NEWS / BLOG

Fitzroy Partnership: Part of the solution towards a better water future Information the key to supporting Litter reduction Fitzroy Partnership is proud to work with Drain Buddies and Australian Marine Debris Initiative (AMDI) to report on litter collection and debris capture in drains and on coastlines as part of our ongoing work on water quality and community engagement in the Fitzroy. Led by Fitzroy Basin Association, Drain buddies commenced in June 2019 and has prevented tonnes of litter from entering drains and polluting local rivers in Rockhampton, Yeppoon and Gladstone in that time. Drain buddies are heavy-duty mesh baskets installed at litter hotspots to trap litter and organic debris. The program was extended throughout the Fitzroy Basin to Biloela, Emerald and Blackwater in 2021, with information to be made regularly available about litter collected and local hotspots. The Australian Marine Debris Initiative (AMDI) which is a database of ReefClean events led by Tangaroa Blue, will also allow Fitzroy Partnership for River Health to report on litter locally. Volunteers collect litter along transects for a designated length of time and the litter results are recorded. Total litter from Tangaroa Blue events on the Capricorn Coast will be measured and assessed, and this [...]

Australian and Queensland Governments: Reef 2050 Protecting the Reef Everyone has a part to play to keep the Great Barrier Reef healthy and resilient. The Australian and Queensland governments are investing more than $3 billion over 10 years (from 2014-15 to 2023-25) to implement the Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan (Reef 2050 Plan). Following the first five-yearly review of the plan, an updated version has been released to ensure it continues to address the right priorities and actions to support the health and resilience of the Reef including a greater focus on taking action on climate change. Fitzroy Partnership for River Health is an important stakeholder in the ongoing work to measure the health of waterways that lead to the Great Barrier Reef, and  promote ongoing management change and water stewardship activities with partners. The work of Fitzroy Partnership for River Health particularly aligns with integrated water quality monitoring and report card programs in the Fitzroy Basin priority catchment. To find out more about the updated Reef 2050 Plan and ways you can get involved to help protect the Reef, visit https://www.awe.gov.au/parks-heritage/great-barrier-reef/long-term-sustainability-plan

Queensland Government: Plastic reduction in action Plastic pollution is a growing problem and when it ends up in the wrong place, it can negatively impact the health of our communities, our environment and wildlife. More and more the community is seeing the impacts of plastic pollution, locally and across the world, and everyone has a role to play in tackling plastic waste. The Queensland Government is tackling plastic waste through the Plastic Pollution Reduction Plan that sets the course for Queensland to be part of the solution and a leader in driving necessary changes. The plan identifies and prioritises actions, at every step in the supply chain, to help reduce plastic waste and reduce the amount of plastic in and entering the environment. Some key achievements to date for Queensland include: the ban on the supply of single-use, lightweight plastic shopping bags (1 July 2018), which has helped reduce the amount of plastic bag litter in the environment by 70%. more than five billion containers have been recycled across the state since the Containers for Change scheme began three years ago, with Queenslanders claiming over $500 million in refunds. the ban on the supply of single-use plastic [...]

Not so baffling: Rockhampton Regional Council winning at sustainability Rockhampton Regional Council aren’t taking any rubbish when it comes to polluting local waterways, and in fact have been recognised as a national leader in sustainability. In 2021, Rockhampton Regional Council were crowned winners of two Australian Sustainable Communities – Tidy Towns Awards winning Environmental Sustainability – Natural Environment and Environmental Sustainability – Water categories. Water and Environmental Sustainability Councillor Donna Kirkland said it was wonderful to have Council’s commitment to the environment recognised. “Being named overall winners in the state, and then being nominated as national finalists, is a testament to many of the great initiatives happening across Rockhampton Regional Council,” Councillor Kirkland said. “The overall nomination captured the diversity of the work that we are doing to improve on and contribute to the environmental sustainability of our Region. “Whether it is Fitzroy River Water reducing energy usage and improving recycled water solutions, or the great work happening in resource recovery and waste management, to sustainability initiatives such as our Natural Resource Management and Living Sustainably programs just to name a few. “Ultimately it’s the environment and our whole community that win from having these initiatives in place.” [...]

FBA & CQUniversity: Sights set on seagrass strategies Fitzroy Basin Association (FBA) is working with CQUniversity to reduce threats to seagrass communities. The Fitzroy region has the largest seaward draining basin in Queensland, with 1,000 km of coastline that is home to extensive seagrass meadows and part of the Great Barrier Reef Heritage area. Seagrass meadows underpin the survival of fish and shellfish the community eats and transform the greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide, into oxygen. They also filter seawater, capture sediment, stop erosion and provide food for threatened dugong and marine turtle species. Human activity like coastal urban development, storm-water runoff and nutrient pollution can contribute to seagrass degradation and loss. Director of CQUniversity’s Coastal Marine Ecosystems Research Centre (CMERC), Associate Professor Emma Jackson is a leading authority on seagrass. She is researching ways coastal development activity can support rather than compromise seagrass that is essential to fish habitats. By participating with CMERC, FBA has been educating industry and the community about ways to decrease threats to local seagrass. Getting people to understand seagrass value is critical to motivating people to reduce marine pollution. Sustainable recreational use of marine areas throughout the Fitzroy region relies on healthy seagrass, so FBA engages the fishing community in volunteer [...]