Photo: Jagera Daran

Catching Up
NEWSLETTER APRIL 2013
INTRODUCTION
Hi, my name is Vanessa Hounsell, Traditional Owner & Indigenous Engagement Support Officer for SEQ Catchments. Welcome to the April 2013 Aboriginal natural resource management newsletter. The stories and news that will be compiled in these newsletters will vary, but will mainly be focussed on some of the current and future natural resource management activities for the South East Queensland region. This newsletter aims to update and share information with all Traditional Owners and Indigenous people involved or interested in natural resource management in this region. I hope you enjoy this edition. Feedback is encouraged and very welcome.

SEQ CATCHMENTS ANNOUNCED AS A FINALIST IN THE 2013 HEALTHY WATERWAYS AWARDS!

Nine projects involving SEQ Catchments and our dedicated partners have been successfully shortlisted as finalists. We are also eligible to win the Peoples Choice Award which involves the community voting for the finalist that they believe is the most outstanding. Vote now and go in the draw to win 1 of 5 $200 Coles Myer Gift Vouchers. Healthy Waterways will announce a voucher winner each week on their facebook page until voting closes on Monday 20 May 2013. All category finalists are eligible for the Peoples Choice Award and a cash prize of $1,000. The winner will be announced at the Healthy Waterways Awards Gala Dinner on 31 May 2013. Vote for your favourite project at www.healthywaterwaysawards.org and spread the word to support the efforts in protecting and improving South East Queenslands waterways:

Waterways Champion Award - June French Numinbah Valley Landcare Inc and SEQ Catchments. Waterways Mentor Award - Darren Burns, Indigenous Engagement. Product and Manufacturing Award - Seagrass Friendly Moorings Project. On Water Marine Services and SEQ Catchments. Indigenous Award - Caring for Quandamooka Country. Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation and Quandamooka Land Council. Indigenous Award - Caring for Country on the Maroochy River. Bunya Bunya Country Aboriginal Corporation Responsible Tourism Award - Better Beaches Driver Awareness Program. P7 Offroad and SEQ Catchments. Rural and Agriculture Award - Reducing Sediment Export to Moreton Bay. SEQ Catchments. Rural and Agriculture Award - Brisbane River Flood Restoration. SEQ Catchments. Clean Up Award - 4WD Community Marine Debris Cleanup Moreton Island. P7 Offroad and SEQ Catchments. Please note, only one vote per person will be counted.

148KG OF RUBBISH CLEARED FROM STRADDIES BEACHES

A recent marine debris clean up on Main Beach, North Stradbroke Island, cleared a massive 148kg of debris in just five hours along 4 km stretch of coastline equivalent to what the average Australian household produces in a month! The debris included thousands of pieces of plastic bits, 530 cylume glow sticks and lots of styrofoam, toothpaste caps and plastic pellets. An induction prior to the clean-up day included a session on the impacts of marine debris in Moreton Bay, in particular the damage being caused to the local turtle population. Moreton Bay Marine Park is one of the only sites in the world close to a capital city that contains six of the worlds seven species of marine turtles. The eye opening Bag-it is your life too plastic movie was screened, which tackles some of the sources of plastic and the impact they have once they make their way into the environment. From 7.30 am over a period of five hours, a group of over 30 participants from a host of organisations as well as the local community got busy collecting all kinds of rubbish from the beaches. It is hoped that a permanent marine debris monitoring site will be established in the near future. The clean-up was coordinated with Healthy Waterways in partnership with SEQ Catchments, Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporationm Quandamooka Rangers from the Department of National Parks, Recreation, Sport and Racing, Quandamooka Traditional Owners, Tangaroa Blue, St Andrews Anglican College, Straddie Camping, University of Queensland Research Station and Reef Check Australia, funded by the Australian Governments Caring for our Country program.

SEQ Catchments Office - Brisbane

LEVEL 2, 183 NORTH QUAY, Brisbane 4000 Ph: 3211 4404 Fax: 3211 4405

Vanessa Hounsell
Traditional Owner & Indigenous Engagement Support Officer E : vhounsell@seqcatchments.com.au M: 0437 645 127 www.seqcatchments.com.au