Local Government Perspective on Hilltops2Oceans (H2O)

1. Local Government Perspectiveon Hilltops2Oceans (H2O) Greg Bruce Manager Environmental Management Services Townsville City Council www.soe-townsville.org

2. Local Government Perspective on Hilltops2OceansKey Elements • Local Government & Community healthy waterway partnerships & projects in conjunction with major engineering water assets. • Infrastructure based approach (Citiworks & Citiwater) • Community involvement & acknowledgement • The challenges and opportunities • Roles and activities of Local Government which affect change • Promoting “total water cycle management” principles and “whole of catchment management and sustainability”. • ICZM as local action: an The evolution of “Creek to Coral” which links the land and sea in our area for the first time.

3. Local Government Context Geographically speaking Dry SeasonSatellite image Wet SeasonSatellite image Louisa Ck.Catchment flyover

4. Background to integrated frameworks • Council has been involved extensively in developing partnerships and alliances as a significant part of its policy, programs, and operations. Sometimes with success, sometimes not… • This has involved challenges and demonstrated clear opportunities for “integrated coastal zone management” including“whole of catchment management” and; • Finally achieving the linking of land and sea via the Healthy Waterways program of “Creek to Coral”. The Coral being indicative of the fringing coral reefs off Townsville and around Magnetic Island…

5. Background to integrated frameworks (continued) • Working with community groups in extensive catchment management initiatives. • Support landcare groups across the twin cities of Townsville-Thuringowa and even further afield in association with the Burdekin Shire River Improvement Trust. • Support for on-ground wetland protection, management and promotion with private property owners. (Serpentine Lagoon - wetland of national significance), state government (Town Common and Louisa Creek). • The model – “Sustainability Planning Framework for Townsville City” demonstrates the internal and external relationships appropriate to the integration of water management (Sustainable Townsville program).

6. Background to integrated frameworks (continued) • Environment officers have been working with Council’s water management and drainage engineering business units; • Leading edge of environmental care & management; • Transforming cultures in both environment and engineering fields to: • reflect the natural water cycle, • develop understanding of each others socio-economic and business needs, (especially cost effective maintenance and access to waterways) • integrate management process via stormwater/drainage/water management plans (eg: USQMP) and projects(NHT Clean Seas/USI) • Including complimentary development of significant partnerships with: • Conservation Volunteers Australia for delivering community waterway education and; • local Landcare groups for revegetation and riparian management.

7. TCC projects which demonstrate an integrated approach Local Government & Community Healthy Waterway Partnerships, Alliances and Projects • Designed and implemented “concrete” solutions(bioengineered GPTs and wetland treatment trains at Louisa Creek NHT Clean Seas Project & USI CBD Urban Waterway Project = A$2M investment) • Developing a Urban Stormwater Quality Management Plan (USQMP) • Obtaining integrated Drainage and Waterway Permits/Licenses • Community waterway management education process • Creek To Coral“Our waterways, our responsibility” • Carbon Neutral Water Recycling Project

8. Projects which demonstrate an integrated infrastructure based: community approach • 5 Day soil erosion and sediment control course for the TropicsInternational Erosion Control Association (IECA) endorsed. • Haughton River rural catchment management (ICM) • Landcare & Catchment Centre (Dry Tropics Landcare Inc.) • Supporting regional community NRM plan (NaREF) • Cleveland Bay Consortium (water quality studies in bay) • Townsville Healthy Cities Plan(Environmental Health Officers) • Burdekin Dry Tropics Local Government Network (BDTLGN) • Regional Natural Assets Database (with Townsville Enterprise) • Townsville State of Environment Report – web based & dynamic • www.soe-townsville.org/hilltops2oceans

9. Challenges in Institutionalising ICZM (Land and Sea) locally with communitylink to table page • What looking after our waterways means and the types of agreements and partnerships which assist and don’t. • Historically and contemporarily very little quantitative information available. • Catchment variability across the landscape and geography of Australia • Surveys and focus groups have shown that people in Townsville are concerned about the environment. • This does not translate into what actions they either need to take or are responsible for. • “Kakadu syndrome”

10. Challenges in Institutionalising ICZM (Land and Sea) locally with community (continued)link to table page • Extra financial and social impost on the Council and how it manages its urban environments (especially retrofitting but also greenfields developments). • Developing community interest in environmental management and finding ways for them to be involved and participate is local challenge. • Central driver behind the case of establishing Creekwatch. • Always dependent on the financial and human resources available to complete the task • Which leads to an innovative approach of seeking partners anddeveloping appropriate levels of integration • Spending too much time on ideals and principles – the “way it should be”, • get it going, small steps and then work on refining the structure if required.

11. Challenges in Institutionalising ICZM (Land and Sea) locally with community (continued) link to table page • Look for champions, or find where the capacity occurs or might occur and then seek to invest in that direction. • Developing trust, respect and the ability to provide written agreements which encapsulate expectations, liaison process, resources, and reporting. • The best efforts and capability of the representatives themselves • Recognising that it is all a process and that different things happen at varying speeds and at different times. • To act when the opportunity presents, and working with the up front “get on boarders” • Councils responsibilities have been increasing in environmental management and protection

12. Case Study:Creek to Coral“our waterways, our responsibility” Business Plan • Vision • Objectives • Framework • Partners • Communication Network • Working groups • Success Factors Launched on the 12th December, 2003 by the Qld Minister for Environment & the Mayors of Townsville and Thuringowa City Councils Combined Townsville, Thuringowa and State Government Initiative to Maintain and Enhance our Healthy Waterways in the Coastal Dry Tropics

13. Draft Business Plan 2004-2005 “To achieve, sustain and promote the benefits of a clean, fresh and marine water ecosystem and to encourage, educate and involve community in integrated catchment management”. Emphasis is placed on information exchange linking objectives resulting in increased quality of water in the Townsville Thuringowa Coastal Dry Tropics region.” • Infrastructure based • Community focused • Adaptive management framework • Integrated network (community, industry, science, government) • Local ownership • Environmentally sustainable Slide prepared by R. Allan – C2C Project Officer

14. Today’s situation: Lots of individual catchment management initiatives • Great Barrier Reef Water Quality Protection Plan • CRC Catchment to Reef Program • CSIRO Healthy Country Flagship Program • Coastal Catchments Initiative • Urban Stormwater Quality Management Plans (USQMP) • Ross River Waterway Management System • Regional Burdekin Dry Tropics Accredited NRM Plan • City Plans (TCC & CoT) • Environmental Management Plans supporting Slide prepared by R. Allan – C2C Project Officer

15. Twin cities waterways are valued and the perception is they are fairly clean but need improving People think of the waterways as compartments (i.e. Ross River, The Strand), not as an integrated catchment system They can relate to the Creek to Coral concept and like it Litter and Rubbish are the main problems Waterway Management is the responsibility of everyone “Our Waterways – Our Responsibility” Community Perceptions supporting Slide prepared by R. Allan – C2C Project Officer Back to “Challenges”

16. Townsville Map with STP Townsville Magnetic Island Cape Cleveland Townsville Port Sandfly Creek Crocodile Creek Alligator Creek Discharge Cleveland Bay STP Ross River Catchment Black River Bohle River Discharge Mt Low STP Discharge Bohle River STP Mt St John STP Deeragun STP Discharge Discharge Ross River Discharge Condon STP Ross Dam

17. Objectivesinclude… • Ensure sustainable management of storm water, ground water and effluent • Focus on the benefits of total water cycle management including recycled water • Reduce N & P discharge from STP to 5:1 ratio by 2008 through a load based licence

18. Objectivesinclude(continued)… • View the coastal marine environment as a biophysical indicator of our effectiveness in managing terrestrial waterways and wetlands. • Identify waterway health indicators & develop a score card system to access ecosystem health • Inform, educate, and involve community based stewardship, awareness and ownership of catchment and wetland issues (including recreational use) Slide prepared by R. Allan – C2C Project Officer

19. BDTB Framework Schools & Community Groups Key terrestrial and coastal sites NaREF Community ownership and education Biodiversity & natural values of catchment TCC (CVA) TPA (Cleveland Bay Consortium) CoT Govt. Agencies Coordination Commerce and Industry EPA NQ Water GBRMPA (LMAC) Monitoring and catchment health indicators Storm water, treated water, water supply and use Urban and rural planning and development Traditional Owner Groups (BDTB) Scientific research agencies

20. Communications Network Current Board of Directors TCC Mayor, CoT Mayor, GBRMPA, EPA Executive Director Current Project Control Group Consists of representatives from TCC, CoT, EPA, GBRMPA Environmental Management Reference Group EPA, NQ Water, TCC, CoT, TPA, GBRMPA Traditional Owner Advisory Group(BDTB) C to C Coordinator Working Groups

21. Community Education and Involvement NaREF CVA GBRMPA TCC Citiwater CoT Thuringowa Water Environmental Protection and Emergency Response EPA TCC CoT DPI TPA DNR&M AAL On-ground Action and Infrastructure TCC CoT NQ Water NaREF TPA Thuringowa Water Citiwater Main Roads Integrated Water Quality Monitoring and Research CRCReef ACTFR JCU AIMS CSIRO CoT TCC EPA GBRMPANQ Water TPA CVA DNR&M DPI AAL Defence QNI AMH BM Webb Group Community Partners Seagrass Watch, Reef Check, Louisa Creekwatch Fish Watch (TCC), Traditional Owners, TSV Sustainable Schools Local Marine Advisory Committee (LMAC) Coastal Dry Tropics Landcare Marine Coastal Community Network (MCCN), Reef Guardian Schools Indo Pacific Sea Turtle Conservation Group (IPSTCG) Burdekin Dry Tropics Board (BDTB), NQCC Natural Resource Environment Forum (NaREF)

22. Integrated Water Quality Monitoring & Research Community Education and Involvement On-ground Action and Infrastructure Environmental Protection & Emergency Response The Working Groups

23. INFRASTRUCTURE WORKING GROUP • Stormwater (GPTs) • Sewage / recycled water • (STPs, Industries) • Water supply & treatment • Managing point source discharge from industry and ERA’s • Rivers, creeks & wetland • rehabilitation • Groundwater Use Graphic courtesy of SEQ Healthy Waterways

24. Community Education, Involvement and Monitoring • Catchment tours • Events (Ecofiesta, Wetlands festival) • Reef Guardian Schools (Reef Beat) • TSV Sustainable Schools • Calenders, fliers, posters Slide prepared by R. Allan – C2C Project Officer Seagrass Coral Reef Health Water quality & Fish Marine Turtles

25. Water Quality Monitoring • Monitor receiving water quality & ecosystem health • Establish baseline understanding of current monitoring • Report cards / State of Environment reports Slide prepared by R. Allan – C2C Project Officer

26. Ecosystem Health • Coral • Fish habitat & species • Aquatic weeds • Riparian vegetation • Mangroves, seagrass, algae • Turtles (marine/fresh) / dugong • Birds • Water Quality Slide prepared by R. Allan – C2C Project Officer

27. ScoreCard Graphic courtesy of SEQ Healthy Waterways

28. Current Partners • Townsville City Council • City of Thuringowa • Environmental Protection Agency • NQ Water • Townsville Port Authority • Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority

29. The End exit SustainableTownsville CyberFactory.com.au

30. C2C Combined Townsville, Thuringowa and State Government Initiative to Maintain and Enhance our Healthy Waterways in the Coastal Dry Tropics

31. Creek to Coral Administration and management • An acting coordinator has been employed by TCC to initiate implementation of the Creek to Coral project. • The project coordinator will facilitate the involvement of relevant stakeholders in the project control groups and the working groups.

32. Success Factors • Stakeholder involvement in agreement-based decision making • Whole of community approach to monitoring & feedback • Local government as champions and advocates • Good quality integrated monitoring • Effective and timely project management • Good external links to regional planning & funding (all levels of government involved and committed) • Adequate funding generated through creative alliances of governments, industry and community Slide prepared by R. Allan – C2C Project Officer

33. Thuringowa Black River Catchment