Home / Programs / Fishable Cities / Maroochy River and Caboolture River, QLD 2023

Through the Caboolture and Maroochy community’s combined actions, native fish habitat continues to be protected and restored within Queensland.

Monitoring Saltmarsh Progress

The Uhlmann Road Boat Ramp is a popular launch point for recreational fishers on the Caboolture River. It has experienced significant challenges after a remodelling project removed carparks. People parked on the saltmarsh behind the ramp. This has caused considerable damage to the delicate ecosystem.

           

 

 

 


OzFish Unlimited’s Maroochy and North Moreton Chapters set up a baseline and did follow-up monitoring efforts to record changes in the saltmarsh. These dedicated efforts helped safeguard 8 hectares of saltmarsh.

Over 12 months, the saltmarsh’s health showed remarkable improvement. This incredible regrowth was evident in its resilient recovery and growth in the previously damaged areas.

The Maroochy River Upgrade

In parallel to the saltmarsh efforts, a project was executed to restore shellfish reefs in the Maroochy River. Robust Oyster Baskets (ROBs) and BESEs, a biopolymer mesh bag made 100 per cent natural fibers that’s filled with oyster shells, were placed on the oyster lease. These are there to grow oysters for future restoration projects.

ROBs use a triangular prism shape to maximize water flow through the recycled shells and encourage shellfish accretion. Due to the constraints on restoration activities within oyster leases, all ROBs and BESEs will be relocated to future Maroochy sites if they successfully recruit oysters. 

The deployment of 76 ROBs to Bunya Bunya Country Aboriginal Corporation’s (BBCAC) oyster lease at Bli Bli gave helpful insights.

The traditional ROBs design faced durability issues, possibly thanks to wave action from boat traffic. Nevertheless, this led to further innovations and improvements. OzFish also placed 90 BESE bags at the lease, which will be closely monitored over the next six months.

Improvements In Maroochy

Healthy Land and Water continue to work with OzFish to protect and improve vegetation and biodiversity in the Maroochy River and Caboolture River (saltmarsh) regions. Projects included the improvements of in-stream habitat and riparian and wetland rehabilitation.

The end goal is to enhance fish abundance and diversity. Collaborative efforts like these will safeguard the well-being of aquatic ecosystems, wildlife, and overall ecological balance.

The project paves the way for a brighter future for the Maroochy River and Caboolture River ecosystems. It does this by involving the community and collaborating with dedicated stakeholders.

The commitment of all involved, including OzFish volunteers and our partners, shows the transformative potential of community-driven conservation. Join us in our mission, and together, we can make a lasting impact on Australia’s precious natural landscapes.

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Latest News

20 July 2023 | Innovative Trial Could Be Game-Changer For Australian Shellfish Restoration

20 July 2023 | Innovative Trial Could Be Game-Changer For Australian Shellfish Restoration

A new product being trialled in South-East Queensland could be a game-changer for shellfish restoration in Australia.    A mesh bag made from biopolymers from 100 per cent vegetation that has been sustainably sourced is being tested to see if they can grow oyster clusters in the Maroochy River and Moreton Bay.  OzFish Unlimited, Australia’s fishing conservation charity, has teamed up with Healthy Land and Water through the National Landcare Program and the Bunya Bunya Country Aboriginal Corporation to test out the pilot project. 

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This project is made possible by funding support from Healthy Land and Water through the National Landcare Program. We sincerely thank our esteemed partners: Bunya Bunya Country Aboriginal Corporation, Moreton Bay Regional Council, The University of the Sunshine Coast, and BCF – Boating, Camping, Fishing.