Noosa’s Huon Mundy Reefs are being restored as part of the Noosa Oyster Ecosystem Restoration project, a partnership a partnership between the Nature Conservancy, Noosa Shire Council, The Thomas Foundation, and the Australian Government.
This Noosa Council driven partnership has been instrumental in supporting local oyster reef recovery. It has boosted community engagement and local action.
The project evaluates the impact of the restoration on estuarine biodiversity, particularly oysters and invertebrates, and its effects on marine plant distribution and shoreline erosion.
The project works to:
Despite lengthy summer rains and high river turbidity, the reefs continue to develop above expectations.
All reefs are showing high oyster densities, regular recruitment of young oyster ‘spat’ and an increase in the median size of oysters!
A variety of fish species continue to aggregate around the reefs and are regularly seen by locals foraging over the reefs and in soft sediments between reef patches.
Collaboration with partners ensures project success on the ground and for the people and communities in the local areas.
The Noosa Integrated Catchment Association (NICA) has inspired stewardship in the community through their oyster gardening program that is providing a citizen science platform for the community to engage with.
Through educational activities, oyster masterclasses and on-river events they have so far engaged over 300 participants from the Noosa community, inspiring long term environmental custodianship of the Noosa River.
The Kabi Kabi Nation are Noosa’s traditional custodians.
Noosa’s traditional custodians, the Kabi Kabi Nation, selected the name for the reefs as the Huon Mundy Reefs after a great Kabi Kabi spiritual leader.
Shellfish, like oysters, are a significant part of Indigenous cultural heritage and play a vital role in marine ecosystems. Known as the 'kidneys of the coast', they naturally filter water, improving clarity by drawing in particles and depositing them on the seafloor, which benefits overall ecosystem health.
Over the past 200 years, native shellfish reefs have been significantly depleted due to overharvesting, disease, and water pollution. Restoring these reefs is essential for the health of marine ecosystems and the improvement of coastal water quality.
In 2019, an oyster restoration project was initiated in the Noosa River estuary to culminate in the 2022 construction of oyster reefs at four restoration areas: Tewantin, Goat Island, Noosa Sound East and Noosa Sound West. Collectively, these 30 reef patches are known as the Huon Mundy Reefs*.
The goal of restoring oyster habitats is to improve habitat complexity, marine biodiversity, and water quality by providing essential environments for marine life, ultimately creating thriving ecosystems and restoring lost shellfish habitats.
The effectiveness of shellfish reef restoration is strategically monitored, assessing species recruitment and survival, and comparing these results with control sites.
The monitoring program contains an assessment of:
Noosa’s Huon Mundy Reefs are being restored as part of the Noosa Oyster Ecosystem Restoration project, a partnership between The Nature Conservancy, Noosa Shire Council, The Thomas Foundation, and the Australian Government.
Scientists and environmentalists across the country are working to help shellfish reefs recover, with hundreds of kilograms of oysters added to the Noosa River
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