A long-term staged shoreline management plan is underway that is endeavouring to restore ecological integrity to the state-owned foreshore reserve at Golden Beach on the Sunshine Coast. In July 2013, the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection, known now as the Department of Environment and Science (DES), issued a notice to the T.S. Onslow Australian […]
Restoration works in the Pine Mountain area are underway as part of the Mid Brisbane Partnerships Program between Healthy Land and Water and Seqwater. Following the implementation of the program, private properties in Pine Mountain have been selected due to a range of challenges faced by landholders that affect the overall environmental condition of the […]
The presence of foreign weeds is slowly destroying South East Queensland’s (SEQ) precious ecosystems. Invasive weeds continue to thrive in our environment due to the inexistence of natural predators and similarities between Australia’s climate and the species’ country of origin. Infestations of foreign weed species along riverbanks and in rainforests have devastating effects on SEQ […]
An essential part of Queensland’s economy is agricultural production, and in South East Queensland (SEQ) it contributes to over $1.2 billion and makes up 13 percent of the state’s agriculture commodities. The SEQ landscape is made up of 55 percent farmland, however, rapidly increasing environmental pressures like population numbers and urban development are placing the […]
The Ecosystem Health Monitoring Program (EHMP) was established in 2000, making it one of the first environmental monitoring and reporting programs in Australia. The EHMP is a comprehensive and scientifically robust waterway monitoring program which provides a regional assessment of the health for each of South East Queensland’s (SEQ) major catchments, river estuaries and Moreton […]
In 2017, Healthy Land and Water partnered with project funder Seqwater to deliver the Mid Brisbane Partnerships Program, an initiative that helps restore and protect water quality and build resilience into the Mid Brisbane catchment area. Approximately 40 percent of the drinking water supply for the South East Queensland region is either sourced from, or travels […]
The Brisbane River is the lifeblood of South East Queensland. Known colloquially as the ‘Brown Snake’, the 344km-long river forms in Mt Stanley and flows through Brisbane before emptying in Moreton Bay. Historically, the Brisbane River was admired for its natural beauty and known for the abundance of fish and rich vegetation along its banks. But since the mid-1800s, the […]
Healthy Land and Water science experts have identified the increasing amount of sediment entering our waterways as the number one issue affecting water quality in South East Queensland. It is estimated that over 50,000 dump trucks worth of sediment enters the region’s waterways each year. Soil particles that are washed off the land and into […]
Kin Kin Creek, situated near Noosa, supports a diverse range of rainforests, wetlands, tree orchards, small crops and grazing lands. It’s a crucial habitat the local community is determined to protect, but Kin Kin Creek is under pressure. In recent years, erosion has become a major problem in Kin Kin. Vegetation has been cleared for […]
Since it was first established in 1925, Teneriffe Park has been a popular habitat refuge, walking trail and community space tucked away atop a hill in the densely-populated suburb of Teneriffe in inner-Brisbane. Unfortunately, the park’s popularity has had some unintended environmental consequences. At some point, a slope on the southern side of the park […]
The Mulgowie Riverbank Restoration is an acclaimed project to prevent erosion in the Lockyer Valley and reduce the flow of mud into Moreton Bay. Since European settlement, the Lockyer Valley has been synonymous with farming and agriculture. The region’s fertile lands and rich soils made it an ideal location for food and horticulture production. As […]
Shellfish have been synonymous with indigenous culture and Moreton Bay for thousands of years. Vibrant shellfish reefs were a valuable resource for Traditional Owners and shellfish farming was one of the first major industries following European settlement in Australia. However, the combined effects of overharvesting, disease and water pollution have severely depleted native shellfish reefs […]