2022-10-24 General Committee Meeting Agenda

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                                24 OCTOBER 2022


Finance
The total project budget was spent. Costs were split evenly between The Nature Conservancy and
Noosa Council ($1.2m each).
In May 2021, TNC were successful in obtaining an additional $1.2 million for the Noosa project
from the $20 million TNC Australia-Australian Government Reef Builder Project. This brings the
total allocation to the project in Noosa to $3.6 million.
Over 40 percent of the total budget was spent through partnerships with the private sector with
$911,837 being invested in 10 significant contracts.
Risks & Opportunities
A risk at this stage of the project is that oyster recruitment fails, however this is not expected to
occur as recruitment is already evident at several sites. Measures are also in place to re-seed if
required.
Post construction monitoring will occur in Autumn 2023, and again in Spring 2023. Annual
ecological and shoreline monitoring will then be undertaken from Autumn 2024 in line with permit
conditions.
Queensland’s Department of Environment and Science has invited The Nature Conservancy to
join their Moreton Bay Shellfish Restoration Working Group and to develop a restoration suitability
model for shellfish restoration for the Moreton Bay Marine Park. This work is now underway.
Consultation
External Consultation - Community & Stakeholder
In the reporting period March to September 2022, The Nature Conservancy:
•     Secured all permits with relevant State Government agencies and Noosa Council
•     Entered into and completed contracts with key contractors including M&J Marine Services,
      Ecological Service Professionals, International Coastal Management and Bribie Island
      Research Centre.
•     Delivered the construction outreach plan including strategic communications with residents,
      and general communications to the community including public notices, signage, aids to
      navigation etc.
•     Continued to deliver the Shuck Don’t Chuck shell recycling project with local restaurant
      partners.
•     Completed the Noosa Senior Schools engagement project in partnership with Noosa
      Environmental Education Hub. A documentary is now being developed by the school
      students on the oyster reef project.
•     Completed the Junior Schools engagement project in partnership with Noosa Biosphere
      Community Association
•     Completed phase 1 of the community-led Oyster Gardening project in partnership with Noosa
      Integrated Catchment Association.
•     Developed and distributed the Oyster Chronicle news circular. Direct circulation was to over
      100 locally engaged stakeholders on the Noosa mailing list.
•     Reached 21,800,727 people through mainstream media and 7,814 people through social
      media.
•     Supported a PhD student from Griffith University who is studying the diversity of oysters and
      their settling patterns in the Noosa River estuary.
•     Secured an official name for Noosa’s oyster reefs from the Kabi Kabi elders – the ‘Huon
      Mundy Reefs’.
•     Developed an oyster reef interpretive sign in partnership Kabi Kabi applicants and Council.
•     Held the project ‘Shellebration’ launch event to celebrate the project’s achievements and
      partnerships (7 September 2022 at Tewantin) with Kabi Kabi presence.
•     Implemented a grant with the Noosa Parks Association to undertake baseline scientific
      assessments of sediment accumulation patterns in the Noosa River.

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