Brisbane Waters, NSW 2024
OzFish Unlimited, local organisations, rec fishers and community members are working together to restore saltmarsh and improve fish habitat at Brisbane Waters, located in the Central Coast region of New South Wales.
Invasive weeds
to be removed
930 native vegetation
to be planted
8 Community events
to be held
Revitalising coastal ecosystems
In partnership with Central Coast Council, Clean4Shore, and Landcare NSW, the OzFish Hawkesbury-Nepean Chapter aims to protect and restore saltmarsh and coastal swamp-oak forest communities in Brisbane Waters and Tuggerah Lakes.
The restoration sites identified are only accessible by boat, and for this reason these areas have been previously neglected due to their hard to access nature. Through the assistance on the Clean4Shore barge the local community and OzFish members will be able to actively engage in revitalising these ecosystems. They will do this through the removal of rubbish and invasive weeds and the strategic planting of 800 native saltmarsh and coastal species.
Engaging communities for better habitat
Rehabilitation of these sites will occur across 6 events. For each event OzFish members and local community will be invited to work together to restore important estuarine habitats, such as Coastal Saltmarsh, Swamp Oak Floodplain Forest, and Swamp Sclerophyll Forest in Brisbane Waters and Tuggerah Lakes. Each event will incorporate hands-on activities such as planting sessions, weeding efforts, and a rubbish clean-ups. Educational elements, including talks by the Council Environment Officer, will enrich the experience for volunteers as they simultaneously learn about the benefits of healthy estuarine vegetation for fisheries productivity.
Saltmarshes are critical to the health of aquatic food webs, providing essential habitats for numerous species. It is estimated 70 percent of all recreationally targeted saltwater fish species rely on saltmarsh at some stage of their life cycle. By restoring and preserving these coastal habitats, we ensure the sustainability of our fish populations.
Planting for sustainability
The project aims to create a sustainable and resilient environment, benefiting both the ecosystem and the local community. The removal of invasive weeds will allow the native species to regenerate, and reinstating the highly productive Saltmarsh and Coastal Swamp Oak Forest endangered ecological communities. In areas with low recruitment of native plants, strategic planting of 800 native saltmarsh and coastal species will be used.
These actions will also help to protect the sites and the surrounding water bodies by stabilising the foreshore, reducing coastal erosion, and filtering runoff, effectively limiting the amount of sediment and contaminants entering the waterway.
Empowering communities
In addition to the tangible ecological outcomes, volunteers actively participating in the events gain hands-on experience and valuable skills in environmental restoration. Moreover, the project empowers individuals and groups, fostering the capacity for future regeneration initiatives. The wider impact is felt as community members, both new and existing, are motivated to actively participate in local conservation activities, contributing to the broader cause of environmental stewardship.
