Irvinebank Landcare

Irvinebank Landcare Group was established in November 2004 and the community of the historic mining town of Irvinebank in far north Queensland is enhancing the natural environment of Irvinebank by creating a native garden. Natural Resources and Mines awarded Irvinebank Landcare Group $2500, through the Mitchell River Watershed Management Group (MRWMG), to carry out a community rehabilitation project at Gibbs Creek, Irvinebank. The community with the support of MRWMG, Tableland Regional Council and QITE Work for the Dole program, established this native garden, now known as Moffat Gardens.

Irvinebank Landcare Group members have prepared eight garden beds, installed an irrigation system at the site and since April 2005 have planted more than 350 native trees. The community chose the site at Gibbs Creek, formerly an old rubbish tip, as it was an entry point to the township and the site was covered in weeds and rather unattractive.

"The planting will beautify the area while helping to raise awareness of the role riparian vegetation plays in the health of rivers and creeks, including stabilising creek banks and reducing erosion," Irvinebank Landcare Group Chairperson Donna Meade said.  "It will also help local residents and visitors appreciate the diversity of plant life native to the Greater Irvinebank area". Irvinebank is regarded as a botanically important area and is known among plant enthusiasts for some of its  endemic species, including Acacia purpureopetala and Grevillea glossadenia.

The Landcare Group,through the Mitchell River Watershed Management Group, was approved for project funding in the 2005 round of grants from the nationwide Bundaberg Rum Fund. $2505.00 of funding has been provided to repair and protect Gibbs Creek. The Bundaberg Rum Bush Fund is in its second year and is a joint initiative with Landcare Australia to help protect and repair Australia's rivers and waterways.

The principal aim of this project (stage 2 of a broader project) is to remove a major infestation of the weedy succulent Agave sisalana (Sisal) and later revegetate the site using a range of suitable native plants to meet both aesthetic and environmental objectives. A report has been compiled by Simon Gleed for the Irvinebank Landcare Group and the Mitchell River Watershed Management Group titled Revegetation Guidelines & Recommendations For Gibbs Creek, Irvinebank (2005) Compiled By Simon Gleed 
Click here to view an article about Irvinebak and Sisal on the Northern Australian Land Manager web site.

Weedbuster week is a national program that aims to raise awareness and increase public understanding about the problems weeds cause.

The students of Irvinebank school showed their enthusiasm for tackling environmental issues  when Andrew Congoo (NR&M Land Protection Officer) visited the school to talk about weeds. Andrew and the kids (along with their teacher Belinda, and Donna from Irvinebank Landcare) walked around the school grounds and identified what weeds are there. Using this information, they will develop a  plan to address the weed issues. One of the school’s worst weed problems is Mother of Millions.

The Irvinebank Landcare Group is also part of the Keep Australia Beautiful, Adopt-A-Road program.

Clean Up Australia Day - 04 March 2007

MOFFAT GARDEN

Photos below show the transition of the site so far.

Project site in November 2004

Project site official opening
2 September 2005

Project site June 2006

Project site February 2007

OTHER IRVINEBANK PROJECTS

Other activities, projects and events

Working Bee planting 26 Feb 2007

Irvinebank State School students during Weedbuster week activity October 2005

Botanist Simon Gleed among sisal,
Agave sisalana, on Gibbs Creek

Molloy Lagoon

This lagoon area was very neglected with lots of rubbish and weeds. The MRWMG obtained funding through the Northern Gulf Resource Management Group devolved grants for Wetland Management to rehabilitate the site.

A volunteer work crew cleaned up old fencing, scrap iron and general rubbish. Sickle pod and lantana were removed from the area. QPWS provided a truck to remove rubbish and the area was fenced to keep out stray horses by a team from the Mareeba campus of the Australian Agricultural College. The Julatten and Mt Molloy Association of Residents and Ratepayers (JAMARR) nursery at Mt Molloy provided 120 tree seedlings to thicken up the remnant open forest/woodland vegetation on the site. The tree seedlings were rock mulched, rather than with straw, to protect them in the event of grass fires and not attract pigs.

Paperbarks at the northern end of lagoon have ANT PLANTS, Myrmecodia beccarii, a species listed as vulverable under the EP&BC Act. The area was recovering well when a controlled burn in the adjacent National Park went through the area and destroyed the poly-pipe irrigation system. Subsequently the area has been further degraded by dirt-bike riders and a three day rave party. The area is also subjected to uncontrolled camping with fires being lit, stray horses are still a problem in the area and the declared weed Olive Hymenachne has also been found upstream from the lagoon. This is an unfortunate example of how a project can get off to a good start and suffer due to poor care and maintenance by the property manager.

Sicklepod at Molloy lagoon June 2004

The same site Dec 2005

September 2006 - Marcus Achatz joining in the tree planting

Rupert Russell of JAMARR stone-mulching juvenile trees - October 2006

Preventing the spread of Tilapia

• Work has been ongoing on this issue for several years with much of the initial groundwork undertaken by the Barron and Mitchell Groups, further efforts by the Mitchell Group finally achieved some positive outcomes.

• During 2002-2003 meetings were held with Minister Robertson and the CEO of Sunwater, Mr Peter Noonan regarding the issue of noxious fish, Tilapia escaping from Lake Tinaroo and infesting the Mitchell River and other Gulf Rivers.

• After demonstrating the legal implications Sunwater agreed to give this project their full support and has spent approximately 1.2 million dollars to install mesh screens and associated infrastructure to prevent the escape of Tilapia into the Mitchell River system through the irrigation channel that transfers water from the Tilapia infested Barron River catchment to the Walsh (and Mitchell) catchment.

• Sunwater, DPI Fisheries and the MRWMG formed a Tilapia Working Group to address engineering and biological aspects of the stainless steel mesh fish exclusions screens.

• The screens were installed in November 2004 and are now operational.

Fish exclusion screens on the West Barron irrigation channel at Walkamin

Salvinia Removal at Mt Molloy

The introduced water weed Salvinia grows annually in the lagoons in the park on Little Street in Mt Molloy. Salvinia reproduces vegetatively and it's control in these lagoons is an important part of limiting it's spread down the Mitchell River catchment. Mitchell River Watershed Management Group (MRWMG) is working with the local community to physically remove the weed and Tablelands Regional Council has been introducing the weevils that act as a biological control for Salvinia. Thirteen dedicated weedbusters got wet and muddy on Friday July 4th 2008 and cleared Salvinia from these lagoons, including one that was completely covered and two with minor amounts around the edges.

MRWMG has received a grant from the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal for the purchase of a trailer which will greatly assist this, and other, weed removal work. Kenny Hill of Vision Products & Services, our neighbours in McCormack Street, Manunda, very kindly donated two pool leaf scoops with telescopic handles which were invaluable in getting the Salvinia out of the lagoons in Mt Molloy.

If you see Salvinia anywhere else in the Mitchell River catchment please report it to MRWMG on (07) 40532856

Mt Molloy, 4 July 2008 - Lagoon with total Salvinia cover

A very different school holiday activity - young weedbusters

Bellyache bush (BAB) in the Mitchell catchment

There are two infestations in the Mitchell catchment and the Group has worked with landholders and government and Council staff, assisted by funding from the Australian Government, to try and control these outbreaks before they infest the whole river system. So far these infestations are only within the high banks of the waterways but BAB is happy to grow in most soil types and pasture covers and quickly out-competes native vegetation. It impacts on our biodiversity, the native flora and fauna.

In Queensland its area of infestation has increased 70% in the last two years. It is a huge problem in the Burdekin. BAB is poisonous to stock and people.

The Queensland government Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (DEEDI) has produced a Bellyache Bush Management Manual (2009) and copies can be obtained by email or phoning (07) 3225 1398.

Bellyache bush -The Mitchell Group was successful in gaining a $15,454 dollar Envirofund grant in Round 4 for the Palmer River and $7818 from Round 5  for the Walsh River to work on the noxious weed Bellyache bush (Jatropha gossypiifolia) to prevent it spreading further into the Mitchell River system. 

The Group worked with Council Pest Management Officers, landholders and students from the Mareeba Environment College.   Students have already helped spray the weed out on the Walsh River infestation.

Cook Shire Council, the Cape York Weeds and Ferals Program and staff from the Tropical Weeds Research Centre are also supporting the Palmer River project and Cook Shire have provided equipment for loan as well as spray to work on management. Control of existing outbreaks is critical, but so is good weed control hygiene practices by people moving earth-moving or mining equipment out of the areas where BAB occurs to prevent new infestations.

Bellyache bush Jatropha giossypiifolia

Bellyache bush on the Palmer - the low dark
plant among the tall trees

Bio-control agent Agonosoma trilineatum (Jewel bug)

Julatten State School Learning Garden & Bush Tucker Trail- Q150 Grant

Mitchell River Watershed Management Group is helping the Julatten State School with their Learning Garden project by auspicing a Queensland Government Q150 grant, a grants program set up to celebrate Queensland's 150th Birthday. The project will provide signage for the bush tucker native species they have planted, install interpretive signs on the natural and cultural heritage of the area, install community artwork, and publish a brochure to guide visitors through the Learning Garden. These enhancements will involve the local community and will help to inform visitors of the natural and cultural values of the area.

Julatten State School will hold an opening ceremony for their Bush Tucker Trail as a part of the Q150 celebrations for the 150th anniversary of Queensland. The event will be held at Julatten State School on 7 December 2009 from 10am. Those interested in attending should contact Claire Law via claire@mitchell-river.com.au or details listed on the contacts page.

Julatten State School: students working in their vegetable garden

Julatten State School: Learning Garden and Gazebo

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Envirofund was an Australian Government funding programme that helped community groups and individuals to undertake on-ground environmental activities. This programme was introduced as a part of the Natural Heritage Trust (NHT) but was absorbed into the Caring for Our Country program in 2008.

There have been many successful projects in the Mitchell Catchment that have been funded by the Envirofund Programme. Three current successful projects are described below.

These projects aimed to enhance the environmental conditions of the Mitchell Catchment, and would not have been possible without the support of the Envirofund programme. The Mitchell River Watershed Management Group (MRWMG) supported many successful applicants for the Envirofund programme and has attempted to replace this funding source with our own Julatten-Mt Molloy Habitat Restoration Small Grants Scheme in 2008/9 (see above).

13 January 2008
10 friends and neighbours plant some of the 8000 young trees planned for this revegetation site.

4 July 2008
Planting well established.

Ken Brown - Planting Native Species for Habitat Enrichment in Julatten, North Queensland

Ken Brown’s property in Julatten borders a seasonal creek and is located just meters from the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area. The area has significant biodiversity values, located within the boundary zone between the Wet Tropics bioregion and the Mitchell River and Einasleigh Uplands bioregion. The project will plant 3000 trees of mixed species to restore native vegetation and increase the biodiversity of the site. Ultimately, the property objectives are to reduce run off of sediment on the property into the nearby creek, and provide habitat for the local fauna through vegetation corridors to the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area. Ken has already removed the weed vegetation and commenced planting with the help of friends and neighbours, some of whom are seeking to start their own revegetation projects.

More planting of rainforest species

August 2007
Rolling out hay during a mulching working bee.

January 2008
Revegetation begins with the first of a number of planned planting days.

Peter Brown - Rehabilitation of Mount Molloy Copper Smelter: Revegetate Land Damaged by Old Copper Smelter Operations

This project will control erosion through the construction of swales along the edge of terraces and stabilise soil by planting 2500 local native plants. Contaminated sediment from the old copper smelter site has previously been entering Rifle Creek and this project will control this by limiting erosion and collecting any sediment that does escape from the area.

Conservation Volunteers Australia work crew preparing new plants on site in April 2008

Wetherby Station, June 2008 - Wetland under development showing hymenachne control measures (Right centre of photo)

John Colless - Revegetation, Wetlands Enhancement and Erosion Control on Wetherby Station, MountMolloy

John Colless has initiated this project to revegetate and repair a part of Wetherby Station on Rifle Creek which was previously used to grow sugar cane. Stock has been excluded from wetlland areas, weeds (including hymanachne) controlled and native trees planted. The restoration of wetlands within this part of the Mitchell River catchment using endemic species will help increase biodiversity, develop fauna corridors and control erosion. John will achieve this through the construction of 1.59km of fencing, planting 2550 endemic trees, controlling weeds, and correcting bank erosion.