the water quality of the wetland. A local resident trained in herbicide use has tackled invasive couch and Chilean needle grass. It is anticipated that a volunteer will be recruited to collect information on frogs for the Frogwatch census which occurs in October each year.

The ACT government has worked closely with the Banksia Street Wetland Carers to establish the vegetation surrounding the wetland and will continue to support the group in the future. Contractors engaged by government will continue mowing dryland grass and will desilt the wetland when required in the future.

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Like many other ACT waterways, one of the key challenges is controlling the presence of gambusia. Though small, this feral fish has an outstanding reproductive rate and is an aggressive predator of macro-invertebrates, tadpoles and fish. It was first spotted in the wetland in early 2011. Ecologists and the ACT Waterwatch Coordinator have banded together to trial methods of controlling gambusia. In winter the fish congregate in warm shallow areas and

Kids play in ephemeral zone at the first community

planting day March 2010 (Edwina Robinson)

Cormorant drying its wings on tree perch

(Edwina Robinson)

are easy to trap, so in August 2011 staff used seine nets to capture these predators. A single net sweep caught two handfuls of fish – 447 individuals!

For further information visit www.environment.act.gov.au/water/constructed_wetlands or www.facebook.com/pages/Banksia-St-Wetland/184967370852?ref=pb

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Conserving and enjoying urban wetlands: Tamar Island Wetlands, Launceston, TasmaniaStella Rodriguez & Alison Moore, Tasmania Parks & Wildlife, Northern Region

Tamar Island Wetlands are an important urban wetlands located about 10 minutes’ drive from Launceston in the north of Tasmania. They provide habitat for a variety of birds, mammals, reptiles, frogs, fish and invertebrates and are part of the Tamar River Conservation Area, which protects the Tamar River’s remnant wetlands and estuarine environment.

Facilities

There is a boardwalk from the car park which leads to an excellent interpretation centre. The boardwalk extends for 1.5km to Tamar Island, which has picnic and free barbecue facilities. The boardwalk is wheelchair and stroller friendly. Entry is by donation, which helps to maintain the facilities within the reserve. The Tamar Island Wildcare volunteers contribute significantly to the centre’s resources by staffing it 364 days per year.

History

Tamar Island features prominently in the early history of the Tamar. It was first sighted by Europeans in 1804 and named Upper Island. At the time it was a heavily wooded island, surrounded by marshland.

The wetlands on the western side of the reserve were drained in the 1820s and 1830s by convict labour. This increased the amount of pastureland available to the growing settlement of Launceston. Levee banks, most of which are still visible today, were used to curb the tidal flow to the wetlands.

In the 1880s a decision was made to dredge parts of the Tamar River to increase access to the growing port of Launceston. Tamar Island was chosen as a base for the dredging crews. A later part of the operation involved the scuttling of barges, ships and floating docks in the western channels of the Tamar to concentrate the river’s flow to the main channel.

The 1890s saw a growth in interest in Tamar Island as a picnic spot. It was then known as Pig Island, but Tamar Island was considered more appropriate. To give the island a more park-like atmosphere, the hill on Tamar Island was planted with a variety of exotic species, including spruce, fir, pine and oak.

From the early 1900s until the 1950s, the island was offered as a farming lease. A hut in which farmers, and formerly dredging crews, lived is a remnant of this time.

Special and unique features

The wetlands are a superb site to see bird life in Tasmania, with around 60 species being identified in the reserve. There are several species of duck, black swans, egrets, cormorants and swamp harriers, as well as occasional visitors such as the white-bellied sea eagle, and northern hemisphere

Green and gold frog (Helen Jones)

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migrants such as the common greenshank. There is a bird hide about 500 metres from the start of the boardwalk, from which many of the local bird species may be observed.

The reserve is an important breeding site for the nationally vulnerable green and gold frog. This frog was formerly abundant in the Tamar valley but has declined significantly since the 1970s.

Reptiles also make their home in the reserve, with the metallic skink and lowland copperhead snake the most commonly seen, especially on warm days. The rare glossy grass skink is also known to live in parts of the reserve.

The Tamar Wetlands also include one of the largest remaining areas of vegetation dominated by Phragmites australis, or common reed. Swamp paperbark, Melaleuca ericifolia, communities are also present in the wetlands, around the bird hide.

Threats and challenges

The most prominent threat in the wetlands is from the introduced pest fish species, mosquito fish, Gambusia holbrooki, which was introduced to Australia in the 1920s and 1940s from the Gulf of Mexico in North America. Unfortunately, the species eats less mosquito larvae than native fish. It is primarily carnivorous, preying on a range of small freshwater invertebrates.

Gambusia poses a threat to the vulnerable green and gold frog (Litoria raniformis) as it eats almost everything, including frog and fish eggs. It is also highly aggressive, nipping the fins of larger fish. Once established, the fish are extremely difficult to eradicate.

Urban development also poses a threat to wetlands in Tasmania. Draining and reclaiming of wetlands for housing and other uses alters their ecology drastically. Much of the Tamar River’s wetlands have been lost in this way, with most of the remnant patches now protected as part of the Tamar River Conservation Area.

Future Plans

A comprehensive strategy for the Tamar Island Wetlands Centre and Reserve is needed to clearly address the aspiration of Tasmania Parks and Wildlife and volunteers for improved services and facilities, while meeting the imperative for the enterprise to be self-funded. A management strategy will advise on wise use of Tamar Island Wetland Centre and Reserve to protect and maintain its significant ecological character and values within the Tamar River Conservation Area.

For further information contact alison.moore@parks.tas.gov.au or visit http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/index.aspx?base=10370

Opposite page: Tamar Wetlands (David Hicks)

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Adelaide’s Botanic Wetlands Botanic Gardens of Adelaide, South Australian Department of Environment and Natural Resources

Located in Adelaide’s inner city parklands, the unique Adelaide Botanic Garden Wetland will address the impact of drought and climate change through the development of a self-sustaining natural environment combined with an aquifer recharge and reuse facility.

Jointly funded by the South Australian and Australian Governments as part of the National Urban Water and Desalination Plan, the urban-constructed wetland will divert stormwater as it enters the Botanic Garden. The wetland will combine natural and mechanical filtering before storing water, and subsequently recovering it from, an aquifer forty metres below ground.

Highlighting the Gardens’ preparedness to significantly scale back its reliance on the River Murray as its main source of water, the aquifer recharge and reuse program will replace current potable water usage of 100 megalitres a year. In securing water self-sufficiency, the recharge and recovery cycle in the aquifer will be carefully controlled over the establishment phase to meet the anticipated sustainable levels of recoverable water within a five year period. If, as modelled, the predicted water levels of 130–135 megalitres per annum are secured, nearby Botanic Park will also utilise the surplus water as a replacement for the average 40 megalitres per annum it currently sources from the River Torrens and potable water supply.

In cooperation with the Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management Board, pollutant traps will improve the health of the source watercourse and clean associated water

catchments by capturing hundreds of tonnes of organic and man-made litter and debris.

A supplementary benefit of the project is the identification, treatment and removal of contaminated soil from the site’s historical use as a tram and bus depot. The removal of the 25 000 tonnes of contaminated soil ensures improved ground and aquifer water quality and a richer habitat for the diversity of native animals and plants.

A total of 280 000kwh of energy is used to supply current water needs which results in 235 tonnes of carbon emissions. This benchmark will be used to calculate an expected significant reduction in carbon emissions to contribute to South Australia’s strategic greenhouse reduction targets.

Adelaide Botanic Garden attracts 1.5 million visitors each year. Visitors include approximately 50 000 school children using the Gardens’ resources as part of their curriculum. In this setting visitors enjoy the beauty and tranquillity of the Gardens as well as engaging with the Gardens’ messages about our relationship with plants.

The First Creek Wetland Project will provide a unique opportunity to connect visitors with the critical role that plants play in the water cycle, provide an accessible example of the ecosystem services provided by plants, and illustrate both the challenges of water scarcity and the nature of innovative approaches to addressing water scarcity.

The project is achieving an effective integration between botanists, horticulturists, ecologists, educationalists and interpretive and landscape designers to complement the Gardens’ cultural landscapes. The result will provide an innovative, engaging and relevant learning experience

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for all involved. It will resolve an area of the Adelaide Botanic Garden that was identified in the Gardens’ master plan for this purpose in 2006 through preliminary studies dating back to 2004.

Top: Adelaide Botanic Garden view looking south-east over the First Creek Wetlands showing First Creek visible

behind ponds (Board of the Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium South Australia)

Above: Adelaide Botanic Garden Sunken Garden, adjacent to the First Creek Wetlands (Board of the Botanic

Gardens and State Herbarium South Australia)

First Creek Wetland will be an invaluable resource for the Adelaide Botanic Garden, residents of and visitors to South Australia, particularly because of its accessible location in the heart of Adelaide. It will open to the public in 2013.

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Saving what’s left – a Manly community success story Judy Reizes, Founding Manager, Manly Environment Centre, and Dave Thomas, EcoDivers

For the past 20 years the Manly Environment Centre and the local community have worked together with Manly Council on many diverse projects.

Established in the 1850s, Manly was Australia’s first tourist resort and almost all of it is heritage listed. Wherever you are in Manly, wetland environments are never more than half a kilometre away. Within the local government border of 31 kilometres are surf beaches, shallow coves and seagrass, a lagoon, a dam, wetlands, creeks, waterfalls, mangroves and streams. Sand, water and Hawkesbury sandstone were the making of Manly, providing exceptionally clear water for snorkeling and diving.

Volunteers from Manly-based EcoDivers are committed to protecting all kinds of marine creatures and their habitats, and their activities range from rescuing marine birds and animals to mapping seagrass, education and cleanups.

It is also possible to enjoy the underwater experience without getting wet. An eco-walk at Cabbage Tree Bay Aquatic Reserve, Sydney’s only no-take aquatic reserve, features sculptures of the local “residents”, including threatened and protected species like the eastern blue groper, weedy seadragon, eastern blue devilfish, black rock cod and the little penguin.

The only aquatic reserve in Sydney Harbour, the North (Sydney) Harbour Aquatic Reserve is located around the national park areas in Spring Cove and Dobroyd. Together with Cabbage Tree

Bay on the ocean side of North Head, these aquatic reserves are the “Reef in our Backyard”. The interpretative shelter, on the site of a rehabilitated gasworks at Little Manly Point Park, looks down over the reserve and on the site of the initial encounter between the first Europeans and the local Aborigines. Indigenous carvings and rock engravings scattered around Manly depict the marine species that thrived pre-European occupation.

Bantry Bay, with its deep green waters, mangroves and saltmarsh, was chosen 100 years ago as the site to store explosives used in mining and quarrying. The complex was shut down in 1974 but the magazines remain. A national park foreshore trail skirting the magnificent rocks and caves with brilliant views can take you all the way to that other great wetland system, the Hawkesbury River.

In 1837 at the nearby quarantine station, Dr James Stuart divided his time between nursing the sick and painting exquisite pictures of Australian wildlife. Many of his 200 works depicting birds and marine life were of species unknown to the scientists of his day. Weakened by the typhus he contracted from his patients, he died in 1842 at the age of 40. His works, rated as some of the best of their kind and including the earliest paintings of marine life in Australia, are held in the State Archives.

Some of the species that inspired James Stuart are now extinct; others struggle to survive the onslaught of progress, protected by dedicated volunteers, including members of the Manly Environment Centre. For example, Manly boasts the only mainland breeding colony of little penguins in New South Wales, but they are constantly under threat from dogs, discarded plastic, fishing debris, development and tourists.

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Like the little penguins, the Manly population of the longnosed bandicoot was one of the first common species in the world to be listed as a threatened population (NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995).This last colony of bandicoots in Sydney Harbour inhabits the vegetation growing on the harbour’s last ancient sand dunes and the unique hanging swamps at North Head. The other species are right out of the celebrated children’s book, Norman Lindsay’s The Magic Pudding.

Hanging Swamp (Jenny Wilson)

Monitoring seagrass (David Thomas)

Nudibranch (David Thomas)

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Manly Environment Centre has run a comprehensive restoration and education program over 17 years. Once considered beyond salvation, the Manly Lagoon is coming back to life. Its 10 iconic species even include a unique Gondwanaland fish, the climbing galaxias.

Additionally, Manly’s only creek, Burnt Bridge Creek which feeds into the lagoon, has now been rehabilitated from top to bottom with funding of about $4 million from Manly Council’s Environmental Levy and a significant grant from the NSW Department of Environment. This

rehabilitation was started more than 25 years ago by a local resident, Ernie Murray, who received the 2011 Manly Environment Centre Eco Award in recognition.

Storyboards, murals and sculptures by artists and interpretative signage by school children provide an outdoor classroom for visitors and celebrate the crusade that instigated the rehabilitation work. Read more about the Manly Environment Centre’s outdoor classroom in the 2004 article “Hop in and help Manly Lagoon” Project in the 12th edition of Wetlands Australia.

For more details see: http://www.mec.org.au/

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VISITOR ENGAGEMENTQueensland’s wonderful wetlands - what do wetlands visitors want to know?Rosemary Lancaster and Emily Smykal, Queensland Wetlands Program, Department of Environment and Resource Management

What’s attractive about a swamp?

Creating an understanding and appreciation of wetlands in the general community is a challenge. Wetlands are often not valued because people do not understand their rich and complex ecosystems or their importance to our lives.

Wetlands have many values. For example, healthy wetlands are places to relax and enjoy some of Queensland’s natural wonders. They are also diversity hotspots for plants and animals, including threatened species.

The Queensland Wetlands Program wanted to create a resource that would encourage people to visit wetlands and understand their many values.

Why was a brochure the solution?

The Program already had a package of school materials that had been implemented in the Great Barrier Reef catchments – the Wetlands Warriors package.

The website WetlandInfo – the Program’s first-stop shop for wetlands management resources – includes lots of materials for a very broad range of stakeholders.

However, these communication tools weren’t designed as an introduction for the general public

or a wetland visitor. Research indicated that the WetlandInfo website was overwhelming to someone with only a casual interest in wetlands. Many organisations and educational institutions had made requests in the past for printed information on wetlands in Queensland which could be given out to the general public, but no such item existed.

We decided to meet that requirement of our stakeholders and communicate directly with the community. The Program needed a tool that would be interesting for general readers and link them to WetlandInfo if they needed more information. The solution was a hard copy, full-colour publication that was developed through direct stakeholder engagement.

The result was Queensland’s wonderful wetlands–a multi-purpose product that helps the Program raise awareness of wetlands and their values in the community.

Creating the product

The Program asked stakeholders, such as wetlands centres, for their specific needs from a community-oriented publication. We asked about the type and amount of information, the best kind of illustrations, the most appropriate ‘voice’, and the likely number needed to supply stakeholders up to 2013.

A first draft of the brochure was circulated among the Program’s internal stakeholders to ensure a consistent message. Then the draft went out to wider stakeholders to get their views and advice.

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A direct result of the consultation was a request for a poster to accompany the brochure, which we developed in two sizes for display and for individuals. The consultation had two important benefits. Firstly, the Program was confident the brochure was appropriate, relevant and useful for its audience because stakeholders themselves had guided the final product. Secondly, the actual process of consultation raised awareness of the Program and its work among stakeholders.

A successful outcome for wetlands

Published to coincide with Worlds Wetlands Day 2011, 10 000 copies of the full-colour brochure and 200 A2 posters and 1000 A3 size posters were printed. All were made available free to stakeholders, including delivery. More than 4000 brochures and 250 posters were delivered to clients in time for World Wetlands Day 2011, and to date more than 10 000 brochures and

The Queensland’s wonderful wetlands poster

(Queensland Department of Environment and

Resource Management)

The Queensland’s wonderful wetlands poster and

panels from the brochure were on display at the

2011 Royal Brisbane Show, along with the Program’s

interactive touch screen console (Queensland

Department of Environment and Resource

Management)

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1000 posters have been distributed across Queensland.

Stakeholders who ordered the brochure and the poster have included the Burnett Mary Regional Group, Osprey House Environmental Centre, the Port of Brisbane, Cassowary Coast Regional Council, Sunfish, the Queensland Farmers Federation, Brisbane City Council wetlands centres and many more.

Regional stakeholders such as natural resource management groups and environmental centres have put the publications on display, made them available to visitors at wetlands across the state, and distributed them at events including regional agricultural shows and the Royal Brisbane Show.

Queensland’s wonderful wetlands gives the community and tourists immediate access to information about wetlands, and directs them to the Program’s WetlandInfo website, where they can learn even more about Queensland’s wetlands.

Spreading the word about wetlands values

A big community demand exists for interesting, quality information about wetlands and their values. The brochures proved to be so popular that the Program has recently commissioned a reprint of 10 000 to meet future demand. The A3 poster has also been reprinted.

Recently the Program started developing a short simple fact-filled media presentation about the values of wetlands. Look out for it on our WetlandInfo home page in 2012.

About the Program

The Queensland Wetlands Program supports projects and activities that result in long-term benefits to the sustainable management, wise use and protection of wetlands in Queensland. The tools developed by the Program help wetlands landholders, managers and decision-makers in government and industry. The Program is a joint initiative of the Australian and Queensland governments. Find all your wetland management resources on WetlandInfo.

For further information visit http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/wetlandinfo/site/

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The Living Murray’s icon sites — a natural tourist trailDenise Fowler, Murray–Darling Basin Authority

The Living Murray program is helping to restore the health of the Murray River by focusing on six icon sites which were chosen for their high ecological and economic value as well as their cultural significance. The Murray, with its floodplains, wetlands, forests and estuarine systems, forms a unique environment with outstanding ecological values. The icon sites are home to many rare and endangered species and internationally significant wetlands, as well as the world’s largest river red gum forests.

The Murray River region has also long been a popular tourism destination, and, according to Tourism Australia (2009), nature-based activities are a significant component for both international visitors to Australia (64 per cent) and domestic travellers (19 per cent).

The Living Murray’s icon sites are all very different and so provide a range of experiences for visitors. Recognising this, The Living Murray program is working in partnership with other organisations to develop products aimed at both local communities and visitors to raise awareness about the natural and cultural values of the icon sites, and what governments and communities are doing to help restore the health of the river.

1. The Barmah–Millewa Forest icon site supports the largest river red gum forest in Australia, and is the largest and most intact freshwater floodplain system along the Murray River. It is an internationally significant wetland and an important feeding and breeding habitat for thousands of waterbirds. Bird watching,

camping, bushwalking, fishing and canoeing are popular activities at this site.

In 2010 environmental water (including The Living Murray water) was released to maintain key bird breeding areas in the forest, resulting in the best bird breeding event in 60 years. This provided an opportunity for bird watchers to see thousands of nesting birds from more than 28 species.

2. The Gunbower–Koondrook–Perricoota Forest icon site has a diverse range of habitats including floodplains, wetlands creeks and open woodlands. It is the second largest river red gum forest in Australia and home to several rare or threatened species such as the carpet python and white-bellied sea eagle. Popular recreational activities include camping, kayaking, fishing, riding and bushwalking. A DVD is available online for visitors to watch before visiting the site. It tells the story of the area through the personal memories of those who live in or have visited the forest. See www.environmentvictoria.org.au/content/gkp-storylines.

3. Hattah Lakes icon site is a large floodplain wetland system consisting of more than 20 shallow lakes bordered by riverine forest. It provides vital habitat for many plants and animals, including migratory birds from the northern hemisphere. The site has been a focus for traditional Aboriginal society for thousands of years and has high cultural values.

In 2010 water was pumped into Lake Kramen for the first time since 1993 to maintain habitat for native fish and waterbirds. The return of water to the lakes has encouraged tourists and locals to return to enjoy activities such

41

Interpretive signs at the Murray Mouth (Denise Fowler)

The Living Murray icon site trail

(Murray Darling Basin Authority)

as bushwalking, bird watching, camping or canoeing.

An interpretive information display in the Hattah–Kulkyne National Park Visitor Centre gives more information about The Living Murray and a DVD has been produced which includes the personal stories of those who live at or have visited the site. See www.environmentvictoria.org.au/content/hattah-lakes-storylines.

4. The Chowilla Floodplain and Lindsay–Wallpolla Islands icon site comprises one of the most significant floodplain ecosystems in semi-arid Australia and contains the largest remaining area of natural river red gum

42 | Wetlands Australia 2012

forest in the lower Murray. Bushwalking and exploring the rich cultural history of the area are popular activities.

A new display in Mildura’s Alfred Deakin Visitor Information Centre gives more information about The Living Murray program and work underway at Hattah Lakes and Lindsay–Wallpolla Islands.

5. Lower Lakes, Coorong and Murray Mouth icon site, at the end of the system, is an internationally significant site. The area where the Murray meets the sea is one of the most important havens for large concentrations of wading birds in Australia, as well as being a breeding ground for many species of waterbirds and native fish. Because of this, and the outstanding scenery, the mouth of the Murray is a popular tourism destination.

6. The River Murray Channel icon site comprises the whole of the river channel from near Albury to the sea — more than 2000 km. The Murray River, with its weirs, locks and barrages, is a highly regulated system but with its own natural and cultural values. It connects the headwaters, floodplains and wetlands with the estuary and ocean. The river has long been a popular tourism destination, with many people exploring the river by house boat or paddle boat.

The Living Murray program

The Living Murray program is a joint initiative funded by the NSW, Victorian, South Australian, Australian Capital Territory and Australian governments, coordinated by the Murray–Darling Basin Authority. It involves:

• recovering water for the environment

• delivering environmental water

• building water management structures to help deliver water and to make the most of the water available

• monitoring the effects of watering on plant and animal communities.

By working to restore the health of the river The Living Murray program is helping to maintain the natural values which attract many visitors to the region. Learnings from the program are also helping to inform the development of the Basin Plan.

For further information contact the Living Murray communications officer denise.fowler@mdba.gov.au or visit www.mdba.gov.au/tlm

Acknowledgements

Communication products mentioned in this article have been produced in partnership with a number of agencies. These include: Department of Sustainability and Environment (Victoria); Department for Water (South Australia); Forests NSW; Parks Victoria; Mallee Catchment Management Authority; North Central Catchment Management Authority; Murray Catchment Management Authority; Environment Victoria; Bendigo Regional Institute of TAFE; Sunraysia Institute of TAFE.

Design, editorial and illustration services for the showcased displays were provided by Ecocreative® www.ecocreative.com.au.

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The value of our volunteersGrant Morgan, NSW Ramsar Managers’ Network Coordinator

While wetlands bring people together it’s the strength, passion and commitment of volunteers that create the desirable outcomes for all stakeholders. Environmental volunteers play an essential role in protecting our wetlands and building strong communities. Volunteers create healthy, robust and dynamic communities.

The contribution volunteers make to wetlands is not just cheap labour. Volunteers participate in a

wide variety of activities in and around wetlands, including events management, bush regeneration and community education activities. They play a significant role in providing eco-tourism services to the wider community, acting as tour guides, event staff, organisers and participants. Volunteering builds social capital. A key concept in understanding the value of volunteers, this social capital and the networks that develop through volunteering are the cornerstone of achieving the goal of the wise use of wetlands. This social capital creates healthier, happier and more integrated communities which create a better atmosphere in general.

Hunter Wetlands Centre, NSW

(Bruce Gray & the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communites)

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Why volunteer?

There are many places people choose to volunteer and many reasons why. Motivations for environmental volunteers include a feeling of obligation to the environment and/or community and a desire to spend time with family and friends doing something positive, either in the local community or packaged as a holiday or gap year. Other key motivations are social inclusion, capacity building, personal values, esteem for their career and to learn about environmental issues. It is understood that volunteering and

a strong community sector provides a solid foundation for social capital and social networks to be built upon.

Volunteer tourism

Tourism is becoming increasingly popular, through corporate volunteering or such as experienced at the Hunter Wetlands Centre recently through community service agencies. Two volunteers from Europe recently spent time at the centre as part of their countries’ national service programs. Instead of joining the military they chose to give back to

Birdlife at the Hunter Wetlands Centre, NSW

(Sarah Stuart-Smith & the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities)

45

the environment via volunteering in Australia. This new volunteer tourism has contributed to environmental improvements in recent years and helps build more diverse social networks across a broader community.

Volunteer achievement

Volunteers are responsible for many of the improvements in the environment in recent years. In Queensland, community volunteers have been trained to collect geo-tagged, digital video of mangrove shorelines and estuary banks that helps experts assess change and degradation of tidal wetlands. Twenty-five years ago the Hunter Wetlands Centre at Shortland was a badly degraded wetland that had been drained for football fields, over-grazed and used as a landfill site. Today it is an internationally recognised benchmark for environmental restoration. Most of the work has been achieved due to the commitment of volunteers and it remains Australia’s only community-owned wetlands centre.

Community projects at Panboola on the NSW south coast have been the foundation for improved water quality in the area and are continuing to monitor biodiversity and restore the

marshland. Elsewhere volunteers are working with government agencies to monitor the status of seagrass. But it is not only water quality, biodiversity and aesthetics of our environment that improve through environmental volunteerism. Volunteering also builds social capital by encouraging community participation, community pride and knowledge sharing.

Volunteering as tourism will continue to grow, particularly for those organisations that deal with environmental volunteers. This is a unique form of volunteering and while they are tourists it is important to recognise that they are also volunteers. A key to successful tourism volunteering is to add value to the volunteer project by incorporating tourism experiences such as tours and recreation. Volunteers are extremely important to our society and to the success of eco-tourism in wetlands, and should be regarded as one of our most valuable resources.

(Adapted from Literature Review “Funding Environmental Volunteers in Hunter Region”)

For further information contact Ramsar@wetlands.org.au or visit www.ramsarmanagers.org.au

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Events linking wetlands together in Wimmera’s south-westWimmera Catchment Management Authority

It might not be obvious what Chicks in the Sticks, the Kowree Yabby, Swamp Talk and Habitat Tender all have in common. But for people living in the Wimmera’s west, the connection is clear. And for Wimmera Catchment Management Authority, the connection has been a resounding success. Over the past 12 months, Wimmera CMA has hosted a range of events that have several things in common. They are fun, they are a great day out and most importantly, they lead to healthier wetlands and more sustainable farming.

Locals describe the West Wimmera as a series of swamps but this possibly undersells the value of its wetlands that comprise 25 per cent of all non-riverine wetlands in Victoria. Diversity is what makes the Wimmera’s 3000-plus wetlands significant. They provide habitat for many regional and migratory birds, animals and plants, including quite a few from national and Victorian endangered lists. These include the growling grass frog, brolga, blue-billed duck, freckled duck, golden-rayed blue butterfly, red-necked avocet, red capped plover, salt paperbark, ridged water-milfoil and swamp sheoak. They also support productive uses and a variety of recreational opportunities for locals and visitors, including bird watching, fishing, yabbying and boating.

Chicks in the Sticks

Chicks in the Sticks is a regular event where farming women get together for high tea or a gourmet twilight barbecue on the banks of a wetland and talk about what’s happening on their farms. They hear about the work their neighbours are doing in restoring their wetlands and they

also get an opportunity to learn about the latest funding programs through which they can get assistance to improve their wetland habitat.

Rural women wore their gumboots with pride and purpose as they celebrated the resilience of communities and wetlands at the third annual Chicks in the Sticks event at Lake Ratzcastle near Goroke in early 2011. About 40 women listened avidly to guest speaker and wetlands ecologist Michelle Casanova of Westmere before enjoying a twilight meal at the water’s edge to mark World Wetlands Day.

Mareeta Cox, who farms between Harrow and Coleraine, was a first-time participant at the lakeside event in early February, but she’ll be pulling on her gumboots with enthusiasm for future gatherings and is keen to learn more about the ecology of the West Wimmera’s wetlands.

Michelle Casanova’s message about how both communities and wetlands had to be “resilient and connected’’ to survive struck a strong note with the women, who have weathered years of drought and, recently, heavy rain and floods.

Swamp Talk

Swamp Talk, hosted by third-generation Langkoop farmer Simon Robinson and wife Georgina, focused on grazing wetlands. The picture-perfect setting was the banks of their swamp, and the CMA invited researchers Belinda Cant and Michelle Casanova along to share some of their wetland knowledge.

Simon and Georgina were keen to show the visitors the endangered red-tailed black cockatoos living near the swamp, as well as a pair of brolgas which had successfully bred after being unable to rear young for the previous eight years due to dry conditions.

47

It was May 2002 when the Robinsons bought the block where people gathered for Swamp Talk. Simon wasn’t grazing the wetland at the time – one reason was that it was full of water and the other was that he tries to graze only when he absolutely has to – for example, during drought. He has fenced two wetlands, some with grants sourced through Wimmera CMA, and also at his own expense.

Simon and Georgina think they might be among the first farmers in the West Wimmera to fence off wetlands and put a tighter rein on grazing wetland areas. An interest in wildlife, birds in particular, led them to combine this appreciation of nature with their farm management approach

of fencing to soil type. This enables them to invest their efforts into the farm’s productive areas while encouraging the swamps to regenerate.

And what about the Kowree Yabby?

The return of water to rivers, lakes and swamps heralded the return of all the things the Wimmera took for granted before the region endured the longest drought on record: yabbies, fish, birds and frogs, as well as picnics by the water, water skiing and sailing. For the Kowree Yabby day, Wimmera CMA was keen to enlist local volunteers to plant trees at a significant wetland site but wanted to make sure it was much more than a tree planting day. By naming and branding the event ‘the

A pair of Brolgas (Brian Furby Collection) Wimmera’s Kowree Yabby Day

(Christine Bull Photography)

48 | Wetlands Australia 2012

Kowree Yabby’ they made it a local recreational event, which captured people’s imagination and attracted 50 participants.

Blair Patullo from Museum Victoria was guest speaker and shared his findings from a six-year University of Melbourne research project on yabbies.

Regional Landcare Facilitator Bindi Lees said it was an “absolutely brilliant’’ day. “It was so good to see so many young children involved in the tree planting with their families, and theming the day around yabbies made it so much fun for everyone. We all remember catching yabbies as kids, but my children, who are aged eight and under, had never even seen a yabby because there hasn’t been much water around during their lifetime.”

Three successful events

At the three events, Wimmera CMA met a total of 114 farmers and community members from the target area, south-west Wimmera. Of these, 65 people got involved in activities designed to build skills in managing wetlands and encourage on-farm wetland conservation. The remaining 49 were actively involved in protecting and enhancing an important conservation reserve.

Wimmera CMA chief executive David Brennan said the events also provided opportunities to cross-promote other CMA programs, funding incentives and initiatives such as Funds for Farmers and Habitat Tender for Wetlands. In the past, the CMA marketed their events as wetland conservation days and attracted good audiences; however, they noticed they were attracting the same faces each time.

“We wanted to engage with the farmers who did not see themselves as ‘green’ or conservationists, but had an interest in looking after wetlands for other reasons such as increased farm productivity and sustainability, leaving something for future generations, creating a haven for ducks for breeding, fishing, yabbying or just generally enjoying the way their farm looks,” he said.

“As such, we have tried to be creative and innovative in the way that we run these events to make sure they are interesting and attractive to our target audience while also meeting the objectives of our investment programs.”

For further information email wca@wcma.vic.gov.au or visit www.wcma.vic.gov.au

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A strategy for engaging people in the East Asian-Australasian FlywayChristine Prietto, Ramsar CEPA NGO Focal Point, Hunter Wetlands Centre Australia

In September 2011 a group of wetland specialists gathered at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve in Singapore to develop a Communication, Education, Participation and Awareness (CEPA) Strategy for the East Asian–Australasian (EAA) Flyway Partnership. The Partnership provides a framework for international cooperation for the conservation of migratory waterbirds and the sustainable use of their habitats. The workshop included staff from the Ramsar Secretariat, the Flyway Partnership Secretariat and representatives of sectors with an interest in the EAA Flyway.

Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve is 130 acres (52 hectares) of tidal wetlands, and the coastline of Malaysia is clearly visible from the edges of the reserve. It is the only area of dedicated nature reserve in Singapore that includes mangrove habitat. The significance of the area for conservation was identified by the Malaysian Nature Society in 1986 and the reserve was gazetted in 2002. Many of the viewing platforms for visitors at Sungei Buloh have been developed around observing migratory birds during their migration and the reserve is a favourite destination for serious bird watchers and nature lovers alike.

The Flyway encompasses 22 countries, stretching from the Russian Far East and Alaska, southwards through East Asia and South-east Asia, to Australia and New Zealand. Each year more than 50 million waterbirds from 250 species migrate through the flyway. During migration

Above left:: Partnership for the East Asian –

Australasian Flyway theme image

(http://www.eaaflyway.net/)

Above right: East Asian – Australasian Flyway

(http://www.eaaflyway.net/)

these waterbirds rely on a chain of highly productive wetlands to rest and feed, building up sufficient energy to fuel the next phase of their journey.

Importantly, the Flyway is also home to 45 per cent of the world’s human population and in many locations people obtain their livelihoods from the same wetland systems that are supporting the birds. Despite efforts over many years, waterbirds and their coastal and inland habitats are under increasing pressure from rapid population growth and economic development, particularly in East and South-east Asia. These pressures impact on the waterbirds that spend the non-breeding season in these countries as well as those waterbirds that use the central parts of the flyway during migration.

The EAA Flyway Partnership was launched in 2006 in recognition that a flyway-wide approach is critical to the conservation of migratory waterbirds. Australia played a leading role in establishing the Partnership and continues to provide ongoing support. The Partnership supports development of a Flyway Site Network

50 | Wetlands Australia 2012

that has the potential to include at least 200 sites of international importance for migratory waterbirds.

The Partnership recognises the importance of economic development for communities that share important sites with migratory waterbirds. Tourism is one area of economic development that often shares desired locations with those of migratory birds. This poses challenges as well as opportunities. Singapore provides a wonderful example. The island state is home to 6 million people and the population is climbing, so the demand for land is high. At the same time tourism, and particularly nature tourism, is

a growth industry in Singapore. Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve is developing an expansion plan to incorporate a new interpretation area to cater for greater numbers of visitors without impacting on the ecosystem values of the existing site.

The Partnership also recognises that success in building and promoting a Flyway Site Network for migratory waterbirds will depend on awareness raising and capacity building at a local level. This will involve a range of activities to increase knowledge and raise awareness of migratory waterbirds, as well as training activities that build capacity for the sustainable management of migratory waterbird habitat and sustainable

Birdlife on Eighty-mile Beach, WA

(Gayle Partridge & the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities)

51

development of economic activities that benefit people. These activities were the focus of the workshop.

The task in Singapore was to develop a CEPA strategy to reflect the work done so far by the Partnership Secretariat. The strategy would need to be adaptable and meaningful for the many cultures represented among the Flyway partners. At the workshop selected participants delivered short presentations on the issues that should be included in the CEPA strategy, based on their experience with specific target groups/topics and related to the objectives in the EAAFP implementation strategy. Presentations included:

• the Flyway Partnership (Lew Young, Ramsar Secretariat)

• migratory Waterbirds (Phil Straw, Australia)

• wetlands (Sandra Hails, Ramsar Secretariat)

• local communities (Amy Lecciones, Philippines)

• government (Agus Sriyadi Budi Sutito, Indonesia)

• private sector (Sharon Chan, Singapore)

• wetland centres (Christine Prietto, Australia).

The Draft EAA Flyway Partnership CEPA Strategy was reviewed at the Meeting of Partners in November 2011 in Indonesia ahead of implementation in 2012.

For further information visit http://www.eaaflyway.net/ or email christine.prietto@gmail.com

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TOURISM - COASTAL WETLANDSDeclared Fish Habitat Areas benefit tourists, fishers and nature loversRebecca Batton and Kurt Derbyshire, Fisheries Queensland - Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation

Queensland’s wetland habitats support the diverse fish communities on which Queensland’s fisheries rely. Fish require a mosaic of habitats for spawning, migration, feeding, growth and shelter. Maintaining a broad range of habitat types, characteristics and functions is critical to sustain fisheries productivity and provide seafood for the community.

Declared Fish Habitat Areas (FHAs) are spatially defined areas protecting key fish habitats from development impacts. Since 1969 a network of 70 declared FHAs has been implemented to protect 1 134 300 hectares of important fish habitats. The coastal and estuarine focus of the network reflects the development pressure on these habitats and their importance in supporting fisheries.

All types of fish habitats, including mangroves, sand flats, corals and seagrass beds, are equally protected by FHA declaration. Two management levels, A and B, provide flexibility for the declared FHA network. Management A protects critical fish habitats and allows only limited public

1.All fishing regulations apply including fishing closures and size and bag limits, and Marine Park zoning where

this overlaps with the declared FHA.

development, such as community access points. More than two-thirds of the network is within Management A. Management B protects important fish habitats while allowing some additional development, such as a small boat ramp to provide access to a private property.

The fish habitats that declared FHAs protect are also important for sea turtles, dugong, dolphins and birds. In many places (such as the Noosa River everglades and Trinity Inlet in Cairns), declared FHAs provide a wilderness experience on your doorstep through opportunities such as fishing, boating and wildlife watching.

Activities

Declared FHAs allow unrestricted access for tourism, including access to recreational fishing opportunities1. In fact, these marine protected areas are great places to fish because the habitats are so good. Rehabilitation, education, research and monitoring are also specifically allowed in declared FHAs. These activities can improve the quality and understanding of the area and enhance the tourism experience.

Challenges

The quality and integrity of declared FHAs are threatened by activities such as dumping of rubbish, off-track disturbance of intertidal habitats and by illegal structures such as informal boat ramps.

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The community plays a key role in the success of the declared FHA network through its ongoing support. Communities are encouraged to make nominations of candidate areas and report illegal and other harmful activities. Fisheries Queensland works with community groups and organisations such as OceanWatch through its Tide to Table program to clean up and restore affected areas.

Strategic planning can prevent issues before a problem arises. For example, well designed and located public boat ramps suited to community demands reduce the pressure for illegal ramps.

Development is restricted by law in declared FHAs and approvals are required for works that may be permitted. The approval of structures, such as public fishing platforms and boardwalks, allows for public access while keeping the habitats in a healthy condition.

Also, future climate change and sea level rise may affect the nature, function and extent of these areas. Strategic planning and adaptation measures will be needed to deal with climate change impacts.

Osprey House boardwalk provides education and birdwatching opportunities in Hays Inlet Declared FHA, south

east Queensland (Queensland Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation)

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Fisheries Queensland is implementing the Declared FHA network strategy 2009–14, including:

• investigation of potential new areas and review of existing boundaries to ensure that key fish habitats are included in the network

• an annual communications plan to promote understanding of declared FHAs

• status assessments of declared FHAs.

For further information call 13 25 23 or visit www.fisheries.qld.gov.au

Corio Bay declared FHA, central Queensland, is a great spot for fishing and birdwatching

(Queensland Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation)

State wide map of declared Fish Habitat Area network

(Queensland Department of Employment, Economic

Development and Innovation)

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Coastal wetlands and WetlandCare Australia’s Blue Carbon ProgramSimone Haigh, WetlandCare Australia

The appeal of an area is often communicated by promoting its natural values. For example, the Ballina Tourism and Hospitality website invites visitors to “Get in touch with nature from littoral rainforests with flowing waterfalls and swimming holes, stunning white surf beaches, calming bays, a natural tea tree lake, rolling country vistas and quaint villages”. As well as a high economic value from tourism, coastal wetlands provide vital food and habitat resources for numerous species of recreationally and commercially important fish species, as well as providing a significant

protective buffer from extreme weather events. However, coastal wetlands, particularly mangrove forests, salt marshes and seagrass, have suffered massive losses globally. In Australia those that remain are protected under relevant state legislation. However, they are often threatened by factors such as the siltation of rivers and streams, physical damage, pollution and poor water quality.

As the leading Australian not-for-profit wetland conservation organisation, WetlandCare Australia has always used innovative methods to deliver on its commitment to protect, promote and restore wetlands. We have undertaken numerous projects over the years to protect and rehabilitate coastal wetland vegetation, in particular saltmarsh, mangroves and seagrass meadows. These include the rehabilitation of wheel ruts in

Unrestricted vehicle access has resulted in significant damage to this section of North Creek saltmarsh. This area

is targeted for restoration work under WetlandCare Australia’s Coastal 20 project (Simone Haigh)

56 | Wetlands Australia 2012

saltmarsh beds and prevention of unauthorised access, as well as weed and erosion control. Our coverage extends well into upper catchment areas where rehabilitation actions such as erosion control are a vital component of helping to protect seagrass beds from being smothered with sediment from catchment runoff.

Now there is an exciting field of research emerging that has added new weight to the existing argument for the conservation of coastal wetlands. A seminal report published in 2009 called The management of natural coastal carbon

sinks (Laffoley & Grimsditch) brought together the latest research into the carbon sequestration capacities of key coastal ecosystems. This was followed by the Rapid Response Assessment - Blue carbon (Nellemann et al., 2009) which highlights the critical role of the oceans and ocean ecosystems in maintaining our climate.

When it comes to carbon sinks, tropical rainforests like the Amazon are usually the first thing that springs to mind. This research has shown that the carbon sequestration rates of coastal wetlands are actually much higher than

As well as being great places to explore, mangroves are also extremely good at capturing and storing

atmospheric carbon (Andrew Attewell)

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those of terrestrial systems. Conversely, the destruction of these wetlands is contributing a disproportionate amount of CO2 into the atmosphere, and these emissions continue for years after their destruction. So in addition to the many established ecosystem services these types of coastal wetlands provide, the role of significant carbon sinks can now be added.

WetlandCare Australia’s Blue Carbon program was launched last year. The overarching goal of this program is to promote the Blue Carbon agenda in Australia and work towards the inclusion of coastal wetlands in Australia’s climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies.

We are doing this by working in partnership with universities to facilitate and guide key research priorities in this emerging field, and by fostering the recognition of the role of coastal wetlands in the voluntary carbon market and their potential contribution towards Australia’s Kyoto obligations. We also continue to work towards the ongoing rehabilitation of key coastal wetland environments – particularly through our $2.5 million Coastal 20 wetland restoration project funded under the Australian Government’s Caring for our Country program. This will enhance their contribution to tourism habitat and productivity.

Who knows how much carbon is locked up in Australian coastal wetland plants and soils? Who knows how much we may be able to draw out of the atmosphere and store in the soils if large scale coastal wetland restoration projects were to replace some of the other, more marginal land

uses in coastal regions? WetlandCare Australia will continue to pursue opportunities to answer these questions, as well as to work towards the development of a method that will allow an economic value to be placed on the important role that coastal wetlands play in removing greenhouse gas pollution.

“Targeted investments in the sustainable management of coastal and marine ecosystems – the natural infrastructure – alongside the rehabilitation and restoration of damaged and degraded ones, could prove a very wise transaction with inordinate returns” – Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary General and Executive Director, UNEP 2009

For further information contact simonehaigh@wetlandcare.com.au or visit www.wetlandcare.com.au

References:

Laffoley, D. d’A. & Grimmsditch, G. (eds). 2009. The management of natural coastal carbon sinks. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland. 53 pp. http://cmsdata.iucn.org/downloads/carbon_managment_report_final_printed_version.pdf

Nellemann, C., Corcoran, E., Duarte, C. M., Valdés, L., De Young, C., Fonseca, L., Grimsditch, G. (Eds). 2009. Rapid Response Assessment - Blue Carbon – the role of healthy oceans in binding carbon. United Nations Environment Programme, GRID-Arendal, http://www.grida.no/publications/rr/blue-carbon/

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Coastal 20 – an investment for future tourism and recreationAdam Gosling, Project Manager – Coastal 20, WetlandCare Australia

Since colonisation, coastal wetlands have been largely under-valued in Australia, leading to significant loss and degradation. The environmental, social, cultural and economic values of coastal wetlands are only beginning to be fully appreciated. Our coasts, rivers, lakes, mangroves and other wetlands systems are a valuable recreational and tourism resource. Not only do they contribute substantial income to regional economies, they also contribute to the health and wellbeing of communities.

The nature-based tourism industry contributes $23 billion to the Australian economy every year

and is the fastest growing sector of the tourism market (Tourism and Transport Forum, 2011). Wetlands are an integral component of this tourism sector and provide visitors with unique aesthetic and recreational experiences. Wetlands are therefore intrinsically linked with tourism and the economic return of this market to regional economies.

Historic and current land use continues to seriously impact coastal wetlands. In highly populated coastline areas up to 90 per cent of wetlands have been lost since European settlement (Finlayson, 2000; Usback & James 1993). Increasing population places them under continual threat. This invariably has negative repercussions for their recreational and tourism value.

The comb-crested jacana occurs on coastal freshwater wetlands and uses its long legs and exceptionally long

toes to walk on aquatic vegetation (Adam Gosling)

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The significance of coastal wetlands

Valued as a source of food, medicine and tools, coastal wetlands are of great cultural significance to traditional owners who have carefully managed these wetlands for tens of thousands of years to ensure their sustainability. Land management practices have been altered since European settlement and it is only recently that the full values of wetlands are being recognised by wider society. The wide range of services provided for all communities include:

• groundwater replenishment

• shoreline stabilisation and storm protection

• sediment and nutrient retention and export

• water purification

• reservoirs of biodiversity

• nurseries for recreational and commercial fish species

• cultural values

• recreation and tourism

• climate change mitigation and adaptation.

These ecosystem services have been estimated to contribute trillions of US dollars’ worth of

services each year worldwide to human health and wellbeing (Costanza et al., 1997). It is essential that the true dollar value of these services is recognised by decision-makers and the community to ensure these vital ecosystems are fully appreciated and protected.

The Coastal 20 Wetland Project

In WetlandCare Australia’s 20th year of operation, Australia’s leading wetland conservation organisation has embarked on an important initiative, the $2.5 million Coastal 20 Wetland Project, which is funded under the Australian Government’s Caring for our Country program. This project involves a range of on-ground, education and community engagement activities to undertake the restoration of 20 coastal wetlands that span 1000 kilometres of the northern New South Wales and south-east Queensland coastlines.

The Coastal 20 project team is working with the community and key stakeholders to identify and prioritise major impacts at the 20 wetlands, and to develop innovative and sustainable solutions. Management actions identified during

Bird watching is an increasing popular tourism and

recreational past time (Adam Gosling)

The health of wetlands attracts visitors to explore their

beauty (Adam Gosling)

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this process will bring about considerable environmental, cultural, social and economic benefits.

The primary focus of the Coastal 20 Wetland Project is on-ground works aimed at coastal wetland rehabilitation and protection. A range of complementary community education and engagement activities have also been designed to increase the effectiveness and sustainability of on-ground actions.

Tourism

There are a number of synergies between the goals of organisations like WetlandCare Australia and the tourism industry. WetlandCare Australia is working with tourism providers and regional tourism bodies to identify opportunities for education through the Coastal 20 Wetland Project and for greater involvement of the tourism industry to contribute to the sustainability of our wetland assets. Investing in environmental projects such as Coastal 20 not only protects the environmental value of wetlands, it also reaps a significant financial return for dependent industries including tourism and recreation providers.

With such catastrophic loss of coastal wetlands and the continued threat of further loss, on-ground works to reverse the trend are essential if coastal wetlands are to survive and continue to function effectively. The Coastal 20 Wetland Project will help to protect these precious resources for the ecosystem services and enjoyment of future generations.

For more information on the Coastal 20 Wetlands Project and how you can be involved please contact Adam Gosling at WetlandCare Australia, adamgosling@wetlandcare.com.au or visit www.wetlandcare.com.au

For further information contact adamgosling@wetlandcare.com.au or visit www.wetlandcare.com.au

References

Costanza, R., d’Arge, R., Groot, R. de, Farber, S., Grasso, M., Hannon, B., Limburg, K., Naeem, S., O’Neill, R.V., Paruelo, J.,Raskin, R.G., Sutton, P., Belt, M. van den (1997) The Value of the World’s Ecosystem Services and Natural Capital, Nature, vol. 387.

Finlayson, C. M. (2000) Loss and Degradation of Australian Wetlands. Paper for LAW ASIA Conference: Environmental law issues in the Asia-Pacific region. Darwin, Australia.

Tourism and Transport Forum (2011). http://www.ttf.org.au/

Usback, S. & James, R. (compilers). 1993. A directory of important wetlands in Australia. Australian Nature Conservation Agency, Canberra, Australia.

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Connecting freshwater ecosystems and increasing tourism valueTim Marsden and Matthew Moore, Fisheries Queensland - Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation

Fish habitat rehabilitation projects are currently being undertaken from the southern Gulf of Carpentaria area throughout north Queensland and into central Queensland. These projects are important to enhance the productivity of Queensland’s fisheries and play an important role in improving overall ecosystem biodiversity. The rehabilitation of these aquatic eco-systems brings fish, birds and other wildlife back into the area, creating many opportunities for recreational fishing and wildlife watching.

Fish habitat rehabilitation

Fish habitat rehabilitation involves constructing fishways on barriers that prevent or delay fish migration to important upstream habitats. The removal of weed infestations is also an important rehabilitation tool used to restore important habitat values of wetlands. Barriers to fish passage include culverts, pipes, road crossings, weed chokes, weirs and dams. Barriers affect fish communities by preventing the movement of fish species which require free passage between aquatic environments to fulfil a number of key life stage requirements. This movement is essential for:

• maintaining populations of diadromous (migratory) species, which require free passage between freshwater and marine habitats for reproduction purposes i.e. barramundi, sea mullet and mangrove jack

• maintaining genetic diversity

• the migration of adults to access habitats for feeding and reproduction purposes

• the migration of juvenile fish species to reach upstream nursery habitats.

The rehabilitation of wetlands and maintenance of connectivity between freshwater and marine ecosystems has brought more fish back into these habitats, as well as other wildlife including birds and ducks. This has provided a great opportunity for recreational fishers and wildlife watchers.

The Sheep Station system

Fisheries Queensland is currently working with North Queensland Dry Tropics to install fishways throughout the Sheep Station Creek system around Ayr.

Flinders River (Southern Gulf of Carpentaria) pre-

cast concrete cone fishway. This is located on the

estuarine/freshwater interface, enabling free passage

for many key recreational fish species, such as juvenile

barramundi (Queensland Department of Employment,

Economic Development and Innovation).

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Ensuring connectivity between estuaries, rivers and freshwater wetlands is a particular concern, as these are major fish habitats. A large proportion of popular estuarine recreational fish species (such as barramundi, mangrove jack, tarpon and sea mullet) rely on these habitats during their juvenile stages. It is therefore critical that these highly productive areas are utilised to maintain and enhance eco-system biodiversity and to provide sustainable recruitment to estuarine and marine environments.

Recreational fishers in the greater Burdekin area have voiced their concerns about declining stocks of key recreational fish species and the high number of barriers preventing fish passage. This has helped highlight the impact of barriers and assisted in directing funds into barrier rehabilitation projects such as the one undertaken on Sheep Station Creek.

Weed infestation and barriers to migration are key concerns as they reduce the habitat available to these species and negatively affect the productivity of these systems.

In order to reduce this concern, an ongoing weed reduction program conducted by Burdekin Regional Council and North Burdekin Water Board has opened up significant wetlands areas, increasing the number of fish and wildlife in the area.

The future

Fisheries Queensland and North Queensland Dry Tropics are constructing fishways at several barriers in the Sheep Station Creek catchment to allow fish to migrate back into the habitat created by the weed removal. This project is ongoing with

construction at three sites recently completed. It is hoped that over the coming years all the barriers within this system will have fish passage provided at them, enabling fish movement and enhancing tourism opportunities such as recreational fishing and bird watching.

For further information call Fisheries Queensland on 13 25 23 or visit www.fisheries.qld.gov.au

Sandringham Lagoon, Mackay, Central Queensland

after weed removal (Queensland Department of

Employment, Economic Development and Innovation).

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WetlandCare Australia expands floodplain management across the Nambucca and Bellinger catchmentsJosh Keating and Kirralee Donovan, WetlandCare Australia, Coffs Harbour, NSW.

The riverine systems of the Nambucca and Bellinger catchments are significant natural attractions of the mid north coast of New South Wales. The coastal floodplain wetlands that adjoin these systems are particularly important in supporting the health and productivity of both the Nambucca and Bellinger rivers. Wetlands act to filter and capture pollutants, sediments and nutrients from waterways, enhancing water quality and supporting biodiversity. Many fish and waterbird species rely on the food, nursery habitats and breeding grounds that wetlands provide.

These benefits also support commercial and non-commercial tourism industries including fishing, bird watching and a range of leisure sports. WetlandCare Australia’s Sustainable Floodplain Management Program focuses on enhancing wetland health, resilience and values through engaging floodplain landholders to implement better land use practices. A key objective is to promote the range of ecosystem services and functions that coastal floodplain wetlands provide within the environment. The program directly contributes to the health of floodplain wetlands and has significant flow-on benefits for downstream users and industries.

Floodplain issues and challenges

Floodplain landscapes and varying climatic conditions contribute to a wide range of issues that require individual planning, assessment and

management. Sustainable and economically viable management can be achieved by working within the natural capacity of the land, a principle incorporated in the Sustainable Floodplain Management Program. Through the program WetlandCare Australia has been able to engage a number of key floodplain landholders and community groups on a range of significant floodplain farming and natural resource management issues. Key issues of the program include the following:

• drainage and acid sulfate soils - focusing on implementing best practice floodgate management and controlling seasonal water levels in low-lying backswamps to reduce the exposure of acid sulfate layers, acid runoff and resulting poor water quality

• riparian weeds - focusing on planning and implementing an integrated weed control strategy

• riparian health and streambank erosion - focusing on managing existing native riparian vegetation and revegetating exposed banks

• fish passage and habitat - focusing on improving aquatic environments including water quality and habitat connectivity.

Successful outcomes now and in the future

Although challenged by severe flooding and continuous wet weather throughout the three-year program, the overall objectives have been met, with an outstanding outcome being the engagement of key floodplain landholders in sustainable land management. As well as community engagement, WetlandCare Australia is working closely with more than 10 landholders to develop comprehensive property plans and implement on-ground works that see positive

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outcomes for the environment, agriculture, tourism and downstream areas.

In implementing these on-ground works WetlandCare Australia, with funding from the Australian Government’s Caring for our Country program, will expand community awareness of the multiple values of best practice floodplain management to achieve enhanced environmental health, improved farm productivity and sustainable coastal industries. Positive, overlapping benefits

and improvements to agricultural production, commercial and recreational fishing, tourism and ecological values such as water quality, wetland habitats and aquatic biodiversity are key components contributing to the success of the program.

For further information contact coffsharbour@wetlandcare.com.au or visit www.wetlandcare.com.au

A wetland degraded by the impacts of acid sulphate

(before) (WetlandCare Australia)

The same wetland restored through drainage

management – returning natural values for activities

like bird watching (WetlandCare Australia)

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VISITOR HEALTHin symptoms (e.g. fever, headache, vomiting, nausea, diarrhoea and dizziness) but in severe cases, encephalitis can occur and amongst those who survive, some residual mental or functional disability has been reported. For the closely related Kunjin virus (KUNV), there are fewer human cases reported, the disease is milder and there are no known fatalities resulting from the infection.

From an ecotourism perspective, the flooding of wetlands and increased bird activity that attract visitors can also increase local risks of mosquito-borne disease. In the case of MVEV, the primary reservoir host is generally thought to be wading birds, with the freshwater mosquito Culex annulirostris considered the major vector. The activity of MVEV is generally considered to be endemic in the north-west of Australia while in the south-east, epidemics occur in association with the flooding of wetlands in the Darling/Murrumbidgee/Murray river systems of NSW, Victoria and South Australia that provides suitable conditions for both birds and mosquitoes.

Fortunately, there have only been a small number of human cases of disease caused by MVEV in south-eastern Australia since the last large epidemic in 1974. The re-emergence of MVEV following flooding during the summer of 2010–11 has raised specific concerns regarding the potential impact on communities close to wetlands as well as visitors to the regions drawn by the prospect of visiting flooded wetlands and abundant bird life.

Historically, the incidence of disease in many areas is incredibly low due to the very low density of human populations and also because many of

Wetlands and mosquitoes - reducing the public health risks to visitorsCameron E Webb and Richard C Russell, Department of Medical Entomology, University of Sydney and Westmead Hospital

Mosquitoes are a natural part of Australian wetlands and while the ecological role of these small, but occasionally abundant, insects has yet to be fully understood, there is strong evidence to suggest that birds, bats, frogs, fish and invertebrates make a meal of mosquitoes from time to time. Notwithstanding the impacts of nuisance-biting, the risks associated with the transmission of disease-causing pathogens are a major concern. Balancing the management of mosquito populations, wetland health and the subsequent impacts on people within and around wetlands can be a challenging issue. Do wetland managers have a duty of care to protect tourists and recreational visitors from the risks of mosquito-borne disease?

Ross River virus (RRV) and Barmah Forest virus (BFV) are responsible for approximately 5000 cases of human disease reported every year in Australia. However, as the symptoms (e.g. fever and rash, arthritic pain in the ankles, fingers, knees and wrist) can vary greatly between individuals, many infections go undiagnosed, resulting in a potentially greater impact on human health than the statistics report.

While neither RRV nor BFV is fatal, human illness caused by infection by the Murray Valley encephalitis virus (MVEV) can be potentially fatal. Only a small proportion of MVEV infections result

66 | Wetlands Australia 2012

those individuals are lifelong residents and have developed immunity to these pathogens. Tourists visiting these areas, however, may be at a potentially higher risk given their lack of previous exposure to mosquito-borne pathogens and the immunity that brings, not to mention a lack of knowledge regarding mosquito-borne disease risk.

While there is a range of environmentally sensitive mosquito control agents registered for use in Australia, the broad scale nature of control activities that would be required to reduce mosquito populations is not sustainable. Visitors to these wetlands, particularly during periods of abundant mosquito and bird activity, should be made aware of the risks and provided advice on suitable personal protection strategies. The use of bed nets when camping, wearing suitable clothing (i.e. long sleeved shirts, long pants and covered shoes) that provides physical protection from biting mosquitoes and the use of an effective mosquito repellent (i.e. a registered repellent containing the active ingredients diethyltoluamide or picaridin) will all assist in minimising the risks of mosquito-borne disease.

For further information contact Cameron.webb@swahs.health.nsw.gov.au

Mosquito (Culex annulirostris) (Stephen Doggett).

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TOURISM - CASE STUDIESWonga Wetlands (NSW) - ecotourism on Albury’s doorstepAlbury City

Wonga Wetlands is a revived ecosystem of lagoons and billabongs covering around 80 hectares on a picturesque bend of the Murray River just five minutes’ drive from the centre of Albury.

History

‘Wonga’ is the Wiradjuri word for black cormorant – one of the most abundant bird species in the area. Before European settlement the river and wetlands were a rich food source for the Wiradjuri people, who travelled in bark canoes cut from red river gums.

European settlers began to arrive in the 1830s. In those days the wetlands were fed by extensive spring flooding.

After the construction of the Hume Dam in 1919, the spring floods needed by the river and wetlands ecosystems became much less frequent. Over time, this alteration to natural flows dried out many of the floodplain wetlands and billabongs, degrading vegetation and destroying breeding habitats.

The Wonga Wetlands project began in 2000 to help restore natural water flows and rehabilitate ecosystems.

Value

Wonga Wetlands is a living laboratory showcasing an outstandingly successful experiment in river restoration. With a return to natural flow patterns, birds and other wildlife are returning in droves. The area has also been made more accessible to the public and researchers.

Wonga Wetlands has a dreamy, timeless atmosphere that captivates visitors. Standing among the majestic red gums, it’s hard to believe that less than a decade ago the wetlands had almost disappeared.

Sustainable wastewater management and river restoration

The water bringing new life to Wonga Wetlands comes from Albury’s award-winning Waterview wastewater treatment facility. During the drier months this water is used to irrigate woodlots. In the wetter months it is redirected to Wonga Wetlands, helping to recreate the original hydrological conditions.

Tourism and recreation

Wonga Wetlands now features high on the ‘must-see’ list for visitors to Albury. It is also a favourite green space for locals seeking an idyllic barbecue spot, a peaceful stroll or some great bird watching. Picturesque walking trails wind through the wetlands, with bird hides at intervals. Quiet visitors may be rewarded by the sight of a great egret, white-faced heron, Peron’s tree frog, black swan, musk duck, brushtail possum or eastern snake-necked turtle.

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Education and research

The education centre at Wonga Wetlands tells the story of the wetlands’ rehabilitation and offers hands-on sessions exploring the rich floodplain environment.

Wonga Wetlands draws researchers in areas including hydrology, ornithology and riparian vegetation. Charles Sturt University, La Trobe University, the CSIRO and Monash University have all conducted major research projects here.

Culture

The Wiradjuri people have developed a working campsite at Wonga Wetlands which helps

visitors understand Wiradjuri culture and hosts meetings and ceremonies. The campsite is set out according to tradition with areas for cooking, sleeping, tool making and rock art and a ceremony and dancing circle.

Challenges

In managing tourism at Wonga Wetlands, maintaining the ecological value of the area is of paramount importance – after all, this is why people visit. Through signage, visitors are gently educated to respect their surroundings. Visitor numbers and impacts are closely monitored so that potential problems can be identified and prevented.

Birdlife at Wonga Wetlands (Dennys Ilic)

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Achievements

Some 154 bird species have been recorded at Wonga Wetlands including the Japanese snipe, sea eagles, Eurasian coots, Caspian terns and pink-eared ducks. As bird life is a key indicator of ecosystem health, this indicates how much progress has been made in less than a decade.

The popularity of Wonga Wetlands has helped raise community awareness of the importance of restoring the river to health. This can be seen locally in the high priority given to river-related projects in Albury’s community-generated strategic plan.

Lessons

The Wonga Wetlands story shows the enormous potential for tourism as a by-product of environmental rehabilitation. It shows that, if sensitively managed, tourism and ecological health can thrive together and that this type of tourism can be a great opportunity to extend environmental awareness to a wider audience.

The future

Plans to expand the visitor education centre at Wonga Wetlands are under way, as there is no doubt that visitor numbers will continue to increase.

Most importantly, as the wetlands become more established we can also expect to see increasing diversity and numbers of feathered and other non-human visitors and residents in this beautiful place.

For further information visit http://www.alburycity.nsw.gov.au/www/html/515-wonga-wetlands.asp

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The Mareeba Wetlands (Qld) – conservation through sustainable tourismGwyneth Nevard, Co-ordinator Wildlife Conservancy of Tropical Queensland

Inspired by the world famous Bharatpur wetland in India, the Mareeba Wetlands in Far North Queensland harness seasonal excess water overflowing from the Mareeba Dimbulah Irrigation Area through a series of wetlands. Set within a 2500 hectare reserve, these wetlands compensate for the significant past loss of natural wetlands in the region. The Mareeba Wetlands are managed by the non-profit Wildlife Conservancy of Tropical Queensland, with revenue from sustainable tourism funding ongoing conservation initiatives, including work on a wide range of wetland species, including sarus cranes and cotton pygmy geese.

The establishment of the wetlands

The Mareeba Wetlands have their genesis in 1994, when the Queensland Water Resource Commission aspired to harness the seasonally unused irrigation water from Lake Tinaroo to provide additional downstream irrigation for growing sugarcane. However, environmental impact studies had revealed massive difficulties in converting the land to irrigated sugarcane, due to erosive soils and salination potential. This being the case, the opportunity to ‘transit’ water through what was to become the Mareeba Tropical Savannah and Wetland Reserve became the Water Resource Commission’s new focus.

Tim Nevard, who had been inspired by the 19th Century Bharaptur man-made wetlands of the World Heritage listed Keoladeo National Park in India, had recently completed the planning

and concept design of the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust’s London Wetland Centre in the United Kingdom. He suggested that Bharatpur’s well-established principles could also be applied in Far North Queensland.

The large body of available environmental and survey data, augmented by additional studies, provided a fantastic opportunity to design a project led by sustainable principles. The design included:

• connecting channels with eleven ecologically-designed wetlands ranging in size from a few hectares to several hundred, each providing different habitats

• a wetland centre and accommodation to encourage nature-based tourism that would also provide the supporting revenue stream for ongoing management

• all objectives of the Queensland Government Wetland Strategy.

This would not only help to compensate for the significant past loss of natural wetlands in the region but could also rehabilitate the severely overgrazed and degraded tropical savanna ecosystems in the reserve. It also provided the catalyst for stimulating nature-based tourism to the west of Cairns. As this planning and design work was progressing additional support was given by Dr Christoph Imboden, the then Director-General of Birdlife International, who was visiting North Queensland. He gave a presentation on what by then had become known as the Mareeba Wetlands, referring to the project as “visionary”, and giving it his unequivocal support.

The non-profit Mareeba Wetland Foundation was set up in 1996 and working in partnership with local, state and Australian governments successfully designed and constructed what

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has become the multi tourism award-winning Mareeba Wetlands (www.mareebawetlands.org). Subsequently, and based on the success of the Mareeba Wetlands, in 2006 the Mareeba Wetland Foundation evolved into the Wildlife Conservancy of Tropical Queensland, which is now working on a number of reserves in Far North Queensland, with revenue from sustainable tourism funding ongoing conservation initiatives, including work on sarus cranes, cotton pygmy geese, Gouldian and black-throated finches and buff-breasted button quail.

There were many trials and tribulations during the establishment of the Mareeba Wetlands; not the least of which resulted from the remodelling brought about by the impact of cyclones Steve and Rona in 1997 and 1998. The latter caused the breaching of the dam wall at Clancy’s Lagoon and required a major reappraisal of the irrigation delivery function of the Mareeba Wetlands, focusing ever more closely on sustainable tourism.

Clancy’s Lagoon Visitors Centre

In 1999 the Clancy’s Lagoon Visitor Centre was built to a design developed by the MWF in consultation with the Savannah Guides Organisation and with involvement by the Muluridji Corporation. A Savannah Guides training opportunity was provided prior to opening, from which two participants gained employment with Savannah Guide-accredited businesses and others continued to volunteer on the reserve.

Onsite accommodation

From 1999 to 2006, the Mareeba Wetlands continued to evolve, adding overnight accommodation to its offering, with the Conservancy operating tourism activities in its own right, using a mixture of employed and voluntary staff. During this period it became clear, in the absence of significant underpinning public funding, that a stronger professional and commercial focus was required to maintain a

Green Tree Frog

(Robert Thorn & the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities)

72 | Wetlands Australia 2012

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sustainable world-class tourism operation and to optimise revenue.So, in July 2007, following a public tender process, Tourism Naturally was awarded a tourism concession to operate the visitor centre and its associated safari tents, with the conservancy remaining in overall control and focused on environmental land management.

Our achievements

In June 2006, as a result of growing recognition, the famous Japanese sculptor, Mitsuaki Tanabe, donated an internationally significant 18 metre stainless steel sculpture of the extinct monitor Megalania priscus to the people of Australia, and which he specifically requested should be placed at the Mareeba Wetlands. His reason was that he was so impressed with its contribution to wider understanding of wetlands and particularly to draw attention to the role sensitively managed man-made wetlands can play in the conservation of wild rice species.

Since its opening in 1999 by Professor David Bellamy OBE, the Mareeba Wetlands have welcomed hundreds of thousands visitors, hundreds of school and special interest groups, and four state and three Australian Government ministers. All have come to enjoy:

• eleven man-made wetlands of high ecological value, linked by around 20 kilometres of roads and tracks

• around 10 kilometres of walking tracks

• served by mains power, a top-class visitor centre and five safari tents, volunteer warden’s accommodation, three bird hides and an 18 metre sculpture of international importance.

Above all, the reserve conserves significant numbers of several nationally and regionally important species such as sarus cranes, cotton pygmy goose, black-throated finch and buff-breasted button quail. It also hosts regionally recognised Gouldian finch and freshwater crocodile reintroduction programmes, and boasts one of Australia’s longest bird lists, standing at 212 by mid-2011. In short, the Mareeba Wetlands are a model marriage of wetland conservation and nature-based tourism.

For further information contact info@wildlifequeensland.com.au or visit www.mareebawetlands.org

Opposite page: Gouldian Finch (Dave Watts)

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Nunnock Swamp (NSW) – a hidden treasure perched on the escarpmentSarah Ferguson, National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS)

Nunnock Swamp lies approximately 35 kilometres north east of Bombala within a forested range of hills in the Far South Coast hinterland, 55 kilometres inland from Bega, New South Wales. The swamp is an upland area of impeded drainage which lies within the Tantawangalo section of South East Forests National Park.

It covers more than 100 hectares and is characterised by a complex array of basins and arms which vary in degree of saturation. The northern part is a large shallow basin which is permanently saturated and contains extensive surface water, fringed with sedges and sphagnum moss beds. It is underlain by a deep layer of peat, formed over many centuries.

The swamp itself is listed as an endangered ecological community in NSW and nationally. Nunnock Swamp differs in species composition from the true alpine bogs that occur at higher elevations. Few other bog communities of similar species composition exist in the area.

In the Nunnock Swamp area there is a diversity of habitat types, including the tall forests surrounding the swamp and the mosaic of treeless vegetation communities. The forest communities support a variety of rare and threatened animals, including significant densities of possums and gliders. The open grasslands and bog communities with their fringing shrub and woodland habitats provide habitat for several species of endangered flora. The swamp waters support a community of frog species and are home to a plethora of birds.

The convergence of vegetation types surrounding the swamp supported a diversity of resources which Aboriginal people gathered to utilise for food, fibre and shelter. The whole Nunnock area is acknowledged to be of great importance to Aboriginal people who inhabited the area for at least 20 000 years.

Management challenges

The challenges faced by the NSW NPWS in managing Nunnock Swamp include addressing the introduction of weeds, spread of Phytopthora, feral animal control, climate change, illegal access and hunting.

Nunnock Swamp is a focal area for feral animal control due to the sensitivity to disturbance of the swamp and surrounding grasslands. The main species of concern are pigs and deer. Pigs plough up the surrounding grasslands and wallow and root in the swamp, leading to erosion, pollution of watercourses and the disturbance of local native plant species. Feral deer also cause considerable damage to native vegetation and wetland areas through browsing and trampling. Current control programs include trapping and opportunistic shooting, but as deer and pig numbers increase, the challenge will be to implement more targeted control programs.

Unfortunately both pig and deer are a magnet to illegal hunters, which has been an issue for several years. However, the installation of infrastructure and management presence in the area has reduced the numbers of illegal hunters and NPWS is now witnessing an increased positive visitor use of the area.

Achievements to date include the establishment of an informative and interesting network of walking tracks, the reduction in illegal hunting and off road driving and the ongoing preservation and conservation of an intact wetland.

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The Nunnock Swamp walking track

A five kilometre walking track follows the fringe of Nunnock Swamp and is part of a larger network of walking tracks that provide the opportunity to explore the surrounding grasslands, woodlands and forests. The walking tracks are connected by two camping sites. Nunnock Camping Area, which is set among the ecotone of the grasslands and snowgum woodlands, and Alexanders Hut, overlooking the natural frost hollows, providing shelter and basic facilities for visitors.

Picnicking, bird watching, walking, camping, horse riding, bicycle riding and recreational vehicle use are all popular activities undertaken in the vicinity. No formal educational use is currently made of

the area although it has some potential for study by naturalists and ornithologists. The area has been used to collect pollen samples from previous climatic periods and may have scientific values for study of the wetland flora and fauna.

The future

Since providing recreational opportunities in the area, Nunnock Swamp has experienced an increase in visitation. The walking trail network has provided recreational opportunities for changing visitor needs with a variety of age, fitness and leisure requirements. This enhances the visitors’ experience and provides a take home message about the importance of wetlands and swamps.

Nunnock Swamp (Franz Peters)

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North Nunnock Swamp (Franz Peters)

NPWS will continues to endeavour to strike the right balance between connecting people to nature and the ongoing conservation of natural and cultural park values.

In the meantime, Nunnock Swamp will continue to sustain the surrounding grasslands and forests, act as a giant sponge and enchant and captivate visitors with its tranquillity and serenity.

For further information contact sarah.ferguson@environment.nsw.gov.au or visit http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/nationalparks/parkWalking.aspx?id=N0111

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Yanga National Park (NSW) – a wetland wonderlandKatie Ritchie, Paul Childs and Jeff Hillan, NSW Office of Environment and Heritage

The renowned 1350 hectare Yanga Lake is full, wetlands are thriving, and waterbirds and wildlife are in abundance. Nestled along the 170 kilometres of Murrumbidgee River frontage are campgrounds, bushwalks and plenty of spots to wet a fishing line.

Since its opening in May 2009 visitors have been gradually drawn to Yanga National Park, taking advantage of the new camping grounds and visitor facilities and engaging in Yanga’s cultural past where the natural world intertwines with significant European and Aboriginal heritage, including canoe and scar trees, middens and oven mounds. The surrounding rural community is keen for tourism to grow into a viable and sustainable economic enterprise.

Yanga National Park, near the township of Balranald in south-western NSW, covers approximately 69 000 hectares and is largely located on the Lower Murrumbidgee (Lowbidgee) River floodplain, which is included on the Directory of important wetlands in Australia.

Establishing recreational facilities

The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service has been busy working to develop a range of facilities and experiences for visitors to Yanga. Recently the NPWS revamped the historic woolshed and homestead precincts to allow visitors to experience the history and be informed of the many values at Yanga, including how the wetlands function and how the former agricultural property was developed over 150 years. Daily tours of

the historic drop log homestead are increasingly popular and seasonal tours into wetland areas provide a fully guided and interpretive experience.

Numerous camping and day use areas have been established focusing on the Murrumbidgee River and wetlands. Options exist if visitors have just a few hours and want to stay close to the bitumen, or want to venture further afield into remote areas with basic facilities. Yanga caters for the visitor, regardless of whether they come for adventure or relaxation.

Darters and little pied cormorants are two of the 210

bird species that call Yanga home. Bird watching is just

one of the attractions for visitors to Yanga.

(Jennifer Spencer)

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Improving water infrastructure

The creation of tourism opportunities in Yanga has occurred at the same time as improvements to water infrastructure and an increasing knowledge of wetlands dynamics.

Since purchase of the property in 2005 more than 200 000 megalitres of environmental water has been delivered to Yanga wetlands by both the Australian and NSW governments. This has achieved outstanding broad scale benefits for the wetlands. The water has delivered benefits to wetland vegetation, black box woodland, river red gum forests and supported populations of the nationally threatened southern bell frog, and

maintained nesting sites for many waterbird species.

A $1.6 million infrastructure program, funded through the Rivers Environmental Restoration Program (a joint initiative of the Australian and NSW governments) is helping to distribute critical environmental flows. The program included the installation of 10 regulating structures, 10 floodways and the breaching of 40 pre-existing embankments. These new regulators are complemented by a flow gauging system, digital elevation model and a hydrodynamic model to assess the flow of water across the landscape and its interaction with infrastructure.

A family enjoys a relaxing stay at the Mamanga Camping Ground, open to the public in Yanga National Park. The

Murrumbidgee River in the background (Office of Environment and Heritage)

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All of this was instrumental in the 2010–11 environmental water deliveries, which inundated some areas that have not received water since the late 1980s, including Yanga Lake and significant areas of threatened black box woodland.

Yanga National Park in use

Perched high on a peninsula the historic homestead is surrounded on three sides by the spectacular Yanga Lake. Located near the entrance to Yanga National Park the lake is a key destination for visitors, with fishing, water sports, and bird watching being some of the main experiences. Recreation at the lake is managed by a newly developed boating plan separating areas for motor drive water activities away from waterbird refuge areas where bird watchers are able to have some peace and quiet to enjoy the tranquillity of their surrounds.

Scientists, students and media alike have also been attracted by the wetlands and the thousands of water birds nesting at the sites, across the floodplain. Staff from the Office of Environment and Heritage and National Parks and Wildlife Service have been generous in providing their time to guide these visitors to the wetlands.

With the scientists comes an increase in the understanding of the wetlands and inhabitants. An intensive monitoring program has been completed to demonstrate environmental outcomes and inform future management decisions.

Information provided by researchers on the habitat requirements of frogs, fish and waterbirds has helped to inform the delivery of environmental water flows. Monitoring is also assisted by an extensive RERP-funded flow gauging network installed throughout Yanga, which measures the volume of flow at all water delivery points into the park and the depth of water at critical southern bell frog and waterbird nesting sites.

We are now managing environmental watering events within Yanga with a level of sophistication not possible five years ago.

With infrastructure providing an efficient guiding funnel for water flows, the environmental benefits are clearly visible. This natural and cultural conservation wonderland is sure to be a draw card for many generations to come.

For further information visit http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/nationalparks/parkHome.aspx?id=N1137

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IN BRIEFConstruction of the Gingham pipeline and restoration of core areas of the Gwydir Wetlands, NSWDaryl Albertson and Jeff Hillan, NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, and Neil Eigeland, NSW Office of Water

Completion of the Gingham domestic pipeline concludes a major infrastructure project providing a reliable domestic water supply for landholder homesteads. Significantly, it has also provided the opportunity to rehabilitate the Gingham watercourse, a component of the Gwydir Wetlands, located north-west of Moree in northern New South Wales.

The $2.9 million pipeline project was jointly funded under the Rivers Environmental Restoration Program (RERP) and the NSW Wetland Recovery Program (WRP). It involved the installation of 240 kilometres of pipe, 65 tanks and three pumping stations.

The new pipeline has greatly reduced water lost to evaporation and infiltration, and provides a reliable water supply for local homestead use. A total of 958 megalitres has been made available for use on wetland areas with water savings from the project.

Through RERP, a further $285 000 was invested in rehabilitation of the Gingham watercourse, which has resulted in water flowing to wetland areas that had not received any significant water since 1998.

As a result of reconnecting old flow paths, a number of key wetland bird species have been

A trencher working on the Gingham domestic pipeline,

May 2010 (G. Pankhurst).

Wetlands on the property Glendara which are now

benefiting as a result of the Gingham Channel

restoration project (J. Hillan)

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attracted to the newly watered areas and have successfully fledged their young. More than 3000 hectares of core wetlands, including Ramsar listed wetlands, endangered ecological communities and colonial waterbird breeding sites, benefit from improved flooding extent and duration.

Projects like this demonstrate that with the basis of sound planning we can conserve and restore wetlands in the Gwydir Valley – to the benefit of the community and environment.

The recently completed RERP and WRP were jointly funded by the NSW Government and the Australian Government’s Water for the Future - Water Smart Australia Program and aim to arrest the decline of wetlands through water recovery and effective management of environmental water.

For further information and the final report for RERP visit http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/environmentalwater/110240RERPFinalRpt.pdf

A $20 million wetland restoration project under way at Winton WetlandsWinton Wetlands

The restoration of the Winton Wetlands is under way following the decommissioning in July 2010 of Lake Mokoan, formerly Victoria’s fifth-largest water storage. The challenge of restoring the former 8750 hectare water storage has attracted a lot of interest in the scientific community, according to Winton Wetlands CEO, Michael Vanderzee.

After years of drought, the wetland is now full of water and the birds and people are flocking back to the 3000 hectares of wetlands set in the 8750 hectare Winton Wetlands Reserve in north east Victoria.

This $20 million project is run by the community based committee established to manage the restoration of the Winton Wetlands. The project is on track to achieve scientific, cultural and environmental outcomes while developing the wetlands as a natural and cultural heritage based tourism destination.

Black winged stilt’s at Winton Wetlands (Chris Tzaros)

Great Egret (Chris Tzaros)

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The committee has finalised its Restoration and Monitoring Strategy Plan, developed by Tim Barlow from the Goulburn-Broken CMA in conjunction with the Winton Wetlands Scientific and Technical Advisory Group, chaired by Professor Max Finlayson, Director of the Institute of Land Water and Society at Charles Sturt University.

A row of grey crowned babblers (Chris Tzaros)

The committee is now moving ahead with the Winton Wetlands master plan to guide the future management and development of the Winton Wetlands.

The committee has commissioned leading Australian landscape architect Taylor Cullity Lethlean to lead a consortium to prepare the Winton Wetlands Master Plan. The team’s experience in the planning and design of iconic visitor destinations throughout Australia will prove invaluable in working with the stakeholders and community to develop a vision and master plan for the Winton Wetlands.

For further information visit http://www.wintonwetlands.org.au

Warren to the Barwon Project, NSWCentral West Catchment Management Authority

The Warren to Barwon Project is an initiative of the NSW Government and community members, which aims to assist in the control of invasive species in wetland and floodplain areas along the Macquarie River from Warren to the Barwon River, including the Ramsar listed Macquarie Marshes.

The aim of the project is to achieve a “win-win” result through trialling, monitoring and communicating enhanced biodiversity and primary production outcomes.

Lippia (a weed) at “Wilgara” in the Macquarie Marshes,

NSW (Bruce Gray & the Department of Sustainability,

Environment, Water, Population and Communities)

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The project is a combined effort between landholders and various government departments including the Central West Catchment Management Authority, Office of Environment and Heritage, NSW Department of Primary Industries, North West and Central West Livestock Health and Pest Authority, Invasive Animals CRC and University of New England. It is funded through the Australian Government’s Caring for our Country program.

Currently there are several programs under way, including:

• invasive plant species: trials already established include methods to control invasive plant species including both exotic and invasive native species

• pig control: aerial shooting is taking place to control pigs in combination with work by the Invasive Animal CRC, which is trialling best practice on-ground baiting of pigs and monitoring the outcomes of various pig control methods

• exotic fish control: a common carp tracking and trapping program is under way to reduce numbers of carp and to assist the recovery of native fish populations. This value-adds to recent carp control investment by various levels of government.

For further information visit www.cw.cma.nsw.gov.au

The Macquarie River at Warren, NSW Rod Carr &

the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water,

Population and Communities)

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Namoi’s endangered wetlandsAnna Cronin, Namoi Catchment Management Authority

Passing through the spectacular landscape at the far east of the Namoi catchment in northern NSW, you may catch glimpses of sunlight on water and the deep greens of moss and macrophytes. These small signs indicate the presence of elusive natural wetlands – highly concentrated pockets of biodiversity in the fertile grazing country of the Great Dividing Range.

The Upland Wetlands of the Namoi catchment are part of the EPBC listed Upland Wetlands of the New England Tablelands and the Monaro Plateau. These wetlands are usually groundwater fed, and can be near permanent or highly ephemeral. The mosaic of habitats provided by this variability allows Upland Wetlands to support a wide range of flora and fauna, including local and migratory endangered species.

The Namoi Catchment Management Authority (CMA) has been working in partnership with landholders over the past three years to conserve and rehabilitate some of these beautiful wetlands with the support of the Australian Government’s Caring for Our Country program.

Conservation works have included addressing the key threatening processes of stock impacts, invasive species, draining and damming. To date, water quality and vegetation health has been improved on 135 hectares of wetland and buffer areas. The value of this work has been highlighted by ecologic monitoring of project sites, which has revealed possible new species, and has already recorded increased diversity of plant and animal species.

For further information visit http://www.namoi.cma.nsw.gov.au/

Upland wetlands in the Namoi are often shallow

(Anna Cronin)

Upland wetland in the Namoi (Anna Cronin)

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Swamp tea-tree forest conservation supported by landholdersPowerlink Greenworks

The endangered swamp tea-tree (Melaleuca irbyana) characterises one of Australia’s most critically endangered forests. Confined to South East Queensland, only eight per cent of the original vegetation remains today.

Powerlink GreenWorks is a Queensland environmental partnership initiative between landholders, community organisations and local, state and Commonwealth government. Through the regional natural resource management organisation, SEQ Catchments, it has initiated a special project to improve the condition and extent of endangered Swamp Tea-tree through fire, weed and land use management on private and public land. The project has involved the first-ever fine-scale mapping (1:25,000) of the vegetation community by the Queensland Herbarium as well as property management planning, one-on-one advice and financial assistance which has helped landholders to identify threats and better manage their swamp tea-tree forests.

Toogoolawah cattle and lucerne farmers Anthony and Cassie Buchanan are among the local landholders to sign up to the project. They understand the significance of the swamp tea-trees on their 44 hectare property. In the process of taking conservation measures, they were

Cassie, Lachlan and Anthony Buchanan. The

Toogoolawah farmers have five to six acres of remnant

endangered Swamp Tea-tree on their property

which prompted them to sign up for the Powerlink

GreenWorks Conservation of Endangered Swamp

Tea-tree Forest Communities project (Marc Grimwade)

rewarded with other benefits, including more shade for cattle, wind buffer zones, fire hazard mitigation and improved property aesthetics.

For further information visit http://powerlinkgreenworks.com.au/projects/conservation-of-endangered-swamp-tea-tree-forest-communities/ or http://www.seqcatchments.com.au/swamptreeforest.html.

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Edutainment - For a Sustainable FutureRichard Coward, Ocean Life Education, South East Queensland

It is important that our children learn and understand about the environment and what harm human impacts have upon it. Children need to be exposed to the reality of the devastation our influence can have on important habitats such as wetlands. Ocean Life Education believes that Edutainment: education through entertainment is an effective way to engage and enlighten today’s children to become tomorrow’s custodians of a sustainable future.

Ocean Life Education does this by providing live interactive marine life programs in which children are given the opportunity to look at and touch live sea creatures. Whilst doing this our trained educators explain why the animals look and feel the way they do, how the animals function, what group they belong to and the importance of their role in their environment. Controlled, hands on interaction is an extremely effective educational practice, as children absorb a great deal of information when the object they are learning about is right at their fingertips. Live interactive programs address all modes of learning (visual, auditory and kinaesthetic), thus making learning inclusive to all children.

Once information and interactive discovery has been made, Ocean Life’s educators move to a higher level of thinking, explaining the problems that might occur if one, some or all of these creatures no longer existed. What impact would this have on the other animals and the environment? Through a collaborative process of understanding we explore the question “What do humans do that might negatively impact these animals and their environment?”

Three students participating in an Ocean Life

Education Program (Richard Coward)

Shark jaw (Richard Coward)

The strategy involves having fun and starting simply, then building understanding of specific problems and a broader awareness of how humans affect the environment in general. This understanding is carried into adulthood, producing a more empowered steward striving for future environmental sustainability.

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Our quest is to reach as many children and adults with our message as possible and produce as many responsible stewards for the environment as we can. Learning and caring for the environment is and should be never ending.

For further information contact info@oceanlifeeducation.com.au or visit www.oceanlifeeducation.com.au

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Calendar of Events

2 February 2012 World Wetlands Day

6-7 March 3rd National Acid Sulphate Soil Conference, Melbourne Victoria

19-23 March 2012 6th Meeting, East Asian – Australian Flyway Partners, Palembang Indonesia

22 March 2012 World Water Day

12-13 May 2012 World Migratory Bird Day

3-8 June 2012 9th Annual International Association for Ecology’s International Wetlands Conference: Wetlands in a Complex World, Orlando, Florida

5 June 2012 World Environment Day

6-13 July 2012 Ramsar 11th Conference of Parties, Bucharest, Romania

9-13 July 2012 12th International Coral Reef Symposium Cairns, Queensland

15-17 August 2012 7th Symposium of the Aquatic Birds Working Group of the International Society of Limnology, Kristianstad, Sweden

25-28 November 2012 13th International Conference on Constructed Wetlands, Perth, WA

WAT

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