Creek to Coast - February 2022

o e t k e r c coast OA MID C

NV ST E

Summer 2 022

IRONMENT NEWS

THREATENED SPECIES AND VISITORS RETURN TO CATTAI WETLANDS Once a farmland site that was suffering the effects of acid sulfate runoff, land clearing and weeds, restoration of Cattai Wetlands began back in 2003 and the site was opened to the public in 2010.

Today Cattai provides a sanctuary for local wildlife including kangaroos and threatened species such as the koala and giant dragonfly.

It is also home to over 180 bird species including the combcrested jacana, a threatened species Cattai Wetlands is their southernmost breeding site identified in New South Wales.

After several tough years for the wetland which included extended drought and the 2019 bushfires which devastated the site, 2022 has seen a return of jacana.

During January and February at least two clutches of jacanas have been successful, with a juvenile fledgling identified at the site in MidJanuary and the most recent nest was seen to have hatchlings on Monday 31st January. This is a great outcome for the species and highlights the importance of protecting wetland sites for wildlife.

Birdwatchers searching for threatened

Cattai wetlands are open for the public to enjoy with a number of marked walking species at Cattai Wetlands trails and it is the return of species like the jacana that has seen it internationally recognised as a birdwatching hot spot with both local and international tourists visiting regularly.

Over 8000 people visited the wetland in 2021, with numbers increasing even further in 2022.

Cattai Wetlands is supported by the Environmental Rate and a great example of the importance of conserving and rehabilitating areas for the benefit of both the community and the environment!

Male comb-crested jacana sitting on the nest at Cattai Wetlands

1

oa st c o t k e cre WATERWAY AND CATCHMENT REPORT CARD 2021 10th Anniversary Celebration

Each year MidCoast Council teams with scientists from the Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) to complete an independent assessment of the health of our estuaries. The results of this assessment are presented in the annual Waterway and Catchment Report Card.

The Report Card provides a high-level assessment of the ecological health of our waterways. It helps us track their condition over time and understand how our waterways are faring when compared to other estuaries across NSW. The results identify ‘problem areas’ and allow for us to plan management actions to improve and maintain water quality into the future.

In 2021, the Report Card reached an important milestone celebrating its tenth anniversary. Over the past decade more than 1,900 water quality samples have been taken across our six major catchments. Ten years of waterway health data is important as it provides us with a deeper understanding of our waterways, helps identify important patterns, trends and cycles and also helps us identify environmental issues that could be addressed through improvements in catchment and estuary management. The report card compares the condition of MidCoast Councils estuaries with the condition of other estuaries in NSW and helps track the effectiveness of the catchment and estuary projects we undertake each year with our community and partners.

The results of the 2021 Report Card were released to the public on Sunday 5th December at a breakfast event on the banks of the Wallamba River (Darawank War Memorial Park) followed by a Nature Tour through Darawank Wetlands.

These sites showcased the Mid Wallamba River Estuary results which have seen an improvement in grade from a ‘D’ in 2011 to ‘B’ in 2021. The improvement in results a tribute to the extensive program of wetland rehabilitation, bank stabilisation, weed control and improved land management.

The full results of the Report Card are presented on the MidCoast Website at midcoast.nsw.gov.au/reportcard

HOW DID WE DO IN 2021?

The 2020/21 monitoring period was wetter than average, which saw an increase in the runoff from the catchment and a corresponding drop in water quality which also saw a decrease in algal growth.

Healthy waterways and catchments keep our local towns and communities thriving. The Waterway and Catchment Report Card is MidCoast Council’s opportunity to share the results of this annual health check with our community.

2

The results for 2020 saw a large number of sites (8) increase a grade from the 2019/20 results while the remaining sites (10) maintained their grade.

The main driver for the results in 2021 was water clarity which decreased at the majority of sites from the previous year, this is due to increased rainfall and runoff. At some sites for example Khappinghat it is possible that the extensive fires in 2019/20 have had an ongoing impact on estuary health.

Algal levels decreased at the majority of sites (13) this is likely because the wet summer created consistent high flows that transported contaminants out of the river.

Samples taken in the Manning River after the large flood in March 2021 showed no ongoing impacts to water quality results.

Having 10 years of waterway health data is a major milestone for us. It provides us with a deeper understanding of our waterways and identifies actions for further improvements through our Catchment and Estuary programs.

oa st c o t k e cre

HIDDEN GEM

Bungay Reserve, Wingham Restoration works have commenced recently within hidden gem Bungay Reserve in Wingham. Tucked away at the end of Rosella Drive and Bungay Road the site is roughly 15 hectares in size.

Two local bush regenerators Chris Scott & Rod Rixon have joined forces to tackle the weed infestation that has been building up on the site over many years. The usual perpetrators of lantana, small leafed privet and all forms of asparagus weeds prevail, especially along the creek line.

Caught on camera, a large koala moving between food trees in the reserve at Wingham

Local residents regularly report observing koalas and wallabies free ranging within the reserve. As part of the project a number of motion sensor cameras were deployed which detected numerous swamp and red necked wallabies, koalas, echidnas and bandicoots. Unfortunately, pest species like the fox were also found in the reserve.

Following the weed management works, additional koala food trees will be planted along the creek line with the assistance of Koalas in Care.

These restoration and rehabilitation works have been supported by MidCoast Council’s Environmental Rate.

LAND FOR WILDLIFE Wildlife is under increasing pressure across our region and Australia-wide.

Habitat loss and fragmentation, invasive species, changes to fire regimes and climate change are just some of the pressures driving biodiversity decline.

Lan d

If you have bushland on your property and would like to conserve wildlife, you may want to consider registering your property with Land For Wildlife. This is a voluntary program that supports non-binding entry-level land management agreements for landholders who want to manage areas of wildlife habitat on their property. Participants receive a Land For Wildlife sign for their front gate, advice on how to look after natural assets and support including newsletters and small grants. fo r W i l d

li f e p a r t i c i p a n

ts

There are 97 threatened fauna species in the MidCoast Region, including the spotted-tail and eastern quoll, koala, eastern pygmy possum, greater glider, brush-tailed rock wallaby and grey-headed flying fox.

Most of our Local Government Area is made up of privately owned land which supports around 70% of our native vegetation.

Private landholders can play a crucial role to protect and restore natural habitats in rural and agricultural landscapes. There are currently more than 77 properties participating in the program covering over 2,000 hectares of land in our region.

One of the most recent sign-ups to Land For Wildlife are Sonja Duncan and Richard Birdsey at Upper Bowman. “We bought our property because we love how it is nestled among hills, surrounded by beautiful forests and borders a small creek that is teeming with life. It’s magic to wake up every morning listening to the dawn chorus of birds and frogs calling from the creek. Registering with Land For Wildlife shows our commitment to protect our patch and gives us access to advice and support,” said Sonja.

Land For Wildlife is run by the Community Environment Network with regional coordinator MidCoast 2 Tops Landcare in partnership with Council. A new Private Lands Conservation Officer was recently employed by MidCoast 2 Tops Landcare, with funding assistance from Council through our Environmental Rate. The Officer, Isabelle Strahan, is providing advice and support to Land For Wildlife members.

If you’d like to find out more about the program, get a free property assessment or you are an existing member who would like to reconnect for advice and support, we’d love to hear from you!

Email Isabelle Strahan at MidCoast 2 Tops Landcare: mc2t.plconservation@gmail.com or Council’s Catchment Officer Drew Morris at andrew.morris@midcoast.nsw.gov.au

3

oa st c o t k e cre

RIVER REVIVAL

Supporting aquatic life in our rivers post fire and flood We’re looking for landholders in the Nowendoc, Dingo and Barnard catchments to help revive our rivers by protecting and restoring refuge pools and riverbanks.

When rivers ran dry during the drought, deep pools provided vital refuge habitats for the Manning River Helmeted Turtle. Platypus, frogs, freshwater fish and rare spiny crayfish also live in these pools and need healthy riverbank vegetation to thrive.

Can you help us maintain and increase populations of these precious native aquatic species? We are looking for landholders to assist with RiverWatch citizen science monitoring, restoration of riverbank vegetation (weed control, revegetation, stock exclusion) and turtle nest protection.

Funding assistance is available for sites that meet the project criteria, provided by the NSW Government through its Environmental Trust and the Australian Government’s Bushfire Recovery for Wildlife and Habitat Program.

This is a partnership project between landholders, Council, Hunter Local Land Services, MidCoast 2 Tops Landcare and the Manning River Turtle Group.

To find out more: •

Visit the River Revival web page

•

Call our Catchment Officer Alisha Madsen on mobile 0436 298 486

•

Email ourmanningriver@midcoast.nsw.gov.au to express your interest

Upcoming River Revival Workshops River Restoration Landholder Workshops Field days for landholders to learn about how on farm management can have conservation benefits for many aquatic species.

Co-hosted by Mid Coast 2 Tops Landcare and MidCoast Council.

Come along to an informative day to learn about the ecology of aquatic fauna, turtle and platypus survey results and how you can be involved in River Revival.

6th April 9 am -12 noon Barrington Hall 12th April, 9 am - 12 noon Bobin Hall For more information and bookings contact Landcare Coordinators Joel Dunn (Barrington event) on 0401 932533 or Lyn Booth (Bobin event) on 0427530681.

4

oa st c o t k e cre

VEGETATION MAPPING

Council makes progress on vegetation picture across the region Looking at an aerial view of the MidCoast region, one of the things that stands out is the large tracts of native vegetation. From World Heritage Gondwana rainforests to mangroves on the coast, native vegetation is the foundation of a healthy environment and provides social and economic benefits. It provides habitat for wildlife and a host of ecosystem services including stabilising soils, producing oxygen, storing carbon and filtering run-off to keep waterways clean and healthy. Our forests are a major drawcard for recreation and tourism.

Accurate vegetation community description and mapping is a valuable resource for a range of purposes, including catchment and natural resource management and land use planning. For this reason, Council’s Natural Systems team supported by the Environmental Rate have progressively compiled vegetation maps across the MidCoast region. The program has been in operation for several years and last year, over 100,000-hectares of the LGA were described and mapped by expert consultants. We have now mapped the vegetation of parts of the Karuah River valley, Gloucester, Hallidays Point, Hawks Nest / Tea Gardens, Tinonee and Coomba and many other localities. Mapping exercises have also targeted wetland communities.

Focus localities have been selected for a range of reasons including for targeted biodiversity planning purposes, to better understand ecologically sensitive areas or to provide a base layer to assist in land use planning (catchment management and / or corridor mapping). The maps and accompanying reports show the plant community types and dominant plant species found in the mapped areas. The vegetation maps are uploaded to the Council’s GIS system.

The coverage of the detailed vegetation mapping will be extended over time to cover the entire LGA. This is a priority action within the Biodiversity Framework of Council.

Landholders across the LGA are consulted and permissions are sought to access their property to complete the mapping.

These participating landholders are now receiving vegetation reports as a way of acknowledging and thanking them for supporting the project. Many landowners in the LGA have a mix of both production and environmental goals for their property.

Receiving a vegetation map will help them to manage biodiversity values through planning for actions such as weed control, stock exclusion, revegetation and controlled burns.

5

oa st c o t k e cre

sh

l ra i n

forest at Wallabi

Po

i

nt

Bu

ed fir

ed tat es ev

a li t o r

BUSHFIRE RECOVERY

Collaborative Forces to tackle Weed Invasion in our affected Rainforests Rainforests are not adapted to fire, and when burnt they can take decades to regenerate. Because of this it is important to protect unburnt areas of rainforest from further threats. Council in conjunction with National Parks and Wildlife are working together to protect several Critically Endangered Threatened Ecological Communities including areas of lowland and littoral rainforest.

Weed invasion is a threatening process to rainforests; weeds displace native plants and animals and inhibit rainforest regeneration. For the long-term recovery of the rainforests, it is very important to protect both burnt and unburnt patches from weed invasion. This will promote rainforest regeneration and the transfer of seeds by native birds and animals between remnants.

Works will be undertaken to protect 141 ha of rainforest across seven project sites, including Council managed reserves, private land under management agreement and National Park Estate. Applying a cross-tenure approach to rainforest restoration ensures protection for all rainforest remnants and wider transfer of seed and genetics between patches.

Restoration of the rainforests will benefit at least 4 threatened species including the grey-headed flying fox, spotted-tail Quoll, Magenta Lilly Pilly and White Flowered Wax Plant. The project will also boost community involvement and upskill participants including TIDE Indigenous Rangers and Coastcare volunteers. Developing the skills and interest of the community in rainforest restoration techniques will provide long term benefits when applying these skills to future projects. Outcomes and benefits of projects like these are also more likely to be maintained when Government and community work together.

This project is supported by the Australian Government through its Bushfire Recovery for Wildlife and Habitats Program, the New South Wales Government through National Parks and Wildlife Service and MidCoast Council’s Environmental Rate.

Coastal Wetlands Bushfire Recovery Grants

Potoroo in Bushfire affected wetlands

Bushfires create conditions that favour the establishment of weeds, which can prevent native plants from re-establishing and thriving. Following a bushfire, it’s important to manage weed growth in bushland.

Native vegetation may take several years to recover after bush fire and will change in composition over time. Australian native plants are adapted to recover after bushfire, but it can take some time before your local bushland looks like the healthy vegetation community it was before the fire.

Weeds spread easily and have a negative impact on native plants and wildlife. It’s important to control them as soon as possible, to prevent them from spreading to neighbouring properties and native bushland. While many native plant species survive bushfires, their ability to re-establish, thrive, and reseed is reduced by the presence of weeds that aggressively compete for water, light, and soil nutrients.

The cleared post-bush fire landscape is also an opportunity to control weeds while they are visible and before they start to spread.

As with most post fire restoration works considerable amount of time has been invested in treating the multiple cycles of weeds species emerging from the seed bank dormant in the soil until the fire, breaking of drought conditions.

Council was successful in receiving funding under the NSW Government’s Bushfire Affected Coastal Waterways Program, to implement post fire environmental remedial actions to minimise and mitigate the impacts of bushfires on sensitive estuary and coastal ecosystems.

The project aims to restore burnt littoral rainforest, coastal wetlands and other native forest communities on within selected Council managed reserves located in the coastal zone through intensive weed control efforts, the propagation and replanting of local native species including koala food trees, monitoring fauna activities using motion activated cameras and the provision of nest boxes and other supplementary habitat measures for displaced and affected fauna.

The project will also support the bush fire recovery efforts of other government agencies such as NPWS and wildlife rescue groups.

This projected is supported by the NSW Government through the Coastal Wetlands Bushfire Recovery Grants and MidCoast Council’s Environmental Rate.

6

oa st c o t k e cre

LOOKING AFTER THE RIVER WE LOVE

The Manning River (Djarii Bila) is the lifeblood of our community.

From the mountains to the sea, (Balgarr-abirang-Gurrwa-gu), freshwater to saltwater (Bathu-garibang-Girambit-gu) - the river connects our landscape and our community. The estuary is important for oyster-growing, fishing, tourism and recreation.

In the Upper Catchment the Manning and its tributaries provide water for drinking, stock and irrigation. Our community loves the cool water and beautiful scenery, feeling a cultural and spiritual connection to the river. These values all depend on healthy ecosystems and clean water.

ts o

er

It sets out a ten-year program with 36 management actions for Council, our community and partner organisations to improve the health and resilience of the Manning River and estuary, taking a whole-of-catchment approach.

n

MidCoast Council has worked together with stakeholders to develop the Manning River Estuary and Catchment Management Program, which was adopted by Council in July 2021. The program aspires to protect and improve the ecological health of the Manning Estuary and its catchment, and in doing so support the social, cultural and economic values of the region.

Mirro r Refl

ection - Photo b y D i

R llo n

The Manning River Estuary and Catchment Management Program addresses issues including lack of stewardship, climate change, degradation of coastal wetlands and riverbank vegetation, floodplain drainage and exposure of acid sulfate soils, and agricultural diffuse-source run-off.

At its heart, the program involves working in partnership with landholders to manage these impacts and improve our waterways. The top priority actions are: •

Engaging our community to promote understanding and commitment to stewardship of the catchment

• Supporting landholders and land managers to implement regenerative practices that contribute to improved catchment and estuarine health •

Implementing key priority acid sulfate soil management actions

•

Protecting and/or rehabilitating coastal wetlands

•

Improving the condition and extent of riparian and estuarine shoreline vegetation.

Working together with partners, stakeholders and our community to implement the Manning River ECMP will help us protect and improve the ecological health of this vital natural asset and support the social, cultural and economic values of the region.

To find out more email ourmanningriver@midcoast.nsw.gov.au or visit www.midcoast.nsw.gov.au/ourmanningriver

Misty Mountain Meanderings - photo by Daniel Trudgeon

7

ob

oa st c o t k e cre

FLOOD RECOVERY March 2021 saw some extreme rainfall which led to widespread flooding along the east coast of Australia. The MidCoast region was heavily impacted and the Manning River Estuary was one of the worst impacted systems. The flood waters that raged through the Manning mobilised and deposited huge amounts of rubbish and debris.

The emergency clean up of the waterways occurred immediately following the subsidence of flood waters. The clean up of rivers and estuaries was led by the EPA through the emergency response team and MidCoast Council arranged the immediate clean up of beaches.

In this initial response phase the EPA removed 90 cubic meters of rubbish from the Manning River with items such as silage, tanks, containers and biohazard materials from our waterways.

Following the immediate clean up response, aerial surveys were conducted to identify locations for rubbish removal which was then followed up with on water assessments which identified further locations. Between December 2021 and January 2022 a clean-up team with specialised equipment removed remaining flood debris and waste carefully without incurring further damage to the environment.

The most recent clean up removed 252 cubic meters of debris from the Manning River and surrounding waterways. Of this, 162 cubic meters was green waste and 90 cubic meters was from human sources. The good news is that 72% of the waste from human sources was recycled or returned to owners when owners could be identified.

When developing our Manning River Estuary Catchment Management Program, people told us how much they value and love the river. This means people want to look after it. Keeping the Manning free of litter starts in the catchment, managing litter that flows into the river from urban stormwater is a key stewardship action in the plan.

During non-flood periods, our waterways are protected from litter and debris with Gross Pollutant traps in urban areas. Council are partnering with Local Land Services on a proactive litter prevention program, the focus is working with our community to manage litter at the source to protect our valuable waterways.

This clean-up program was coordinated by the NSW EPA in partnership with other government organisations including MidCoast Council and Local Land Services. It was jointly funded by the Commonwealth and the NSW State Government under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements. . The clean-up response was a massive effort from all agencies involved and a great outcome for the environment.

COUNCIL - LANDCARE PARTNERSHIP Mayor Claire Pontin and Robyn Lamond, President of Mid Coast 2 Tops Landcare (MC2T), will be signing a Memorandum of Understanding at a private function on Tuesday 29th March to support the partnership between our two organisations at the regional level. Landcare brings volunteers and landholders together to care for our landscapes for current and future generations. Well-resourced and engaged Landcarers can make a considerable contribution to natural resource management on public and private land.

MidCoast Council and MC2T Landcare share a common purpose to promote and support community engagement and environmental stewardship from the mountains to the coast. Together we seek to enhance and protect biodiversity, water catchments, climate resilience, ecosystems, water quality and regeneration on agricultural land.

Both organisations recognise and support the social values of our activities to promote a sense of belonging, shared purpose, friendship, health and well-being. Mid Coast 2 Tops Landcare represents district-level networks including Karuah & Great Lakes Landcare, Manning Landcare and Manning Coastcare. Landcare member groups support volunteers who work on Councilmanaged public land with natural and conservation values. With such a large area of public land, Council and our community benefit significantly from local volunteers investing their time to manage and improve the ecological health and biodiversity of public reserves and vulnerable ecological communities.

Landcare members also conserve natural values on private land throughout the LGA. The network offers a host of opportunities for members to meet and build their knowledge to better manage natural resources in both agricultural and bushland settings.

To find out more about joining one of MidCoast 2 Tops Landcare’s local groups visit www.midcoast2tops.org.au

midcoast.nsw.gov.au MidCoast Council Tel 6591 7222 Email council@midcoast.nsw.gov.au

8

MidCoastCouncil

Creek to Coast is produced and published by MidCoast Council.

Readers can subscribe online via the MidCoast Council website, www.midcoast.nsw.gov.au/creektocoast