By Abbey Cannan
Richard Howard, a volunteer with the Noosa Integrated Catchment Association (NICA), is slowly educating the community on the benefits of a once controversial project which hopes to bring back the lost oyster reefs of the Noosa River.
The Noosa Oyster Gardening Program is part of the Noosa Oyster Ecosystem Restoration Project, supporting The Nature Conservancy’s efforts to restore 30 per cent of Australia’s lost shellfish ecosystems – if achieved, it would make Australia the first nation to recover a critically endangered marine ecosystem.
It took an emotional debate by Noosa Councillors last year on the benefits and risks before they continued an agreement with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) to deliver the expensive project.
The community was split in its support, and now they have the chance to step on board the Noosa Oyster Gardening tour and explore newly created oyster reefs.
Richard said, “This project began in 2018. There’s a big social aspect of this project as the Kabi Kabi people are engaged and the community is very engaged. It is a high profile project with a big spend. It is not risk-less.“
“We would hope that these oysters develop their own reefs and their own ecosystems to propagate elsewhere.
“We are seeing some really good early performance,“ he said while pointing to a rock, “These oysters have recruited naturally in the last six or seven months.“
For thousands of years First Nations peoples sustainably harvested oysters in Noosa and many other coastal estuaries of South-East Queensland. A combination of over-harvesting and anthropogenic changes to the river and its catchment has seen this type of ecosystem become functionally extinct.
“This is a really important first step in terms of reconciliation with the Indigenous people of our area and I think a modern template for further restoration initiatives going forward,“ Richard said.
The project is championed by The Nature Conservancy and Noosa Council and the Australian Government. As part of this project, Noosa Integrated Catchment Association (NICA) is supporting restoration efforts by enlisting oyster gardeners to grow oysters in baskets under private jetties which are then released onto the project restoration site.
The Noosa Oyster Gardening tour is one of six environment-based experiences offered through the Tread Lightly Noosa program.
A ticket cost of $50 (inc GST) per person applies with 100 per cent of proceeds being donated to NICA.
For further information, visit visitnoosa.com.au/tread-lightly/programs/noosa-oyster-gardening
