Mary River restoration shows degraded Australian catchments can recover
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In south-east Queensland, Australia, Peter and Elke Watson began planting trees in the 1980s along the Mary River, a waterway once considered one of the country’s most degraded catchments.
Their early efforts, initially met with skepticism, grew into a community-wide movement coordinated by the Mary River Catchment Coordinating Committee (MRCCC). The MRCCC has since partnered with landowners on over 850 projects to improve the health of the river and its surrounding land. Decades of work are showing results.
New “pile field” technology, involving driving hardwood poles into eroded banks and replanting native vegetation, is stabilizing riverbanks and preventing sediment from reaching the Great Barrier Reef. The MRCCC estimates these fields now prevent 27,000 tonnes of fine sediment from reaching the reef each year. Volunteers also monitor water quality through the Waterwatch program, tracking factors like temperature, pH, and bacteria levels. The restoration extends to the river's wildlife.
The Mary River is home to endangered species like the Australian lungfish and Mary River cod, and efforts are underway to restore cod populations by installing artificial nesting sites made from hollow logs. Financial support from Seqwater, the bulk water authority, is helping to control invasive plants and upgrade farm effluent systems, reducing pollutants entering the river.
The Watsons and others report that these changes have not only improved the environment but also benefited their farms, lowering costs and increasing resilience.
