Coastal vegetation and sand dunes

OUR COASTAL LANDSCAPE IS THE BACKDROP TO LIFE IN MORETON BAY. IT IS RICH IN CULTURAL HERITAGE, PROVIDES RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES, ATTRACTS VISITORS AND TOURISTS AND IS PART OF A UNIQUE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT.

Coastal vegetation plays an important role in protecting sand dunes:

• Primary vegetation, such as grasses and creepers found in the incipient dune, can trap sand to build up dunes and reduce the extent of beach erosion

• Secondary vegetation, such as shrubs and small trees help to stabilise the foredune and deflect the wind up and over the foredune

• Tertiary vegetation, such as taller shrubs and trees found in the hind dune, further elevate the wind and provide protection for inland plants

• Root systems help stabilise and secure sand to reduce the likelihood and extent of erosion during extreme weather events

• Sand that builds up around vegetation can help replenish the beach after sudden erosion events

• Native coastal vegetation can tolerate high winds, salt spray and sand blasting

• Vegetation provides food or nesting areas for animals and migratory birds. Healthy, stable sand dunes are essential to protect both our sandy beaches and built infrastructure such as homes and roads.

If you live near or are visiting our coastal areas, you can:

• Leave driftwood and fallen branches on the beach or dunes where you found it. Fallen timber plays an important role in stabilising dunes.

• Don’t light fires on the beach near dune vegetation. It could start a wildfire that damages a large area of dune vegetation.

• Stick to the designated beach access tracks and stay off dune vegetation. The roots of coastal grasses are very sensitive and easily damaged by trampling.

• Don’t drive on dunes and dune vegetation. Stick to the designated 4WD beach access areas.

• Consider joining a Bushcare group. Council manages several bushcare groups with members helping in hands-on conservation and restoration activities. For more information about bushcare see - Voluntary conservation -

If you are fortunate enough to own property on the Moreton Bay coastline you can:

• Plant appropriate native vegetation to help stabilise dune areas. The following are examples of suitable species for the Moreton Bay region coastline. Talk to a specialist native plant nursery for more advice.

• Avoid planting turf in the dune area. Turf cannot trap windblown sand or withstand excessive salt spray. When stressed, the turf will die and leave bare sand, which is more prone to wind erosion.

• Plant only native species in your garden. Exotic plants complete with native dune vegetation and could potentially spread as environmental weeds.

• Dispose of garden waste properly. Do not dump green waste in the dunes as it can spread weeds and supress the growth of native dune plants.

• Maintain trees and shrubs on the foredune area. While they may block your view, they also provide protection to your property by helping to stabilise the sand dunes and reduce erosion.

Damaging coastal vegetation is environmental vandalism. It impacts the stability of sand dunes and their important role in our coastal environment. If an area of vegetation is damaged or removed, it makes that area more susceptible to erosion. This can lead to a ‘blow out’ or gap in the dune. This gap can quickly grow and erode the rest of the dune system, impacting nearby properties and infrastructure. Environmental vandalism in coastal landscapes includes:

• Cutting off trees at the base of the trunk

• Cutting or breaking branches off

• Breaking the tops of younger trees off

• Pulling out or poisoning newly planted trees (such as revegetation projects)

• Drilling or poisoning of older trees

• Clearing of trees and vegetation with machinery

• Mowing over smaller trees Damaging coastal vegetation increases the impacts of storm damage and erosion and reduces the resilience of coastal communities to extreme weather. Ratepayers and residents incur increased costs to manage these risks and impacts. It also removes habitat for native animals and migratory birds and increases light pollution impacts on nesting turtles

COASTAL CHANGES

Change to our coastal landscape has been and will continue to be a natural characteristic of our environment. Natural processes of erosion and accretion - the movement of sand on our coastline - means our foreshore areas are always changing. Erosion may be the result of a long-term process or a sudden event. Long term erosion is a continuous process where sand is removed from one part of the coastline over time and may be deposited (or accreted) in another part of the coastline. This will result in long term changes to both areas of the coast. Extreme events such as severe storms may cause rapid erosion of parts of the coastline. This type of erosion is usually short-term with natural processes restoring the beach over the following months or years.

Changes to the natural environment such as clearing vegetation, constructing seawalls, roads or buildings, or interfering with natural sand movements by dredging or depositing additional sand can all affect natural coastal change processes.

Community plant nurseries

Community nurseries grow local native plants for community projects and for planting in reserves, parks, schools and public open spaces. Nurseries are open to the public and volunteers are welcome.

Council offers one free native plant voucher per financial year to property owners of residential properties. The voucher can be redeemed from community nurseries for one of the following options:

• four x tube stock; or

• two medium sized pots; or

• one large pot.

Pot sizes and the types of plants available will vary throughout the year at each nursery. Nursery staff are available to help you with your selection when you redeem your voucher.

To apply for your free native plant voucher, lodge a request or contact Council.

Home renovation can be very stressful and time-consuming. No matter how much time you think it’ll take, multiply that by two, and add a few more days. Roughly, that’s about the math that always turns out to be correct when it comes to home renovation. Tearing down walls, retiling the floors, expanding the rooms, and any other type of work you plan will require patience, dedication and money. Often, the result is disappointing, and the homeowners either have to live with the cruel reality or pay another fortune to fix the mistakes. To avoid making any renovation mistakes and perform a successful home renovation, follow the tips we’ve listed below.

First and foremost, it’s crucial for you to know what your end goal is. Create plans for renovation and have a clear picture of what you want. Any doubts and dilemmas are going to cause problems and unnecessary disagreement. Do you want a bigger kid’s room? Is it time to install new windows? Maybe you want more daylight inside, but you don’t want to expand the windows. Whatever it is, you’ll need to decide in advance and stick to the plan. Otherwise, your home renovation will take months and a fortune to finish.

Home renovations tend to be costly. However, that doesn’t make homeowners any less hopeful that they’ll be able to save here and there. While home remodelling doesn’t always have to break the bank, you’ll need to plan a realistic budget. How much work do you plan to do? How many people are you hiring? Will you be providing them with meals during the day? Are you paying for temporary accommodation? Maybe you plan to move to your parents or neighbours during the renovation. Those are just some factors that will affect your budget, so consider all of them when you start creating a home renovation budget.

One of the best pieces of advice you can take from us is to always have the professionals look over your work and potentially do it for you. That’s especially true if you plan to do some electrical work. Wiring and electricity aren’t a joke, so you shouldn’t take it easy. Regardless of the city that you live in, be it Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne or Adelaide, you’ll want professional handling of electricity. Look for the best electrician to be sure your home is safe and hazard-free. It’s always better to pay a little extra to a professional electrician than to save money thinking you can do it better.

Speaking of electrics, you should also prepare for potential power and water outages during a home remodelling. If you’re changing taps, toilets or tubs, you’ll need to get ready for a few hours of water shortage. During electric work, the power in the house will be out, so don’t count on much cooking. However, if you have gas stoves, you won’t have to worry about the power outage. So, don’t forget to stock up on water and fill jugs, bottles, and buckets, in case of emergency.

Before you even begin the renovation, remember to apply for permits. That is especially important if you plan to expand your home and include a variety of construction work. Make sure your house renovation is in line with all the structural and fire safety requirements.

Are you renovating an entire house or just a part of it? Is it possible for the family to stay put during a remodel, or would you consider renting temporary accommodation? Think the situation through and plan accordingly. Plan for a designated renovation-free zone if you are only doing semi-remodelling. Put a kettle, a microwave, glasses, mugs, plates, and cutlery in there to have everything set for relaxation and mealtime. If you have a newborn baby or toddler in the house, it would be best to stay elsewhere until all the work is done. Check with the neighbours if you could stay with them, so you’re close and can monitor the work. Alternatively, you can always ask your parents to stay with them. If they’re already too old and don’t handle a crowded house too well, a hotel is always an option if you can afford it.

If you’re planning a home renovation, we’ll have to warn you that it will not be easy or quick. Regardless of the people doing the work, be it you or professionals, home remodelling will require plenty of patience, effort and money. So, when you start planning for a home remodel, follow our tips for a successful home renovation.

AT ZOGGS, WE CHAMPION THE JOY OF SWIMMING. BEING AUSSIE (BORN IN SYDNEY 1992) MEANS WE PRETTY MUCH LOVE EVERYTHING TO DO WITH SWIMMING AND THINK THE REST OF THE WORLD SHOULD TOO.

That’s why we make swimwear and training equipment for learners, beachgoers, lane swimmers and outdoor swim adventurers. Swim stuff that all swimmers - no matter their level - can totally rely on, leaving them free to feel the joy of swimming.

We offer high quality, sustainable swimwear for every swimmer, every age and every ability. 95% of our swimwear range is made from post-consumer plastic bottles and all of our range is either chlorine-proof or highly chlorine resistant. In fact, we are so confident in our chlorine proof range made from our eco-friendly Ecolast+ fabric, we offer a lifetime guarantee!

All Zoggs swimwear has UPF 50+ sun protection and has exceptional resistance to sunscreen, so you can swim worry-free. We want all swimmers to look and feel amazing in our swimwear, that’s why we offer such a wide range of features. For women, we have a variety of bust support options including shelf bras and removable foam cups, as well as varying strap widths and tummy support options. Our men’s range is also designed for comfort, with ultra-soft mesh liners and elasticated drawstring waists. Our junior and kids ranges are made with our super-soft Ecolast fabric and feature bold, fun and colourful prints that suit children of any age. Our aim is to make the most comfortable and best-fitting swimwear for all.

Whether just starting out, swimming for fitness or recreation, in the great outdoors or in a triathlon, we have swimwear to suit every body type and every need. Zoggs also has the best swim equipment to help you get the most out of every swim. Designed to improve performance and enhance swimming skills, we have a complete range of swimming training aids. Each training aid is made from durable materials to ensure a lasting quality that you can rely on for plenty of pool hours. What matters to us is that our swimmers enjoy their swim with unconditional trust in their Zoggs products. It is our passion to create innovative, exciting and high-quality swim equipment!

Sustainability is at the forefront of everything we do. We’re on a mission to reduce our impact on the environment and our ambition is to become a greener and more eco-conscious brand. From sustainable packaging and reduction of single-use plastics to recycled fabrics made from waste and supporting various environmental causes - we believe in doing everything we can to preserve our planet for the future.

All of our smaller equipment is in recycled and recyclable packaging. Our swimwear is not only made from eco-friendly fabrics, but we have also moved to digital printing to reduce our water consumption.

Our swimwear is shipped in biodegradable packaging, and we’re taking even more steps on our sustainable journey, down to our tags made from recycled cards and hangers made from post-consumer waste. Here at Zoggs, we’re taking action now for the future.

Zoggs - Do good, feel good, look good.