Community
24 March, 2025
Vital habitat nurtured
MACHANS BEACH local Rob Williams is setting the standards for the local environment, working with Cairns Regional Council to restore the local Barr Creek fish habitat on the suburb’s northern point.
A result of ex-Tropical Cyclone Jasper December 2023’s floods, Barr Creek peaked at 3m above the ‘highest astronomical tide, resulting in a large amount of silt, vegetation and manufactured rubbish consolidating.
A result of the waste concentration was significant die back, with about 2ha suffering total loss of all vegetation, with other areas impacted by suffocation, bank collapse and erosion.
Mr Williams said he decided to launch his own project after seeing the issues and changes in the Barr Creek fish habitat.
“I’m doing this project under my own steam at the moment,” he said.
“It’s something I saw about three years ago. I noticed work needed to be done there.
“I got permission from the state government fisheries and Department of Resources to carry out the work, so that it’s all legally permissible.”
Mr Williams also said the council had been extremely helpful in assisting with the operations.
“(The restoration) has had the goal of strengthening the value of the Barr Creek fish habitat, which is a very fertile environment,” he said.
“In essence, it’s extending the waterway to complement the habitat.”
Mr Williams said there were also some issues that needed to be resolved in order for more work to be undertaken in the area.
“So far, there is no legal vehicle access to the habitat,” he said.
“That’s something that needs to be resolved.
“I don’t know how that will happen unless the owners of a bordering property come to agreement, but something has to resolve there before any further work on the area can be done.”
