Community
4 August, 2023
Vollies to thank for wetlands
SMITHFIELD’S Cattana Wetlands have been transformed into a wildlife haven over the past 10 years thanks to the thousands of hours of volunteer work by the Jabirus group.
An official open day, as well as a celebration of past 10 years of hard work by the group, will be held tomorrow (Saturday, August 5).
At the open day, residents can find out more about the history, flora and fauna of the wetlands.
The Jabirus Group has spent 20,000 hours tackling weeds, planting thousands of trees and shrubs, installing nesting boxes for possums and generally beautifying the area, as part of the Cairns Regional Council’s Green Space Our Place volunteer programme.
Mayor Bob Manning said that since Cattana Wetlands was bought by the former Mulgrave Shire Council in 1993, the site had gone from strength-to-strength.
“Our predecessor council had the foresight to purchase the Cattana area to preserve 30 hectares of lowland rainforest,” he said.
The open day will include Botany For Kids: 8.30am to 9.10am, boardwalk tours: 9.30am to 10.10am, and 11am to 11.40am, and birdspotting from the jetty: 8.30am to 9.10am, and 9.30am to 10.10am.
