Townsville’s Living Coastlines – Space for Saltmarshes Project
| Investment | $1,039,566 |
|---|---|
| Goal – under Corporate Plan 2021-2026 | 4.4.2 – A well-educated community that participates in the protection and promotion of our dry tropics and reef coast. |
| Strategic Purpose | The strategic purpose of this project is to restore and enhance 69 hectares of degraded urban saltmarsh in Townsville, focusing on Oonoonba and Bushland Beach. By addressing human-induced impacts such as erosion, altered water flow, and vegetation loss, the project aims to revitalise critical ecosystem functions, protect local communities from coastal threats, and support sustainable activities like fishing and bird watching. |
| Status | Preliminary works. |
Project Background
Changes from human activities, such as erosion caused by recreational vehicles, can alter local landscape features, affecting tidal and river flooding patterns. These changes can disrupt plant growth and reduce the ability of saltmarshes to naturally regenerate, limiting their important ecosystem services.
Saltmarshes play a vital role in both the environment and the wildlife that call these wetlands home. In addition to their ecological importance, they are key to community well-being, offering opportunities for sustainable activities like fishing, bird watching, and helping to protect coastal homes from erosion and other threats.
This project aims to restore and enhance saltmarshes in Townsville, focusing on 69 hectares of degraded urban saltmarsh at Oonoonba and Bushland Beach. By addressing human-induced impacts on elevation, water flow, erosion, and vegetation, the project will help revive crucial ecosystem functions and increase the benefits for the local community.
Partnerships with First Nations businesses, community groups, and James Cook University will help guide and assess the project’s progress.
The restoration will occur at two saltmarsh sites on Townsville City Council owned land, located at:
- 0 Abbott Street, Oonoonba
- 37 Daintree Drive, Bushland Beach.
This project is funded by the Reef Coastal Restoration Program Grant from the Commonwealth and commenced in January 2025.
Project Overview
The Townsville’s Living Coastlines – Space for Saltmarshes Project will restore 69 hectares of urban saltmarsh over two years, using both active and passive restoration methods to build resilience and support natural regeneration including:
- Environmental exclusion barriers will be installed to prevent vehicle access across 2 kilometres of impacted saltmarsh areas. These barriers will be made of natural rock and corrosion-resistant railing, which are effective in deterring vehicles without hindering wildlife movement, tidal processes, or pedestrian access to fishing areas. Installations will be phased and limited to key locations to minimise visual and ecological impact.
- Active revegetation will be carried out in areas where natural recovery is unlikely, using saltmarsh plants propagated from other Townsville City Council areas under salvage exemptions.
- The project will address issues from over 160 years of land use, including grazing, urban development, and vehicle access.
- Collaboration with Traditional Owners, First Nations partners, and local communities will raise awareness of the site’s importance and goals.
- Historical aerial imagery will be used to identify areas where saltmarsh vegetation has been lost and needs intervention for recovery.
- The project will leverage partnerships and experience from the Queensland Government’s Reef Assist Program (2021-Present).
Townsville City Council acknowledges the support provided by the Commonwealth through the Reef Coastal Restoration Program Grant.
