Known as one of the wettest areas in Australia, this landscape’s waterways and wetlands provide a focus for community environmental action. The high, regular rainfall also supports a productive agricultural industry, with large areas of the coastal lowlands planted to sugar cane. Profitable and sustainable agricultural practices, habitat connectivity and ecosystem restoration are some of the key areas community groups are focussing on in this landscape.
Community Groups
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Projects
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Russell Landcare and Catchment Group
Based around the Russell River and the town of Babinda, this catchment includes World Heritage listed rainforests on the upland ranges and productive sugar cane farms on flatter coastal areas. Russell Landcare group has developed close working relationships with many landholders within their area, working on cooperative projects to address a range of natural resource management issues, including water quality, habitat restoration and sustainable farming. |
Riparian Revegetation Technical Direction and Capacity Building – Russell Green Army Projects
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Mulgrave Landcare and Catchment Group
The catchment of the Mulgrave River starts high on the Tablelands, west of Gordonvale. The upper reaches on the ranges are mostly included in the World Heritage listed Wet Tropics rainforests, while much of the lowland area supports productive sugar cane farms. With the main focus in previous years on habitat restoration for biodiversity outcomes, more recent projects see the inclusion of increased community engagement and educational outcomes. |
Upper Hemming’s Creek – Connecting Corridors and Community in Gordonvale – Stage 2 & 3
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Jaragun NRM
Jaragun NRM works across three environmental priorities in the Russell catchment, including improving water quality entering the GBR Lagoon, maintaining biodiversity unique to the Wet Tropics and providing for ecological succession and adaptation to climate change. |
Projects focus on infrastructure, revegetation and weed control, with a native tree nursery to support these activities.
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