The formerly uninhabitable wetlands on Mungalla Station a working cattle property outside Ingham have become a thriving paradise of flora and fauna in the space of two years through a bio-diversity project, which has recently led to state and national award recognition.
The Nywaigi Aboriginal Land Corporation, the traditional owner group of the property has been nominated for the Queensland Premiers Environment & Sustainability Award and the National Banksia Awards (Natural Capital Award).
Mungalla Station is a property of 880 hectares, which incorporates a mixed breed cattle operation, a tourism component, training and education programs which is overseen by a board of directors representing more than 100 traditional owners.
There are approximately 230 hectares of seasonally inundated wetlands which are adjacent to the World Heritage Great Barrier Reef and the IUCN listed Halifax Bay Wetlands National Park.
Mungalla Aboriginal Business Corporation director Jacob Cassady said the wetlands had been degraded to an uninhabitable level by invasive plant species of Hymenachne amplexicaulis, Water hyacinth, Salvinia and Aleman grass as a result of farming practices over the last century and the introduction of ponded pastures.
“This action resulted in major changes to the hydrology, nutrient regimes, ecosystem stability and function of the wetlands, Mr Cassady said.
“Four years ago we were able to secure funding for the bio-diversity project to restore the wetland area,” he said.
He said the project involved the removal of a man-made bund wall (which was put in to propagate certain fresh water pastures) which was stopping any natural saline flow into the wetlands.
To drive the project forward a cooperative partnership was formed between the traditional owners and CSIRO.
Former CSIRO project manager Mike Nicholas said the area that had been effected by the bund wall was in excess of 35 hectares.
“We modeled the potential ingress of salt water on 3.7 metre tides and thought it would flow at least 500 metres up the wetland, but we found the impacts are seen at least a kilometre upstream from the former bund wall,” Mr Nicholas said.
“The vegetation change has been significant with the eradication of most freshwater species and, critically, the re-establishment of Bulkuru (a saline tolerant sedge which has important consequences for wetland ecology),” he said.
He said the Bulkuru had been suppressed by the wetland weeds for up to 70 years and following two salt water inundations, it re-sprouted.
“The goals we’ve achieved with the project have been remarkable.
“We’ve restored over 35ha of wetland by displacing freshwater wetland weeds with saline tolerant native species that are critical for a functioning wetland ecosystem and important in providing better water quality to the Great Barrier Reef.”
He also said fish species utilising the wetland have risen from three to nine since the removal of the bund wall.
“Five of those species (including Barramundi) require connection to the coast and estuaries to breed which is another indicator of success.
“Crocodiles have returned to the wetland as well, indicating that there is a food resource for them to survive; bird numbers have increased and species numbers have skyrocketed and snakes that have never been recorded on the wetland previously are now being sighted.”
Mr Cassady said CSIRO provided valuable advice and scientific direction on the rehabilitation and restoration of the wetlands.
“We’ve now ticked all the boxes, kicked all the goals and exceeded our own expectations.
“We’re still a cattle farm so we rely on introduced pastures, but their needs to be a balance between economics and protecting the environment. and that only comes by knowing your land.
“Land management is a big part of what we do on property, and as the awards recognition shows we’re doing the right thing.”