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About
The Coomera River Catchment Association (CRCA) began as the Coomera River Catchment Group (CRCG) in 2006, as a result of support and assistance received from SEQ Catchments and Albert Shire Council. Current Cr. Peter Young commenced his career in local government after serving on the management committee of the CRCG.
Our story
The Coomera River Catchment Group was given, in 2006, a new Horiba water sampling machine with which to take water quality readings, and a dedicated Catchment Officer from SEQ Catchments who calibrated the equipment, collected the samples and carried out chemical analysis, then published those results. There was initially seven sites sampled, only a few of which are sampled today.
This Water Quality Monitoring (WQM) continued monthly for nine years until 2015 when SEQ Catchments ceased funding of community groups, then soon thereafter ceased to exist. In the intervening period of 2015 until 2017, the CRCG continued to take WQM readings so as to maintain its commitment to assessing environmental health. In 2017 the CRCG received a grant from SEQ Catchments to purchase a new Horiba which is currently in use.
Also in 2017 the CoGC extended its funding to include a range of Citizen Science initiatives, with the CRCA supplying WQM and Macroinvertebrate sampling results to the CoGC via the Watergum website. By this time the number of sites sampled by the CRCG had grown from seven to twenty two; by 2021 this number had grown to 27, a growth of some 385% over the original seven sites!
In 2021 the CRCG ceased providing to the CoGC its WQM and Macroinvertebrate results, instead providing them to members via its Facebook page.
In the meantime the CRCG had, under the stewardship of the Catchment Management Unit (CMU) of CoGC, commenced riparian revegetation work in 2010, at the reserve behind the Clagiraba Rural Fire Station, which ended in 2013. Following that riparian revegetation work, we commenced, under the stewardship of the CMU of the CoGC, riparian revegetation of Waterhen Lake in Russell Hinze Park, Oxenford, which ended in 2017 when the site was handed over to CoGC City Assets and Parks and Gardens. The CoGC completed the work the CRCG commenced and have done a wonderful job in maintaining what is now a wonderful natural resource in terms of the natural breeding areas for the four species of egrets, the white ibis and the many eels and turtles which call the wildlife refuge home.
We then moved in 2017 to commence work revegetating the riparian zone from Graywillow Park, Oxenford up one side of the Coomera River and also regenerate the wetland associated with that area, in Regatta Waters Park at Oxenford. Over the intervening period, under the stewardship of the Natural Areas Management Unit (NAMU) and with assistance from the local councillor and community groups, in excess of 53,000 plants have been bedded in the soil. With a river frontage of some 900 metres and a return to the wetland of several hundred metres there is now an extensive belt of native plants which provide a home for numerous birds, mammals, arboreal animals, insects and reptiles.
In 2021 we incorporated to enable us to take advantage of grants from time to time which will extend and enhance the natural and rehabilitated areas in our community. We actively work with other groups such as Birdlife SEQ to monitor birdlife, and OzFish Unlimited to enhance fish stocks across the Gold Coast.
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