Conservation groups combine for Lake Macquarie
More than 1,000 native trees and bushes have been planted around Salts Bay and Black Neds Bay in Swansea NSW, in a move that will boost Lake Macquarie’s delicate saltmarsh habitat, support native fish and improve recreational fishing.
OzFish, Australia’s recreational fishing charity, in partnership with Landcare NSW has delivered the project as part of a state-wide initiative to deliver habitat restoration across NSW waterways.
It is one of 15 similar collaborative projects currently underway and is aimed at improving the quality and ecology of waterways, while empowering anglers and residents to play a key role in looking after them.
Salts Bay and Black Neds Bay provide habitat for a variety of threatened bird species and are home to areas of coastal saltmarsh – an important and Endangered Ecological Community in NSW. Saltmarshes are essential for healthy fisheries as they provide food, refuge, or a nursery habitat for native fish and other aquatic life including shrimp and blue swimmer crab.
OzFish and Landcare NSW have restored 1,200 native trees and shrubs, including coastal banksia and Tuckeroo. These will help to maintain the integrity of the saltmarsh and provide food and shelter for wildlife and native fish species, including bar-tailed godwits and juvenile mullet, whiting, flathead and bream.
Lucas Kas, OzFish Project Officer for NSW Coast, underlined the importance of the saltmarsh to recreational fish species in the area and welcomed the local community’s support.
“These efforts will help to maintain a healthy saltmarsh and ensure it continues to provide ecosystem services such as creating food, shelter, and breeding grounds for fish, as well as protecting against erosion by dampening wind, wave, and tidal energy,” Lucas said.
“By removing bitou bush and replacing it with a healthy array of native trees and shrubs, we have stabilised and protected the area against erosion. That natural buffer zone will prevent further weed egress and reduce pollutant and sediment runoff that can harm saltmarsh,” said Lucas.
Landcare NSW CEO, Turlough Guerin said it’s great to see the partnership delivering on-ground results.
“Our partnership with OzFish enables OzFish chapters and local Landcare groups to work together to deliver real results for river restoration projects.”
This latest work builds on previous activity by Lake Macquarie City Council to control bitou bush that had invaded the foreshore and was encroaching on the saltmarsh.
The project began in July, with the Lake Macquarie Landcare Volunteer Network, Heritage College, and Lake Macquarie City Council all joining for a three-hour planting session. Bahtabah Local Aboriginal Land Council also informed the volunteers of the cultural significance of the area.
Kentan Proctor from Bahtabah Local Aboriginal Land Council believes the project is a great example of the type of work that can be done when people come together.
“To have such varying ages, demographics and backgrounds all coming together for the greater good of looking after our local waterway is what our partnership with OzFish and Landcare NSW is all about. If this project was anything to go by, our future is in good hands,” said Kentan.
This project was made possible with funding support from the Lake Macquarie Community Environment Grants, the NSW Recreational Fishing Trust and BCF – Boating Camping and Fishing.
Recently Michael Guest and Jonathon Bleakley from the Reel Action Fishing Podcast caught up with Cassie Price, Director of Habitat Programs, to chat about the project and the importance of saltmarsh to Australian Waterways. Check out the full episode here or catch a snipet below.
This project was made possible by the OzFish-Landcare NSW partnership with funding support from the NSW Recreational Fishing Trusts and Lake Macquarie Council Community Environment Grants.
