WetlandCare Australia -Projects Archive

Mynumai Lagoon - Restoration and Protection

Mynumai Lagoon is an 8 hectare lagoon located 4km east of the town of Coraki in Northern NSW, Australia. The lagoon was important for Aboriginal people, however following European colonisation, land clearing, grazing and cropping and the introduction of aquatic weeds allowed the eight meter deep lagoon to become covered in a floating mat of aquatic weeds to 0.5 m deep.

WetlandCare Australia (WCA) began a small project in 2003 to fence off and plant the banks of a section of the lagoon followed by a larger project in 2004 in conjunction with Bungawalbin Catchment Management Group, EnviTE, TAFE and landowners, which fenced and planted most of the remainder.

In 2006 Richmond River County Council (RRCC) obtained funding and in consultation with WCA, a contract aquatic weed harvester was employed to remove all the weeds and restore open water.

In 2007 assisted by WCA and RRCC staff, Southern Cross University used the lagoon for an environmental science field trip to assist students to monitor the health of the lagoon. The lagoon remains open and water quality continues to improve with fish and birds now returning.

For further information on the works at Mynumai Lagoon please contact Garry Owers, Senior Project Officer, WetlandCare Australia on (02) 6681 6169.

Photo: Inspection of weed covered lagoon on left.	Photo: SCU class with open water in background.