Urban rivers set for restoration injection

Greening Australia is proudly joining national efforts to rejuvenate urban rivers, with two projects receiving funding through the second round of the Australian Government’s $200 million Urban Rivers and Catchments Program.

We’ll also play a major role in delivering a project funded through the same program led by Brisbane Sustainability Agency.

Platypus are one of many species set to benefit from our newly funded projects. Photo credit Ken Clifton CC BY-NC 2.0.

Greening Australia CEO Heather Campbell said: “Restoring major waterways through our towns and cities improves the biodiversity and habitat values of these important natural corridors, while also supporting the health and wellbeing of local communities. Healthier waterways will help support residents and local ecosystems to be more climate resilient too.

“All Australians should have access to a dose of nature in the suburbs. These exciting projects are part of making that happen, and we aim to give local residents a chance to lend a hand along the way.”

Minister for the Environment and Water Tanya Plibersek said: “We want to leave nature better off for our kids and grandkids – and that’s why we’re restoring rivers and waterways in our suburbs with a $200 million investment.

“Nearly half of all nationally listed threatened animals and a quarter of our threatened plants are in urban areas, home to 96 per cent of Australia’s population. And with so many native plants and animals reliant on our rivers, creeks, wetlands, and estuaries, protecting and restoring the health of our waterways is essential. This critical funding is good news for native wildlife and the community – improving the quality of the urban spaces that we all share and love.”

Restoring habitat along the Wingecarribee River in NSW.

Field River Waterways Recovery project (SA)

Field River is an urban watercourse in Adelaide’s southern suburbs that is of high cultural significance to the Kaurna People. It’s a top priority for recovery because it forms a natural green corridor connecting the coast with remnant woodlands in national parks that reach up into the foothills of the Mount Lofty Ranges.

Like many urban rivers, Field River has had a chequered past and is sorely in need of help to reach its full potential as a habitat highway for local species like the Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo.

“We are one of a number of organisations who have seen the need for change and been collaborating on recovery efforts over many years. This project will build on previous work and restore an additional 9 kilometres of riparian corridor habitat across 11 priority sites within the Field River catchment,” said Greening Australia’s Senior Program Officer Deb Nagloo.

Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos will benefit from Field River’s restoration. Photo credit Eric Wenger.

“We will be strategically removing woody weeds and replacing them with locally appropriate plant species from the nationally endangered Grey Box Grassy Woodland community that would once have occurred there. Less than 3% of the original extent of Grey Box Grassy Woodland in South Australia is left, so anything we can do to protect the remnants and recreate this vegetation community is vital.”

“I’m really looking forward to getting started and to see all the collaboration between the project partners come together to deliver maximum impact for Field River.”

This $1,999,834 project is funded by the Australian Government’s Natural Heritage Trust under the Urban Rivers and Catchments Program, with the support of Greening Australia, the SA Department for Environment and Water, Green Adelaide, National Parks and Wildlife Services SA and City of Marion.

Restoration efforts like this planting at Field River will extended along 9 kilometres of the river corridor. Photo credit David Gregan.

Restoring the Wingecarribee River (NSW)

The 73-kilometre long Wingecarribee River courses through the lands of the Gundungurra and Dharawal Peoples and the townships of Bowral, Moss Vale and Berrima in the Southern Highlands of NSW.

It is an important natural corridor linking the coastal escarpment to the Blue Mountains World Heritage Area and the Central Tablelands. It is also one of the best places to see Platypus in the wild – but in places the riverbanks are eroding and its channels are choked by weeds, affecting water quality, habitat value and recreation potential.

The project will rescue parts of the Wingecarribee from choking weeds, like garden escapee Yellow Flag Iris. Photo credit José María Escolano CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.

Greening Australia’s local expert Ian Rayner said: “There has been decades of work by many dedicated people and organisations to restore parts of the Wingecarribee River. This new project will build on previous restoration works and continue along a 16-kilometre reach of the Wingecarribee to restore healthy riparian habitats and reconnect native vegetation.”

“The restoration work will make a huge difference and will benefit many native aquatic species, including Platypus, and terrestrial threatened species such as Paddys River Box (Eucalyptus macarthurii) and the Koala. I’m excited for the Wingecarribee River and the diversity of life it supports, and proud that together with our partners we will be able to restore more habitat for the community to enjoy.”

Building on hard work that’s come before, the project brings together local partners to restore habitat along a further 16-kilometre span of the river.

This $1,399,386 project is funded by the Australian Government’s Natural Heritage Trust under the Urban Rivers and Catchments Program, with the support of Greening Australia, Wingecarribee Shire Council, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, Southern Highlands Landcare Network and Birdlife Southern Highlands.
 

Archerfield Wetlands – Habitat Transformation Project (QLD)

Brisbane Sustainability Agency, who are partnering with Greening Australia on the Biodiverse Brisbane Initiative, was also successful in having two projects funded through the Urban Rivers and Catchments Program.

Greening Australia’s Senior Program Officer Freddy Herrera said: “We’ll be helping deliver one of the projects, which is set to transform some legacy man-made ponds into a more natural system at Archerfield Wetlands and connect them to the riparian corridor of Oxley Creek.”

Plantings with community to restore Archerfield Wetlands Parkland are thriving – this funding will add more wetland habitat.

“Over the past few years we’ve been doing lots of plantings with the community at the parkland and along Oxley Creek for the Biodiverse Brisbane Initiative, and the growth has been terrific. Transforming the ponds will provide extra habitat connectivity and hydrological function and help provide habitat for a range of flora and fauna, including threatened species. And it will be great for community visiting the parkland to see these ponds restored to healthy function as well.”

This $887,988 project is funded by the Australian Government’s Natural Heritage Trust under the Urban Rivers and Catchments Program, with the support of Brisbane Sustainability Agency and Greening Australia.

Stay tuned for more updates on these projects.

 
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