Environment Matters Spring/Summer 2019

What’s in this issue

4 Have you found a baby bird? Aussie Backyard Bird Count

Small Creek welcomes big news Ipswich First Hundreds of native fish have been recorded in Small Creek for the first time since work started, returning the concrete drain to a naturalised creek. The discovery is significant because it means efforts to create a suitable habitat for wildlife have been successful. A total of 874 fish, most small in size, were recorded in May in the section between Briggs Road and Warwick Road. There were six native species recorded, including carp gudgeon, fly-specked hardyhead and longfin eel, and two pests. Council Natural Resources acting principal officer Phil Smith, said it was an “absolutely fantastic” result. “It means the water quality is good and that we have created an attractive habitat for them to make their way up from the Bremer River and Deebing Creek,” he said. “To go from having zero fish in the creek 12 months ago to recording an abundance of native fish confirms what we are doing is working. “One of the native species found was carp gudgeon which eats mosquitoes, and that’s good news because it means natural regulation of the mosquito population will occur.” Small Creek languished as a concrete channel for several decades before council embarked on a four-stage project to return it to a more natural state that restored important habitat, improved the quality of water entering the river system and improved flood protection for the nearby area. The project has included sustainable design with parts of the concrete channel saved from landfill and repurposed as features throughout the re-naturalised creek. Stages one and two between Briggs Road and Warwick road have been completed, and native trees and grasses planted along the waterway have taken hold and plenty of birds are taking advantage of the area. Mr Smith said design and community engagement work for stages three and four, which will stretch from Briggs Road to Whitehill Road, was expected to begin later this year. See Ipswich.qld.gov.au/smallcreek

5 Platypus populations plotted with DNA

6 Nature Conservation Grant helps with hard work

7 National Threatened Species Day

8 Xersicaping for a drought-tolerant garden

9 Resilience of our native flora to drought Ipswich is drought declared, what can you do?

10 Arnold Rieck walk

Passionate about the environment?

11 A festive season with less waste

12 Emergency Management – Get ready week

13 What’s on in Ipswich

14 Kids’ Corner:

Water Portals – Not just for Mario Summer water fun!

15 Kids’ Corner:

Things to do these holidays

16 At your Library

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