2016-12-12 General Committee - Attachment 1 to Item 6 - Biodiversity Assessment Report

                                                 Noosa Biodiversity Plan – Biodiversity Assessment Report



3.5   Riv e r s ys t e ms and w at e rw a ys
The landscapes of Noosa Shire are dominated by the Noosa River catchment, covering the north, east,
centre, and south of the shire, and reaching the ocean at Noosa Heads (Figure 15). Noosa Shire also
has two other river catchments. The upper reaches of the Mary River catchment drains the hinterland
south and west from the Cooroy/Pomona/Cooran area before flowing north, outside the western boundary
of Noosa Shire, to Hervey Bay. The Maroochy River catchment occurs in the far south of Noosa Shire,
and mostly consists of a series of small upper-tributary creeks in high altitude areas that flow south across
the shire boundary, eventually entering the ocean at Maroochydore. There are also some small coastal
waterways east of the Marcus high dunes which flow to the ocean, such as Burgess Creek, Peregian
Creek and Marcus Creek (Figure 15).

      3.5.1    Noosa River Catchment
The Noosa River system is internationally recognised for its natural, environmental, scenic, cultural and
economic values (Noosa Council, 2004). It is consistently recorded as the healthiest river system in SEQ,
with a condition score of A- in 2015, according to the Healthy Waterways annual report card (SEQ
Waterways, 2016). This means that all key processes are functioning, and critical habitats are in pristine
condition. Lower sediment and nutrient loads are also being generated with approximately 96% of the
streambanks vegetated, resulting in excellent stream health conditions (SEQ Waterways, 2016). Overall,
only 0.1% of the riverine environments within the catchment are considered artificial and highly modified
(Department of Environment, Heritage and Protection (EHP), 2016). Areas of High Ecological Value
protected under the Environmental Protection (Water) Policy 2009 (EPP (Water)) have been nominated
across large areas of the catchment, including the Noosa River and lakes within the Cooloola sandmass
and within the lower reaches within the Noosa National Park (Figure 15).

The largely undisturbed Noosa River and the coastal plains are also stronghold refuges for threatened
species such as the Ground Parrot, Glossy Black Cockatoo and False Water Rat. The lower Noosa River
is a rare example within the subtropics of a choked coastal lagoon system of fresh and saltwater lakes
occurring entirely on sand (Lewis et al., 2007). Characteristic fauna is associated with these wetland
environments, including a distinctive group of acid frogs. The lower Noosa River and its lakes are also
used by many migratory shorebirds for feeding on their journeys north and south. Extensive seagrass
meadows also occur.

      3.5.2    Mary River Catchment
The Mary River catchment in Noosa Shire is a highly complex region characterised by steeply dissected
mountain ranges and narrow valley floors. Much of the area has been cleared for agriculture, although
significant stands of rainforest and eucalypt forest remain on many of the steeper slopes, in the less
accessible gullies, in the State Forests and along the watercourses. The main tributaries of the catchment
that occur within the Noosa Shire are Six Mile Creek, Blackfellow Creekand Middle Creek. Six Mile Creek
provides prime habitat for the Mary River Cod, which has suffered population declines since the 1930’s
and is now listed as endangered at a Commonwealth level (Mary River Catchment Co-ordinating
Committee (MRCCC), 2014). The creek also provides known habitat for the Australian Lungfish, which
is a prehistoric species currently under threat due to reductions in breeding habitat. The rainforest
remnants along Six Mile Creek also provides habitat for the stream dependent and endangered Giant
Barred Frog as well as numerous rare and threatened frog species (MRCCC, 2014). Areas of High
Ecological Value have been nominated across portions of the catchment, including the waterways within
the Woondum National Park, Ridgewood, Black Mountain, Yurol State Forest, Cooroy and Tinbeerwah
(Figure 15).




  © ECO LOGICAL AUSTRALIA PTY LTD                                                                         45