Coastal Nambucca River Health Officer
Information Pack July 2008
Project Description
Project aims to improve the health of catchment runoff affecting Nambucca estuary
following rainfall events by delivering on actions & funding required to address water
quality issues directly affecting the local oyster industry harvest zone.
A river health officer will utilise the goodwill & tensions within the various industry
sectors reliant on good water quality and healthy waterways to help implement those
actions necessary to create change.
Part of the project will examine the beliefs, attitudes and perceptions of all players in
a social survey to guage the most appropriate path to motivate social willingness to
act or behavioural change and to build common understanding of diffuse source water
pollution and its management.
Project Area of Focus
The project area is focussed on all lands with direct influence on Nambucca Oyster
Harvest Zone extending from Macksville to Nambucca Heads. The initial focus will
be on approx 70 sq km of coastal catchments with direct inputs into the harvest zone
eg Macksville and Nambucca urban inputs, Bellwood, Teagues, Watt, Gumma
Gumma, Newee, Blackbutt and Tilly Willy Creek Ck and their catchments.
Envioronmental Issues/Problems to be addressed
The Nambucca is renowned for producing high quality Sydney rock oysters
Recent estuary studies and Shellfish Quality Assurance Sanitary testing indicate the
Nambucca oyster industry is under threat from poor quality catchment runoff
following rainfall events
The Healthy Rivers Commission identified oysters to be the "canaries" of the estuary
in that issues that affect oyster production are early indicators warning that all is not
well within the catchment
Failure to act will ultimately result in the collapse of an industry linked with waterway
health and vitality. Bellingen valley a neighbouring catchment has just suffered this
fate & the Macleay has recently recorded QX disease outbreak which indicates the
system is under environmental stress
Objectives of Project
To build common understanding about diffuse water pollution and its management
Improve capacity of community and key players to put in place effective action that
addresses poor quality runoff
Clear identification of root causes of diffuse water pollution issues directly affecting
estuary water quality.
Comprehensive list of actions and strategies agreed to by all players to restore
degraded areas, improve landuse practices to enhance quality of high value habitats
integral to having a healthy estuary.
Coastal Nambucca River Health Officer
Information Pack July 2008
Communication strategy to provide a forum/network to keep all involved and
interested players informed
Implementation of priority actions
Project Approach
Form steering group to engage a project officer to help drive the process as Nambucca
LGA is a poor rural based area with limited resources available for such projects
The community awareness survey, communication strategy, diffuse water pollution
issues, causes and management are all components to be addressed within the context
of how this is afecting the oyster harvest zone of the lower estuary and it is hoped this
link provides the trigger for action.The project builds on the findings of the Healthy
Rivers Commission in its report on Oysters stating they are the "canaries of the
estuary" the biologic indicator telling us that any adverse water quality impacts on the
oyster industry provides an early warning sign about the health of the estuary and its
catchment. This project is about addressing the early warning signs that have
highlighted catchment runoff contributing to poor water quality following rainfall
events
To use the survival of the Sydney Rock oyster as an iconic local native shellfish
industry providing a link between estuary health its catchment and the food you eat
water you swim in.
The social survey will be designed to profile the level of awareness for the various
sectors of community about diffuse water quality pollution issues. It is envisaged this
will provide a means of ensuring all communication efforts are appropriately targeted
and packaged to maximise the potential for on ground action. Science by itself is not
enough to effect change as it requires a social willingness to be triggered for change
to occur.
Key Functions of River Health Officer
Community awareness survey design & implement
Compilation report on diffuse source water pollution issues, root causes & possible
solutions
Prepare & implement communication strategy
Negotiate & develop a comprehensive list of agreed to actions that deals with the
issue
Coordinate funding and technical assistance to implement onground actions and
strategies
Milestones Year 1
Steering Group Formed
Project Officer recruitment
Communication Strategy
Ref Site monitoring
Community Survey designed, implemented, analysed and reported
Milestones Year 2
Compilation Assessment Water Quality Problems
Develop & negotiate onground Strategies and Actions
Coastal Nambucca River Health Officer
Information Pack July 2008
Seek Funding
Implement Actions
Milestones Year 3
Implementation
Monitor & Review
Final Report
Coastal Nambucca River Health Officer
Information Pack July 2008