WetlandCare Australia Sponsors

 

Business Partners

Wetland Care Australia - Current Projects

Boulders Beach Wetlands Restoration Project - Stage 2

Boulders Beach is located on the Far North Coast of NSW Australia on a Council Reserve managed by Ballina Shire Council.

Prior to European settlement, the site contained sand dunes and littoral rainforest and was cleared and levelled by sand mining operations then later used for grazing. Removal of grazing left the site infested with weeds (mostly lantana), which prevented native recruitment and provided poor habitat. The natural hydrology had been changed through straightening of the creek, which subsequently became blocked with aquatic weeds.

A previous Stage 1 project was conducted by WetlandCare Australia in 2006 with funding from NRCMA and the NSW Environmental Trust. The project cleared weeds from 1.1 ha and fenced 0.75 ha to enable the planting of 2,000 trees including riparian plantings to control aquatic weeds. Stage 2, funded by the Federal Government's Envirofund commenced in 2008 and continued on from stage 1 by extending the weed control and plantings in adjoining areas to the north. An area of 0.346 ha has been fenced using 208 metres of fencing and planted with 1,500 trees.

The site was first surveyed for Aboriginal heritage by a Jali Sites Officer so as not to damage any Aboriginal sites. An additional grassed area on the north-west side of an old fence line has also been cleared of grass, fenced and planted with fencing material, (plants and labour supplied by Council).

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo: Stage 2 plantings (foreground), stage 1 plantings rear (Garry Owers)

For further information on this project, please contact Garry Owers, WetlandCare Australia, on (02) 66 816 169.