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Stuart Creek wetland rehabilitation

Website/Report

Project lead

Partnerships

Queensland Wetlands Program

Australian Government

Local businesses

Local graziers

Stuart State Primary School

Pimlico TAFE

James Cook University

Wulguru Scouts and Girl Guides

Castle Hill Girl Guide

Townsville Region Bird Observers

Conservation Australia

Townsville Bushwalking Club

Coastal Dry Tropics Landcare

Creekwatch

Rotary

Better Earth Volunteers

Hard Rock Earth Moving

Xstrata Copper

Clinta Holdings

Work for the Dole

Green Corps

Townsville City Council

Queensland Government (DNRW)

Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service

Industries

(not documented)

Activities

On-ground work

Case study type

Queensland Wetlands Program (QWP) management case study

Funding source

(not documented)

Funding amount

(not documented)

In-kind contribution

(not documented)

Start date

(not documented)

End date

(not documented)

Summary

Stuart Creek is located within the Ross River basin on the southern outskirts of Townsville, in the Burdekin Dry Tropics region. The riparian creek corridor was infested with woody weeds, particularly chinee apple. The chinee apple was cleared and chipped. The chippings were used as mulch on re-vegetation sites, where 4800 trees were planted to help prevent reinfestation of riparian weeds and redress past clearing. A guinea grass fuel reduction trial was carried out at one of the reaches of the creek. Local graziers slashed and baled 20ha of grass on the adjacent woodland and grassland, and then used the hay bales to mulch other riparian vegetation sites. This management technique was feasible when undertaken by the landholder but might not be economically viable if a paid contractor was used.

Benefits

A Stuart Creek cooperative management arrangement was set up with Queensland Rail (a major landholder) to ensure their fire management program has minimal impact on adjoining riparian areas.

Lesson

The key to the project’s success was having a dedicated project officer employed to coordinate the work.

Reference ID

Stuart Creek wetland rehabilitation

Last updated: 16 May 2015

This page should be cited as:

Department of Environment, Science and Innovation, Queensland (2015) Stuart Creek wetland rehabilitation, WetlandInfo website, accessed 30 August 2024. Available at: https://wetlandinfo.des.qld.gov.au/wetlands/resources/tools/wetland-project/stuart-creek-wetland-rehabilitation-d3ff/

Queensland Government
WetlandInfo   —   Department of Environment, Science and Innovation