PCE 14/15 - Revive Our Creeks (Cooloola Cove)

(not documented)

Cooloola Coastcare Association Inc (trading as Cooloola Coastcare)

(not documented)

On-ground work

(none)

Burnett Mary Regional Group NRM Regional Investments: Keeping it Great - Cooloola Coastcare

$50,070

(not documented)

8 December 2014

31 May 2015

This is a 4-year weed and re-vegetation program for Cooloola Cove. This project aims to improve the ecological condition of the creeks and tributaries within the Cooloola North Parkland and Cooloola Grassy Parklands, which are wetland connectivity pathways between Great Sandy North Cooloola National Park and the Great Sandy Ramsar Wetland. The invasive pasture grass, Setaria sphacelata (South African Pigeon Grass) will be managed by chemical, mechanical and manual control to reduce the duff layer of dead setaria, and the aggressive spreading and choking nature of live setaria on the banks and within the actual creek lines to ‘suppress the activity of setaria in favour of natural heathland community plants’.

The project will also control para grass in Marian Creek, Cooloola Cove via the engagement of Gympie Regional Council’s (GRC) preferred contractor, thereby reinforcing partnerships with the land manager.

A weed suppression/biodiversity connectivity community workshop conducted by Brush Turkey Enterprises will be held over one day to reinforce the work and communicate and engage with the broader community. Trial Site 1 will be extended a further 120m (total length of Trial Site 1 will be 220m) and Trial Site 2 will be extended a further 150m downstream (total length of Trial Site 2 will be 250m). The Revive our Creeks project will hold weekly community ‘weeding bees’ to suppress reinvasion of setaria at the original Trial sites while allowing for native species recruitment.

With extended project site area on both sides of the creek, an extra weekly working bee will be introduced.

GRC will continue to target Class II, III weeds and pinus elliotti that occur on its wetland reserves, therefore it is necessary to target the immediate threat of invasive pasture grasses in and adjacent to wetlands and waterways. Cooloola Coastcare will continue its Great Sandy Strait-Cooloola Coast representation on the GRC Weeds and Pests Committee, to provide input and report on local condition improvements and partnership opportunities. This will include follow-up para grass control at Trial Site 3 (Billabong Park near Woolworths) and two other waterholes downstream of the Billabong along Marian Creek.

To further engage the community and celebrate success, Cooloola Coastcare Assoc Inc, in partnership with Cooloola Cove Residents and Friends and the Cooloola Coast City Farm Nursery, will host a weed suppression/biodiversity connectivity workshop with Brush Turkey Enterprises at Cooloola Cove.

This project will

• improve the ecological condition of the creeks and tributaries within the Cooloola North Parkland and Cooloola Grassy Parklands.

(not documented)

(none)