Mooloolah River Landcare partnership with council continues
Mooloolah River Landcare have secured another three-year grant of $59,000 per year from Sunshine Coast Council through the Environment Levy Partnership Program, helping them to continue caring for their local environment.
This renewal comes as the previous three-year partnership agreement draws to a close, bringing with it a long list of achievements for the group’s 167 volunteers.
Coordinator of Mooloolah River Landcare Karen Schmidt said the Environment Levy grant from council gave the group the freedom to consider and take on new opportunities, as they cared for the Mooloolah River – an important social, economic, and environmental asset to the Sunshine Coast.
“Being part of the headwaters gives us a great opportunity to provide affordable native plants to the community, assist in controlling weeds and manage erosion risks, and educate our community on environmental matters,” Ms Schmidt said.
“We also pride ourselves on the community support and social opportunities we provide to our volunteers and our members.
“Our hub provides a lively social outlet for like-minded people to come together and help the environment.
“We have a healthy core group of regular volunteers who enjoy the interaction with one-another while being able to learn and contribute to helping the environment.
“In the past year, Covid-19 threw a curveball into our standard operations but having the Environment Levy Partnership funding allowed us breathing room to adapt.
“Even though we had to either close or change our native plant nursery opening hours, we still welcomed a boom in volunteers including students, Certificate I and III trainees, retirees and high-needs participants.
“We became an affiliate of the Cane Toad Challenge (CTC) and rolled this program out to Sunshine Coast residents, and established a plant pot recycling program which is free for the public to use and will see skip bins full of pots destined for landfill being recycled into new products.
“We created a relationship with University of the Sunshine Coast, becoming a host organisation for career placement students and our events – such as CTC workshops, Open Day with tours and environmental information, a farm dams’ workshop, a members Christmas party, volunteers Christmas party, and a Koala detection dog demonstration – were sold out.
“And importantly the Environment Levy funding allowed us to establish and operate a biocontrol facility to breed biocontrol beetles to help eradicate madeira vine and cat’s claw creeper - both Weeds of National Significance.
“Both these weeds are significant weeds in our threatened Lowland Subtropical Rainforest.”
Sunshine Coast Division One Councillor and deputy mayor Rick Baberowski said the achievements of the Mooloolah River Landcare were a credit to their vision and dedication of the volunteers; it also helped demonstrate the support provided through the Environment Levy, which was collected across all ratepayers.
“The group is clear about their convictions and going from strength to strength, which means we can better appreciate how their actions help support our regions natural environment and preserve the biodiversity of our region,” Cr Baberowski said.
“Through the delivery of environmental improvements through on-ground activities and their community education programs, Mooloolah River Landcare are protecting our environment and partnering with council to deliver the Sunshine Coast Environment and Liveability strategy objectives.
“I’d also like to take this opportunity to recognise all the division one recipients of the Environment Levy Partnership Grants and sincerely thank them for their continued important work, particularly during these challenging and difficult times when the normal patterns of operations simply don’t work.”
| Division | Organisation | Partnership summary | Amount per year* | Total for partnership duration |
| 1 | Mooloolah River Waterwatch and Landcare Inc. | A well-established community group dedicated to the health, protection and enhancement of the Mooloolah River. Operates a Native Plant Nursery and the Sunshine Coast Bio-control Facility; monitors water quality; fosters community engagement, and promotes science-based actions by well-informed citizens as champions for the Mooloolah River. | $59,000 | $177,000 |
| 1 | Twinnies Pelican and Seabird Rescue Inc | This group provides a 24 hour Pelican and Seabird rescue service, in addition to operating a bird rehabilitation facility. | $15,000 | $45,000 |
| 1 and 5 | Barung Landcare Association Inc | Provides a range of initiatives including growing and distributing native plants via a community nursery, education programs, bush regeneration and advice for rural landholders. Also assists smaller landholders and gardeners via the Gardens for Wildlife program. | $67,000 | $201,000 |
| 1 | Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors Worldwide Ltd | World renowned Wildlife Hospital providing emergency and rehabilitation care for all species of injured, orphaned and abandoned wildlife. The hospital also supports wildlife carers in the region with free veterinary care. | $50,000 | $150,000 |
| 1 | Glasshouse Mountains Advancement Network (GMAN) | GMAN will actively maintain the Koala Food Tree Plantation established in Pinelands Drive Park. The purpose of the plantation is to supply foliage for the rehabilitation and care of injured and orphaned koalas. This foliage is collected and supplied to Endeavour Veterinary Ecology, Wildlife HQ, Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital & Koala Action Inc. | $5000 | $15,000 |
| 2 | Night Eyes Association Inc. | Night Eyes has been operating in the Pumicestone Passage since 1999. They contribute to litter collection and waterway health management. | $18,000 | $54,000 |
| 2 and 4 | Reef Check Australia | Reef Check Australia is seeking support for 2 project components: 1) Reef Check Australia reef health monitoring on the Sunshine Coast (Mudjimba to Caloundra) conducted by trained volunteers to collect locally relevant, globally standardised reef health information; 2) Training and activities for Sunshine Coast residents, increasing community participation and marine stewardship. | $33,000 | $99,000 |
| 3 | Currimundi Catchment Care Group Inc | Established community group that operates within the Currimundi catchment and aims to limit erosion, improve water quality and protect the environment. Activities include family friendly events, education, advocacy and a quarterly newsletter with significant distribution. | $12,540 | $37,620 |
| 5 | Petrie Creek Catchment Care Group Inc. | The group runs the Florabunda community nursery, which is open to the public 5 days per week. They provide local native plants and advice on creek and habitat restoration, weed control, erosion control and species selection. | $17,000 | $51,000 |
| 5 and 10 | Mary River Catchment Coordination Association | The MRCCC has been operating within the Mary River catchment since 1993. The group aims to achieve an informed community with an ethic of care for exceptional land and water management by supporting the development of on-ground projects, providing activities/events/materials and sharing knowledge. | $67,000 | $201,000 |
| 5 | Lake Baroon Catchment Care Group Inc | Group focussed on reducing risks to water quality in the Lake Baroon catchment by implementing projects addressing erosion, nutrients and pathogens. | $52,000 | $156,000 |
| 5 | Friends of Maroochy Regional bushland Botanic Gardens Inc. | Friends of MRBBG will continue to provide an expanded range of support services for site development (garden planning, planting and maintenance, light construction, propagation) and as a conduit between Council and Community (Information Volunteers, Garden Guides, working in partnership with relevant organisations, koala monitoring, etc.). | $9460 | $28,380 |
| 5 | Hinterland Bush Links Inc | The group provides on ground assistance to landholders working for the long-term conservation of all native species, regional ecosystems and ecological processes in the Sunshine Coast Region through the Roving Restorers, Upper Mary Valley Weed Vine project and other activities. | $39,000 | $117,000 |
| 8 and 9 | Coolum District Coast Care Group Inc. | Coastal environmental protection and restoration. On ground projects include: dune and bushland weed control and habitat restoration; biodiversity enhancement such as nest box installation and monitoring; fauna and flora surveys; feral animal control; marine turtle monitoring; data collection and rescue; marine debris surveys and analysis; community education; environmental advocacy; and citizen science projects. | $37,000 | $111,000 |
| 10 | Wildlife Volunteers Association Inc. (WILVOS) | Group operate a 7 day a week, 365 days a year Hotline for orphaned and injured wildlife. Wildlife will be rescued and transported to veterinary care when needed, or taken into care by a licenced wildlife rehabilitator. | $10,000 | $30,000 |
| 10 | ECOllaboration Ltd | ECOllaboration and the brands of Maroochy Waterwatch and ECO Education Service deliver community on ground action with volunteers, landowner engagement and education. | $54,000 | $162,000 |
| Across the whole Sunshine Coast Region | Wildcare Australia | Wildcare Australia is a wildlife rescue / carer organisation that has been operating in the South-East Queensland area since 1994. In more recent years they have expanded their operation into the Sunshine Coast Council region. | $5000 | $15,000 |
| Across the whole Sunshine Coast Region | Bat Rescue Inc | Organisation's aims are to: Rescue, rehabilitate and release sick, injured or orphaned bats back to the wild; Educate and Promote to the community, Australia's bat species as important to biodiversity; and participate in conservation activities and projects to help ensure the survival of the species. | $10,000 | $30,000 |
| Across the whole Sunshine Coast Region | Wildlife Queensland - Sunshine Coast and Hinterland | Wildlife Queensland - Sunshine Coast and Hinterland Branch propose the continuation of the Faunawatch Sunshine Coast program. This consists of four processes aimed at monitoring and evaluating the presence of fauna at strategic and wider locations across the Sunshine Coast region and supplying this information to the Sunshine Coast Council and interested environmental groups. | $50,000 | $150,000 |
* Year 2 and Year 3 funding is contingent on the satisfactory completion of a yearly progress report and annual acquittal, and is also subject to the adoption of council’s annual Environment Levy budget.
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