These projects are funded under the NSW Government Coastal and Estuary management program.
The Bushfire affected coastal waterways program funded 7 projects totalling $5 million.
| Grant recipient/local government area | Project name |
|---|---|
| Bega Valley Shire Council | Bega Valley catchment stabilisation and estuarine ecological health protection |
| Eurobodalla Shire Council | Eurobodalla coastal waterway bushfire impact mitigation project |
| Mid-Coast Council | Mid-Coast Council coastal reserves bushfire recovery project |
| Port Macquarie-Hastings Council | Sensitive receptors – catchment management |
| Richmond Valley Council | Restoration of burnt riparian areas within the Richmond River tributaries |
| Shoalhaven City Council | Shoalhaven local government area catchment stabilisation and ecological monitoring works |
| South east catchment and waterways bushfire recovery plan |
Bega Valley Shire Council
Bega Valley catchment stabilisation and estuarine ecological health protection
The Bega Valley was heavily affected by fires, with approximately 4000 square kilometres burnt. The bushfires have left large areas of the foreshore and steep terrain devoid of groundcover and susceptible to erosion and weed invasion.
Bega Valley Shire Council will undertake works across Wallaga Lake, Bermagui River, Cuttagee Lake, Murrah River, Bega River, Shadrachs River, Nullica River, Towamba River, Fisheries Creek and Wonboyn River. This project aims to reduce post fire impacts on estuary health through the installation of sediment and erosion controls and bank stabilisation works. Habitat restoration including weed control, revegetation and water quality monitoring will also be carried out.
Eurobodalla Shire Council
Eurobodalla coastal waterway bushfire impact mitigation project
The recent fires have burnt 79% of the local government area across a total of over 270,000 hectares and impacted over 20 estuaries and coastal catchments.
This project involves implementing priority emergency sediment and erosion control measures to minimise the impacts on estuary health. It will focus on controlling catchment inputs including sediment, ash and organic material to protect water quality and aquatic environments. Strategic revegetation, weed control and water quality monitoring will also be undertaken.
Durras Lake, Clyde River tributaries, Tomaga, Moruya/Deua, Tuross, Mummaga and Wagonga estuaries and their tributaries and associated wetlands have been identified as priority locations for these works.
Mid-Coast Council
Mid-Coast Council coastal reserves bushfire recovery project
This project aims to restore burnt littoral rainforest, coastal wetlands and other native forest communities located on 2364 hectares of Council managed land. This will be done through intensive weed control, the propagation and replanting of local native species and the provision of nest boxes and other supplementary habitat measures for displaced animals.
The project also plans to increase the resilience of other areas not directly affected by the bushfires, by controlling invasive environmental weeds which will, in turn, reduce the threat of weeds re-infesting those areas recovering from the bushfires.
Port Macquarie-Hastings Council
Sensitive receptors – catchment management
During the 2019 fires, approximately 2950 hectares of land was burnt in the Lake Innes catchment and 1215 hectares was burnt in the Watson Taylor Lake area. This project will examine the extent of the impact of these fires on the landscape, in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.
This project will be divided into two stages. Stage 1 will focus on data collection and investigation along with comparison against historical trends. Stage 2 will involve on ground implementation and remediation including weed management, replanting and soil and erosion controls coupled with ongoing monitoring.
Richmond Valley Council
Restoration of burnt riparian areas within the Richmond River tributaries
A study of the main tributaries of the Richmond River catchment affected by bushfire will be undertaken, to ascertain where riparian and riverbank locations along Shannon Brook River, Sandy Creek, Myrtle Creek, Bungawalbin Creek and Mongogarie Creek urgently require stabilisation and rehabilitation.
This project will involve weed control, sediment and erosion control, habitat restoration and riparian corridor management. The worst affected areas that pose potential pollution sources for water quality will be prioritised.
Shoalhaven City Council
Shoalhaven local government area catchment stabilisation and ecological monitoring works
The recent fires have critically impacted communities and the environment across the Shoalhaven local government area. The landscape-scale fires have burnt across a total of over 300,000 hectares and impacted over 25 estuaries and coastal catchments, including sensitive Intermittently Closed and Open Lakes and Lagoons (ICOLLs).
This project involves implementing priority emergency sediment and erosion control measures to minimise impacts to estuary health. These devices will capture some of the sediment, ash and other burnt material before it can be discharged into the region’s coastal estuaries and waterways. In some areas, revegetation will be also be used to manage erosion and speed up regeneration of ground cover.
South east catchment and waterways bushfire recovery plan
The landscape-scale fires experienced across the Shoalhaven City Council, Eurobodalla Shire Council and Bega Valley Shire Council local government areas burnt a total of over 1 million hectares and impacted approximately 47 estuaries and coastal catchments.
This project involves preparing a catchment and waterways bushfire recovery plan. The plan will support the emergency measures being implemented through the individual council grants, that will include installation of soil and water management controls and other rehabilitation works. This plan will also develop a medium and long-term plan of management for these areas. This project will provide consistency and efficiency across the 3 local government areas.