Townsville Seagrass Volunteers (formerly known as Townsville-Thuringowa Seagrass-Watch) is the local community group which represents the Townsville region in the Seagrass-Watch Program.

The communities of Townsville and Thuringowa have come to realize that the waters adjacent to Townsville have significant environmental and natural resource values. This awareness has become apparent from the recognition given to this marine region by the World Heritage Commission, RAMSAR, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and Queensland National Parks & Wildlife Service. Townsville is also unique in that it is the only regional town adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef to have within its jurisdiction heavy industry and a large commercial port. With this in mind DPI&F was approached in early 2000 about the feasibility of starting a node of the Seagrass-Watch program in Townsville.

DPI&F gathered information about seagrass resources within the Townsville region and gauged the local support from other industries, conservation groups and the community. The response was overwhelming, so an NHT application was written by DPI&F requesting funds to assist in the implementation of Seagrass Watch in the Townsville Region. Although the bid was unsuccessful, marine ecologists at DPI&F urged on by community members held a successful workshop in April 2001. At the workshop, DPI&F scientists gave formal lectures on the seagrass diversity within the Townsville region, training the community to identify the local seagrass species and establish a monitoring site at Shelley Beach (SB2). The outcome of this workshop was the formation of the Townsville Seagrass Volunteers group.

Since it’s humble beginnings, a further 7 monitoring sites have been established at other locations across the region including: Bushland Beach (November 2002), Sandfly Creek (September 2001), Rowes Bay (August 2004), Halifax Bay (September 2004) and more recently Magnetic Island (May 2005).

The establishment and continuation for the the group, would not have been possible without the support of a number of people, including the past local coordinators (Des Wells, Karen Bird and Jane Mellors), and DPI&F, Coasts & Clean Seas, CoastCare, CRC Reef, Townsville City Council, Thuringowa City Council, Northern Beaches Rotary and University of the Third Age.

The future of the group is assured through the support of the current local coordinator, Posa Skelton, the Bushland Beach site BB1 coordinator Jacky Stein, the Shelly Beach site SB1 coordinator Sue Mulvany and the Magnetic Island site MI2 coordinator Don Kinsey.

Posa works closely with Jacky, Sue and Don to provide assistance if required.

Please contact Posa if you need any assistance and keep him informed of your planned sampling dates (he may be able to provide assistance if required).

Contact details are:

Local Coordinator

Posa Skelton (International Ocean Institute, Australia)

 

Site Coordinators

Jacky Stein (Bushland Beach site BB1 coordinator): Ph: 0448037194 EMAIL: gj.stein@bigpond.com

Sue Mulvany (Shelly Beach site SB1 coordinator) Ph: 47726374. EMAIL: suzanne_mulvany@hotmail.com

Dr Don Kinsey (Magnetic Island site MI2 coordinator): EMAIL: dkinsey@ozemail.com.au

 

Become a Seagrass-Watch Volunteer

If you or your school, business, or organisation is interested in becoming a Seagrass-Watch Volunteer, register your interest at http://www.seagrasswatch.org/register.html

 

 

Scoured seagrass at Bushland Beach!

Posted by Posa Skelton, April 2007

The early drizzle of Saturday (April 14th, 2007) morning had me worried as I prepared for the drive to Bushland Beach for our 2nd seagrass-watch survey of the year. The worrying feeling was not helped by the drought in my inbox the week before from my fellow seagrass-watchers to confirm their attendance.

Fortunately, two teams (Northern Beaches Rotary and Dept. Primary Industries & Fisheries) were bound to be at the site, which provided me with some assurance that the survey was going to be completed before the return of the tide. Somehow I had managed to convince Sayaka, my Japanese intern, who in turn twisted the arm of her house-mate, Afroz, to join us for his first seagrass-watch experience.

The drizzle had ceased a few hours earlier but the dark clouds hovered ominously above us, as we pulled up to the car-park; our assembly point. Sitting serenely on a bench was Lux Foot, the site coordinator for Bushland Beach, patiently waiting for the troops to gather. Pulling up and around us were the members of the Northern Beaches Rotary, which had grown since my last visit.

The introductions were made, and then we geared up and started our trek to the marker. From the shore we gazed across the receding tide to the DPI&F team doing their water quality monitoring research. Lux, armed with his yellow mobile-size Global Positioning System (provided courtesy of Conservation Volunteers Australia) led the way to the permanent marker. We arrived at our marker, where the DPI&F team were now congregating after the completion of their research. Lux took charge, and Jackie and Jenny (Rotary members) began laying out the transects as the rest of the group teamed and divvied up the tasks.

On transect one John led his team of Shenade and Catherine. Transect two was managed by Sharon, with Julie, Steve, Chris and Brenda on her team. Our transect three team was led by Jacky, with our new seagrass-watchers Sayaka, Afroz, Jenny, Wendy and me. In command of photographing the selected quadrats was Lux, with the DPI&F team assisting with coring for seagrass seeds.

One of the interesting observations from this trip was the impact of the weather over the seabed. The tide had scoured the seabed leaving massive uneven tracts with entangled seagrass banking at the edge of temporary tidal pools. Some of the scouring occurred on our transects, which meant some of the quadrats were under water. Another fascinating observation was the many baby trochus that were seen in and around our quadrats. This certainly affirms the fact that seagrass beds are great nursery areas for marine species, especially the commercially important ones. With a great team effort and with the many extra pairs of hands, we were able to complete our task in about two hours. By this time we amassed 24 seagrass-watchers in our troupe.

We gathered on one of the un-scoured and exposed seagrass patches to complete our traditional group photo. We headed back to the shore, where the remaining members of the Northern Beaches Rotary were already laying out the barbequed fare and the crisp cold drinks. Once the monitoring equipment was washed and put away, and the data-sheets checked, there was nothing left to do, but to dig into lunch. This was an enjoyable day and as Sayaka and Afroz agreed – we have learned a lot; and I know we will continue to learn more every time we visit this and our other sites in Townsville.

The Townsville-Thuringowa SeagrassWatch group would like to thank the Northern Beaches Rotary for hosting this enjoyable community event.

 

 

Shelley seagrass surveying on a tricky tide

Posted by Posa Skelton, April 2007

Blue sky, a pleasant temperature and a slight breeze - the perfect weather to start our second survey of Shelley Beach (SB1) last Sunday (April 15, 2007). The group assembled under the shade of an Acacia tree at Pallarenda, before trekking off to the Shelley Beach site. The usual introductions were made, acknowledging the presence of Steve McGuire, of Mundingburra Rotary, who is hosting this community activity. The team today consisted of mostly experienced seagrass-watchers – Dick Wickenden, Mike Whiting, Linda Berger, Sue Mulvany, Adam King, Sally Whatmough, and two newcomers – Carmen and Sam.

Dick guided us up the Pallarenda hill – a route that allowed us to witness the magnificent Magnetic Island, fringed with lush vegetation along the shoreline and the greying boulders at its peak. Just below us along the receding tide was seagrass green on the exposed seabed, carved by puddles of seawater. Mike suspected a bloom of algae, but this was proven incorrect when we cut back down to the shore.

Our early arrival gave us a chance to catch our breath and also to calibrate and input the site coordinates into our GPS. It also allowed us to witness the soaring Brahminy kites and Ospreys circling along the steep cliffs of the Palarenda National Park. The Osprey seemingly aware of our admiration swooped down to show us its catch clutched tightly on its talons.

On this occasion, Mike brought along his home-made quadrat-size Perspex box that is to help us with quadrats that are underwater. Because observing the quadrat when it’s underwater can be difficult, especially if the wind is blowing, the idea of the Perspex box is to reduce the surface water movement so that the surveyor can observe the substratum in a similar fashion as a glass-bottom boat. This was the first time of this trial and all indications are that this is a most valuable tool that is easy to employ in future surveys.

The tide was not falling as fast as we would like, so half-an hour before the low tide we moved to lay the transects and begin the survey. Sadly, some of quadrats were still underwater, despite my telling everyone that this is the second lowest tide for the month. We divvied up the tasks; Sue and Carmen worked on Transect 1, Linda and Dick on Transect 2, Sam, Sally and Adam on Transect 3, Mike on the camera and I, on the seed coring duty.

In lightning speed time, Linda and Dick, completed their transect in about 20 minutes, and then joined me on the seed search. Not long after, the rest of the team joined us in the coring for seeds. While we did find some seeds, they were not as bountiful as in previous trips, with 10 seeds the most obtained in one site. The scouring of the seabed was very similar to that seen at Bushland Beach the day before. We shot our group photo and then headed back to Pallarenda Beach for a light snack, kindly supplied by Sue. Overall, it was a great day to be out on the beach enjoying this beautiful place!

 

 

 

Webpage provided by Seagrass-Watch HQ for Townsville Seagrass Volunteers (2008). Disclaimer: The views expressed on this site are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Queensland Government.