Locations of Water Quality Programmes

Elizabeth Bay Spring Creek San Remo LLake Munmorunmorah Wallarah Creek Budgewoi

Budgewoi Sandmass Gorokan Warnervale Budgewoidgewoiwoi Lakek

Kanwal Toukley

Wyong River Norah Head Rocky Pt

Tuggerah Bay TuggerTuggerah Lake

Chittaway Bay

Streambank Rehabilitation and Erosion Control Berkeley Vale The Existing Recreational Water Quality Sites Entrance New Recreational Water Quality Sites Tumbi Creek Long Retrofit Stormwater Controls in existing areas Jetty New Urban Stormwater Priorities Saltwater Creek Bateau Bay

Snapshot of the Estuary Management Plan 11 Maintaining good There are a number of goals 1. Improve quality of stormwater from the catchment that we need to achieve over New controls on the design and inform people about the next 1 – 5 years to maintain water quality and construction of stormwater what can be done to improve or improve water quality in the drainage systems are required the situation. lakes. A “Water Quality Action to limit the flow of sediments Team” with people from Specific programs to improve and nutrients into the lakes Council, NSW stormwater quality include: from new developments. Department of Natural Stormwater will be treated at • Ensure that new Resources, Hunter-Central common sites downstream, developments don’t increase Rivers Catchment with costs shared by nutrient and sediment loads Management Authority and developers and those who will and water flows above their the Estuary Management benefit from the developments. natural levels Committee/Advisory Board, • Reduce nutrient and will be set up to oversee the Additional stormwater sediment loads from existing implementation of the action management devices are developments plan to achieve these goals: required in existing urban areas, while existing devices • Maintain stormwater traps will be upgraded where and collect information on necessary. More attention will the material removed. be given to maintenance of Knowing how much material stormwater treatment devices, is collected over time will such as gross pollutant traps help in assessing how and constructed wetlands, effective stormwater quality to make sure that they continue control is. to function effectively. • Help landholders and A substantial increase in the business to limit pollution maintenance budget to cater at the source for new stormwater devices would have to occur. • Educate people in the catchment (including While treating stormwater at residents, tourists and “the end of the pipe” reduces industry) about reducing sediments and nutrients pollution entering the lakes, it is costly. A more efficient way of • Develop an assessment tool controlling stormwater that helps determine which pollution in the long term sub-catchments need priority is to reduce the amount of works pollutants before they enter • Ensure all new development the system. One way to do contains Water Sensitive this is to help landholders to Urban Design elements make improvements to existing pollution control practices. • Improve stormwater Another, longer-term approach, quality entering Porters is an education program to Creek Wetland through increase awareness of implementation of stormwater stormwater quality issues harvesting scheme among the broader community

12 Snapshot of the Tuggerah Lakes Estuary Management Plan 2. Ensure that the water 3. Reduce erosion of 4. Encourage sustainable at lakes beaches foreshores and stream use of water meets public health banks High consumption of fresh requirements The main creeks running into water by industry, agriculture Monitoring of harmful bacteria Tuggerah Lakes are Saltwater, and residents is an important at bathing beaches will Tumbi, Ourimbah, Wyong and issue that affects both the continue in order to provide Wallarah/Spring. The lower quantity and quality of water the public with information sections of each are part of the entering the estuary. on potential health hazards. estuary and the upper parts Freshwater is necessary for the Monitoring is important for drain freshwater (and wellbeing of the lakes system, keeping the public informed sediments, nutrients, etc.) from however changes to the sources and taking action when the 670km2 catchment to the of this water (i.e. reducing river necessary, but it doesn’t solve estuary. All of these creeks flows whilst increasing the problem. There will be have experienced erosion of surrounding stormwater new funds to identify the the banks and loss of drainage discharge) can have sources (human and animal) vegetation that increases a detrimental effect on the lake of contamination and develop erosion during floods. This system. There is a danger that, measures to reduce this. is what causes most of the with increasing demand for sediment and nutrient loads water from our rivers and to the estuary. This is a serious creeks, what’s left after threat to the lakes’ ecosystem community needs are met and must be tackled. There won’t be enough to maintain a would have to be a substantial healthy ecosystem in the lakes. increase in the funding New funds need to be allocated allocated by Council for dealing to develop initiatives to support with this problem. Reducing the sustainable use of water, erosion is considered a high including reducing demand by priority, as this will have a more efficient use of water and significant positive effect on recycling. Photos (above and below): Andrew Rowland the problem of water quality and on the ecology of rivers and creeks. A review of the condition of the banks of all tributaries and riparian corridors as part of a prioritised program is essential to detail measures to reduce erosion, including re-vegetation, exclusion of livestock through negotiated arrangements with landholders and limiting boat wash in some areas.

Snapshot of the Tuggerah Lakes Estuary Management Plan 13 Water Quality Action Plan summary

Target Benefits of meeting Risks of doing Estuary Fixing a symptom/ the target nothing Management Study cause or providing issues addressed* an enhancement

Maintain natural nutrient Sediment/nutrient loads Waterways downstream Main Issue: Cause and sediment loads and to the creeks and lakes of the development may Changes in water quality water flows after new should remain in check experience algal blooms, can affect aquatic & development while the catchment poor water quality and semi-aquatic vegetation continues to be damage to habitats like Other Issues: developed seagrass. WE3, WF1, WG1, VR1, VF1

Reduce nutrient and Reduction in nutrient and Too much sediment and Main Issue: Cause sediment loads from sediment loads caused nutrients can cause algal Increased sediments existing development by development over the blooms, poor water and nutrients from exiting last 50 years. quality, and affect fish, development affects sponges and seagrass. water quality Other issues: WF1, VR1, VF1, VR2

Maintain stormwater Keep traps operational Traps export sediment Increased sediment Symptom traps and collect and informs management and gross pollutants and nutrient loads from information on the of changes in sediment to the estuary. existing development material removed and gross pollutant loads No opportunity to affects water quality that would otherwise understand if loads are enter the estuary. increasing/decreasing in response to catchment practices

Help landholders and Improved dialogue with Continued poor practices Main Issue: Cause business to limit landholders, business leading to stormwater Protective measures pollution at the source operators and the pollution EMS Issues applied to development community – Addressed are difficult to monitor a co-operative approach and enforce to pollution reduction Other Issues: LA2, LS2, LS3, WE2, WE3

Educate people in the Reduce pollution at the Continued need to install Main Issue: Cause catchment (including source, reducing the treatment devices. Toxic contaminants in residents, tourists and need for expensive Catchment and stream runoff can affect aquatic industry) about reducing treatment devices and habitats continue to be ecology and human pollution their maintenance. degraded. health Healthier catchment Other Issues: habitats and urban VW3,VE3,VR2,SP3,DC3, streams. WE2

14 Snapshot of the Tuggerah Lakes Estuary Management Plan Target Benefits of meeting Risks of doing Estuary Fixing a symptom/ the target nothing Management Study cause or providing issues addressed* an enhancement

Develop an assessment Efficient allocation of Scare resources spent in Main Issue: Enhancement tool that helps determine resources to mitigate areas where the benefits Increased sediment which sub-catchments stormwater pollution. may be small and nutrient loads from need priority assistance Sub-catchments most existing landuses affects in need will be water quality managed first. Other Issues: WE4, WH3

Ensure beaches meet Healthier swimming Recreational swimming Main Issue: Symptom primary water contact conditions in the lakes spots unsuitable for Sources of pathogens requirements (PP10) swimming at certain and faecal coliforms in times the rivers and estuaries are not well understood Other Issues: WH4

Stabilise foreshores and Keeps sediment loads Increased turbidity, Foreshore and Cause streambank erosion in check and protects smothering of habitat on streambank erosion adds riparian habitat the bed of the lakes and sediment to waterways rivers, degradation of riparian habitat

Reduce demand for river Current flow patterns to Increased demand for Increasing population Cause water that flows to the the estuary maintained water may see more puts an increased lake, by encouraging for longer (or potentially water taken from rivers demand on water supply sustainable use of water increased) meaning less flowing to in the community the estuary

* Full explantation of the addressed issues can be found in the Tuggerah Lakes Estuary Management Study (2005).

Snapshot of the Tuggerah Lakes Estuary Management Plan 15 Ecology Action Plan

Processes and The Tuggerah Lakes Estuary Animals and plants require Historically, habitat depends to a large extent on specific conditions in order to conservation has occurred issues the quality of the water flourish. The places where they mainly in National Parks, entering the system, but this live and the conditions they because they receive most isn’t the whole story because require make up their habitats. of the NSW Government water is just one part of the If we destroy these, we destroy allocation of money for estuary environment. The lakes the communities that live in ecological work. There is little ecosystem consists of the them. This not only makes for direct funding for ecological physical environment and the a poor environment, but it also work available to councils. plants and animals that live damages the important in it, including us. ecological functions that support the lakes ecosystem. Loss of natural habitat in fact, is one of the biggest threats facing Tuggerah Lakes. If we are going to improve the environment of Tuggerah Lakes we must manage these wider ecological issues.

Photo (above): Andrew Rowland

16 Snapshot of the Tuggerah Lakes Estuary Management Plan Locations of Ecology Programmes

Lake Munmorah Baths Elizabeth Bay Spring Creek Elizabeth Bay Beach San Remo LLake MunmorMMuunmorah Budgewoi Wallarah Creek Edgewater Park Sailing Club

Gorokan Budgewoi Sandmass Warnervale Budgewoidgewoiwoi Laakeke Fish Co-op Toukley Aquatic Club Kanwal Toukley

Canton Beach

Wyong River Norah Head Rocky Pt

Tuggerah Bay TuggerTuggerah Lake Ourimbah Creek

Chittaway Bay Picnic Point

Berkeley Vale Entrance Channel The Recreation & Saltmarsh Restoration Sailing Club Entrance Passive Rehabilitation Tumbi Creek Long Wrack Assimilation Zones Jetty Areas requiring special protection Saltwater Creek Bateau Bay

Snapshot of the Tuggerah Lakes Estuary Management Plan 17 Maintaining 2. Protect and restore Specific programs in this 4. Learn how changes catchment habitat regard are: to flow in the rivers the ecology of Because the wellbeing of the • Identifying and protecting affect plants and Tuggerah Lakes estuary depends to a large important natural animals in the estuary extent on what happens in the catchment habitats We need to know more about There are several ecological catchment (remember the water the ecological links between • Restoring degraded management goals to achieve quality issue), we need to look rivers and the estuary. The two habitats in the catchment over the next 1 - 5 years. An at habitat loss and degradation largest creeks entering “Ecology Action Team” drawn beyond the edges of the lakes. • Monitoring key wetlands Tuggerah Lakes provide water from Wyong Shire Council, One of the innovative aspects of for signs of damage. This to the -Wyong area. NSW Department of Natural the Plan is that it takes into will provide information This takes water out of the Resources, Hunter-Central account the links between what on when and where we system and has significantly Rivers Catchment Management happens in the catchment and need to step in and prevent impacted the flow of fresh Authority, Community Groups what happens in the lakes as a further damage. water to the estuary, especially and the Estuary Management result. The fact is that the during droughts. A balance of 3. Protect estuary habitats Committee/Advisory Board, health of some catchment fresh and seawater is essential will be set up to oversee the habitats has implications for Many areas around Tuggerah for the health of the estuary. implementation of the action estuary health and diversity. Lakes are sensitive to human Additional work is required to plan to achieve these goals: activities and some are so For example, healthy catchment find out how much fresh water important to the functioning wetlands trap and retain the lakes need and assess 1. Improve foreshore of the system that they require sediment that would otherwise whether present flows to the habitat a high level of protection from wash into the estuary or clog estuary are sufficient and what There is a need for significant human interference. These stormwater systems. Wetlands steps should be taken if they new expenditure on include the saltmarshes of (and forests) also provide are not. rehabilitation of foreshore Tuggerah Bay and the “green corridors” linking habitats, particularly the Budgewoi Sandmass. The estuary and catchment and saltmarshes that used to saltmarshes are threatened helping animals move between surround much of the lakes. by physical damage caused the two. This means that Saltmarshes are important, by horse training and motor animals may move to not only as habitat, but also vehicles, both of which destroy repopulate areas where their because they help to break plants and break up the numbers might have dwindled. down seagrass wrack. Too sediment surface leading to They can’t do this if they can’t much wrack can produce erosion and loss of the habitat. odours and reduce amenity and get there. It makes sense to one way to “help” the system conserve catchment wetlands to manage this wrack is to re- enhance these important establish saltmarshes wherever functions. we can. We need to identify There are two types of habitat areas suitable for restoration that require our attention; those and then reduce the amount already degraded and in need of damage that we do to them. of improvement and those not Specific programs include: degraded but in need of • Improve and protect protection. natural foreshore areas • Maintain those areas that have been rehabilitated Photo (above): Andrew Rowland

18 Snapshot of the Tuggerah Lakes Estuary Management Plan Ecology Action Plan summary

Target Benefits of meeting Risks of doing Estuary Fixing a symptom/ the target nothing Management Study cause or providing issues addressed* an enhancement

Improve and protect Foreshore areas will have Continued odour problem Main Issue: Cause natural foreshore areas fewer odours and be from wrack rotting in the No existing plan for healthier. Council will water. Loss of saltmarsh identifying, rehabilitating also be meeting its legal and associated legal and managing significant obligations ramifications. foreshore areas. Other Issues: VE3, DS1, DT1

Maintain the Rehabilitated natural The rehabilitated areas Human activities can Cause rehabilitated natural foreshores are likely will become dominated damage sensitive foreshore areas to remain health and by weeds and impacted habitats improve foreshore by human activity like appearance mowing.

Identify and protect Healthy habitats are These areas are likely to Main Issue: Enhancement important remaining protected from future be damaged by activities Loss, fragmentation or catchment habitats damage in their catchment, degradation of habitat. breaking an important Other Issues: link with the estuary. VW1, VF2, VR4, DC2, Problems can also be DC3, DT1, DT2, DS2 exported downstream.

Restore degraded habitat Restoration of natural Damaged areas of the Main issue: Enhancement in the catchment areas upstream so they catchment can reduce Loss, fragmentation or can filter pollutants habitat and add weeds degradation of habitat and provide homes for and eroded sediment to Other issues: animals important to the creeks and lakes. DT1, VW3, VF3, VR3 the estuary (e.g. birds).

Monitor key wetlands Early detection of Wetlands would fail No active monitoring Symptom for signs they are being problems prevents allowing sediments and management of damaged longterm degradation and and nutrients to pass important wetlands loss of important runoff through, degrading more filters and linking habitat habitats downstream through smothering and weed invasion

Control damaging Sensitive places get Important areas of the Main Issue: Cause activities in sensitive sufficient protection so estuary may be damaged Human disturbance parts of the estuary they can be managed beyond recovery. & built structures can for future generations. threaten sensitive habitats. Other Issues: DT1, DS1, VE3, VE4

Learn how changes to Better understanding of Existing environmental Insufficient understanding Cause flow in the rivers affect whether environmental flow regime will remain of riverine ecological plants and animals in flows in rivers will help processes and riverine * Full explantation of the the estuary the estuary and creeks water quality to inform addressed issues can be found environmental flow in the Tuggerah Lakes Estuary management WF5, VR5 Management Study (2005).

Snapshot of the Tuggerah Lakes Estuary Management Plan 19 Socio-economic Action Plan

Issues The Tuggerah Lakes provide An important goal of this relationship should be us with important visual and action plan is to provide improved because the estuary recreational opportunities facilities that bring people back can provide many business and also have considerable to the estuary foreshores and opportunities, which we should commercial value as a fishery, waterways. These facilities encourage where they will not a source of cooling water for will include better boat ramps, harm the environment. power generators, and as a playgrounds and landscaped tourist attraction. While Wyong picnic and BBQ areas. At the Enhancing Shire Council has, in the past, same time the condition of provided public amenities such the lakes beaches need to be socio-economic as foreshore parks, beaches, improved with the focus on values in boat-launching ramps, picnic beach nourishment and areas, walking tracks, bicycle cleaning. New initiatives, such Tuggerah Lakes tracks, etc., new facilities are as providing a cycle/walking Over the next 5 years a required to meet the increasing track around one or more of “Socio-Economic Action Team” needs of a rapidly growing the individual lakes, may also consisting of Business Leaders, population. In future, targets be considered. Wyong Shire Council, NSW need to be set for the expansion One problem that the Department of Natural of important facilities around Management Study found Resources, Hunter-Central the lakes including additional was a lack of communication Rivers Catchment Management facilities for recreation without between Council, as the Authority, Community Groups impacting on important estuary manager, and local and the Estuary Management ecological and rehabilitation business. This essential Committee/Advisory Board, Photo (above): Andrew Rowland areas. will be set up to oversee the Photo (below): Julie Garratley implementation of the action plan to achieve these goals:

1. Improve recreational facilities around the lakes and creeks Because the lakes are such an important recreational resource, some public money must be allocated to providing better facilities for lake users. The aim is to attract more visitors to the lakes, rather than just provide basic amenities. Annual expenditure on maintenance will not only continue, but should be increased to cater for new facilities.

20 Snapshot of the Tuggerah Lakes Estuary Management Plan Locations of Socio-economic Programmes

Lake Munmorah Baths Elizabeth Bay Spring Creek Elizabeth Bay Beach San Remo LLakee MunmorMuununmorunmomorrah Budgewoi Wallarah Creek Edgewater Park Sailing Club

Gorokan Budgewoi Sandmass Warnervale BudgewoiBuddgdgewggeewwoi Laakekek Fish Co-op Toukley Aquatic Club Kanwal Toukley

Canton Beach

Wyong River Norah Head Rocky Pt

Tuggerah Bay Tuggergerggeerraahh LLaakek Ourimbah Creek Water Recreation Areas Chittaway Bay Boating Areas Picnic Point Boat Ramp Upgrades Berkeley Vale Entrance Channel The Beach Nourishment Sailing Club Entrance Dredging Locations Tumbi Creek Improved Recreational Facilities Long Jetty New Toilets & Washing Facilities Saltwater Creek Bateau Bay

Snapshot of the Tuggerah Lakes Estuary Management Plan 21 Programs specific to this 3. Set sustainable targets 4. Maintain creek mouths 5. Maintain flow through goal are: for development for navigation and the entrance • Provision of better facilities Most people would agree that water flow As mentioned earlier, the in foreshore recreation there must be a limit to the Sediments naturally health of the Tuggerah Lakes areas. This will be done impacts that the environment accumulate in estuaries, but, system depends to a large in consultation with the can take from human activities as mentioned earlier, our extent on the balance between community to ensure that before it collapses. Put another activities in the catchment have fresh water flowing in from the appropriate facilities that way, the environment has a made the problem worse by catchment and seawater people actually want and limited capacity to carry people increasing the amounts and brought in through the will use, are provided. because resources are limited. rate of sediment washed down entrance by tides. Many will The idea of a “carrying into the creeks and through know that there are no strong • Maintain foreshore capacity” is easy to understand stormwater. The build-up of tidal currents in most places recreation areas and in principle, but it’s very sediment causes shoaling in in the Lakes. Apart from this, beaches difficult to measure, which is the mouth of creeks, which can research elsewhere in New 2. Provide estuary-positive probably why it doesn’t feature affect water quality, flooding South Wales has shown that business opportunities prominently in regional and the ecology of the lower coastal lakes that are generally planning. Difficult or not, reaches. It also creates a open have a greater amount The aim here is to work with identifying the likely carrying significant navigation problem. and diversity of special animals business in order to provide capacity of the estuary is a key that are important for breaking opportunities and seek co- Substantial funding allocations part of estuary management. down nutrients in the operative solutions to problems. need to be made to keep The best management plan will sediments. It might be surprising to hear tributary creeks open. This be of little use if the demands that we have very little may be done with a 5-year With this in mind, the current made on the system are simply information on the needs of rolling plan to offset the program of dredging the too much for it. estuary-based business and enormous cost of obtaining entrance should be maintained historically, business proposals An attempt should be made to approval for dredging which with a modest increase in and activities have not been work out the carrying capacity is presently done on a case- funds to allow an assessment considered in estuary of the Tuggerah system, both to by-case basis. It’s also worth of the impact of dredging on management. This is inform regional planning and noting that other management the biological processes in particularly true of tourism to identify potential additional initiatives, aimed at stabilising the lakes. This will enable us where we need better capacity that we could get the banks of creeks, would to tailor the dredging program information on tourists’ through good environmental help to reduce the need for so that it has the greatest activities, motivations and practices. frequent dredging. beneficial effect on the system. expectations. A business group The relevant program is to could be set up to provide a ensure development is based forum for discussing lakes- on sustainable catchment and based business activities and estuary management principles. opportunities within the context of sustainable environmental management.

Photo: Andrew Rowland

22 Snapshot of the Tuggerah Lakes Estuary Management Plan Socio-economic Action Plan summary

Target Benefits of meeting Risks of doing Estuary Fixing a symptom/ the target nothing Management Study cause or providing issues addressed* an enhancement

Provide better facilities Encourage the Lack of community Main Issue: Enhancement in foreshore recreation community to take pride ownership, pride and Existing community (addressing symptoms) areas in the estuary and gain support. Continued perceptions about an appreciation of how negative perceptions. estuarine health. healthy it is. Other issues: SP5, SP1

Maintain foreshore Ongoing provision of New facilities/monies are Some existing Enhancement recreation areas and good beach conditions not managed recreational facilities beaches and facilities. People require upgrading will continue to use the recreational areas in the long-term.

Develop partnerships Opportunities for Business is not a partner Main Issue: Cause with business to solve business that are also and so opportunities are Little understanding of common problems and good for, and encourage lost to solve common what existing industries improve economic more use of, the problems and encourage need from estuary opportunities catchment and the compatible business Other Issues: estuary. LA1, LA2, LD2, LS1, WE3, WP1, DC1, DC3

Ensure development is New development will Estuary may pass critical Main Issue: Cause based on sustainable be compatible with long- threshold and turn No ecologically catchment and estuary term estuary health. eutrophic again, resulting sustainable target for management principles Understanding the limits in degradation of existing catchment development will give more certainty estuarine and creek Other Issues: to development habitat SC1, VF2, SC2, DF3, SE2, SE3, LS3, WF1

Maintain creek mouths Creek mouths remain Excess sedimentation Main Issues: Symptom for navigation and open for boating and to can produce an Risk of flooding water flow allow water flow to and increased flood risk, Sedimentation, weirs, from the estuary navigation hazards drains and river and reduced flow crossings can create migration barriers and affect natural flows WP2, WF2

Maintain current flows Minimise flood risks, Potential for loss of Main Issue: Enhancement through the entrance allows exchange of ocean tourism, and small Risk of flooding * Full explantation of the water and provides a potential for an increase Other Issues: addressed issues can be found tourist attraction. in flood risk in the Tuggerah Lakes Estuary WE6 Management Study (2005).

Snapshot of the Tuggerah Lakes Estuary Management Plan 23 Knowledge and Management Action Plan

Issues The earlier Process and An adaptive Programs specific to this Management Studies brought goal are: together what we know about management • Identify, set up and assist how the Tuggerah Lakes approach an entity that could Estuary works and provided a implement this Plan sound basis for this Estuary A “Knowledge and Management Plan. However as Management Action Team”, • Develop strategies for indicated earlier, those studies made up of representatives of obtaining ongoing funding also made it obvious that there Wyong Shire Council, NSW • Develop reporting is much that we don’t know. We Department of Natural mechanisms need to devote some of our Resources, Hunter-Central resources to filling those gaps Rivers Catchment Management 2. Learn more about key in our knowledge and Authority, Community Groups processes in the estuary understanding of the system, and the Estuary Management There will always be new so that management achieves Committee/Advisory Board, issues and questions that arise the environmental and social will be set up to oversee the that need to be understood and outcomes that we desire. implementation of the action managed. That’s why it’s Another reason to continually plan to achieve these goals: necessary to allocate resources acquire knowledge about the to continual gathering of system is that things change. 1. Establish an estuary knowledge about the system. The environment changes over management unit This goal is important because time; social and economic Managing a system as large as it will fill gaps in our conditions change and Tuggerah Lakes is complicated knowledge and support management must be quick to and requires the co-ordinated adaptive management, keeping adapt in order to remain efforts of all sections of Council it focussed and effective in the effective. and a number of government long term. High priority and non-government questions that need answering Council, in partnership with organisations. To make sure over the next 5 years include universities, could devote a this goes smoothly, an how freshwater flows from the modest amount of funds to estuarine management unit catchment interact with the filling gaps in our knowledge will be set up to co-ordinate estuarine waters. Which is of the system to support this implementation of the Plan. more important to the adaptive management. This The unit would be responsible functioning of the system, knowledge will also be passed for preparation and continual stormwater flows on to the community through implementation of the annual or occasional big floods from public information programs. action plans. Most importantly, rivers? How much freshwater Knowledge is important, the activities of this unit will does the system need? but we also need an effective be transparent and it would be management structure to carry accessible to the community. out the Plan. Other coastal Setting this unit up is councils have found that setting considered to be one of the up an estuary management main priorities for the Plan, unit within Council, that can because this will get the ball focus on the health of the rolling. estuary, is a good way to deliver effective management.

Photo: Andrew Rowland

24 Snapshot of the Tuggerah Lakes Estuary Management Plan Locations of Knowledge and Management Programmes

Elizabeth Bay Spring Creek

San Remo LLake Munmorunmorah Wallarah Creek Budgewoi

Budgewoi Sandmass Gorokan Warnervale Budgewoidgewoiwoi Lakek

Kanwal Toukley

Wyong River Norah Head Rocky Pt

Tuggerah Bay TuggerTuggerah Lake Ourimbah Creek

Chittaway Bay

Berkeley Vale The Impact of sea-level rise Entrance Research mixing of freshwater flow Tumbi Creek Long River ecology and environmental flows Jetty Ecological impact of entrance opening Saltwater Creek Bateau Bay

Snapshot of the Tuggerah Lakes Estuary Management Plan 25 Other important questions 3. Develop partnerships 4. Keeping you informed education resources to provide include how healthy is the lake with universities about the estuary and accurate and up-to-date fishery?; can the plants and Wyong Shire Council has used its management information so that you are animals in the system give us the expertise of local The estuary is a very valuable properly informed about how an early warning of changes universities for many years. resource and we must be kept your estuary is doing. To help in its ecology?; how will a rise The goal is to formalise this informed of its condition, the this along, Council staff should in sea level affect the system? relationship so that the best problems facing it and receive appropriate training in Answers to questions like academic expertise can be management issues. It is estuary management so that these will determine how and brought to bear on difficult important to know how our there will be a consistent where resources are allocated estuary management problems. money is being spent and approach across all of Council. for environmental In this way innovative solutions about the successes and management. can be found with relatively failures of management actions minor funding by Council. The and how management is Council could take the adapting in response to these. initiative in identifying The Management Study made academic institutions with it clear that there are still appropriate expertise in many misconceptions about environmental management the health of the system. The and establishing partnerships estuary unit will use Council’s with them over the short term.

Photo (above): Andrew Rowland

26 Snapshot of the Tuggerah Lakes Estuary Management Plan Knowledge and Management Action Plan summary

Target Benefits of meeting Risks of doing Estuary Fixing a symptom/ the target nothing Management Study cause or providing issues addressed* an enhancement

Identify and assist Single independent Estuary funds could be Main Issue: Cause the organisation who entity responsible for redistributed to other Community scepticism will manage and implementing the EMP Council needs. Projects about estuarine implement the estuary and creating more may not be as targeted knowledge, management management plan transparency/ to estuarine outcomes, intentions and accountability or subject to rigorous management approach. evaluation. Other Issues: KG2, KG1

Develop strategies Catchment and estuarine Many of the important Main Issue: Cause for securing ongoing management can provide catchment management Lack of funding and catchment and estuary ongoing outcomes. projects will never be resourcing for further management funding funded or undertaken work on key management questions Other Issues: LS4

Continue to learn about Estuary will always be Expensive options/actions Main Issue: Cause how key parts of the managed using the best may be misdirected or Understanding of key lakes work so that they available information and have no effect estuarine processes is can be managed better therefore funds will be not complete spent wisely Other Issue: KG3, WH1

Develop partnerships Cost-effective way of Application of incorrect Main Issue: Enhancement with universities to get accessing high quality, or inappropriate Difficult to fund and innovative approaches best practice information technology that creates resourcing further studies to catchment and on new ways of problems and wastes into estuarine processes, estuary management managing the catchment funds. health trends, and key and estuary. management questions Other Issue: KG3

Provide the community Community that is in The community will Main Issue: Cause with up to date touch with the estuary not be able to hold Community are not information on the and able to offer good Council/estuarine actively informed through estuary feedback on estuarine manager accountable – the most effective media management actions and their opinions will be channels priorities less relevant if they are Other issues: based on outdated or KC1, SP4, KC2, KC3 inaccurate information

* Full explantation of the addressed issues can be found in the Tuggerah Lakes Estuary Management Study (2005).

Snapshot of the Tuggerah Lakes Estuary Management Plan 27 Consulting with all stakeholders

At all stages of the Estuary and a number of field day Management Plan, stakeholders sessions held around the lakes have been invited to provide to discuss the Plan one-on-one. input. During the early stages Council received a number of of the Plan State Agencies, submissions from the Council staff, local businesses community, local business, and community groups were State Agencies and other local involved in workshop groups to governments. These help direct the preparation of submissions were considered the Plan. In addition, open days and all relevant suggestions were held at local shopping have been incorporated into centres. Once the Plan had the Final Plan. been prepared to draft stage, it was put on public exhibition

Photo (above): Andrew Rowland

Timeline: The NSW Estuary Management Process

YOU ARE HERE!

1997 1997 – 2001 2001 2002 – 2005 2005 2006 2006 Present Future Wyong Biological Public Develop Public Develop Public Review Regular Council’s and physical exhibition of management exhibition management exhibition community monitoring Estuary information the Estuary objectives of Estuary actions and of Estuary comments. and review Management collected. Process and options. Management costs. Management of outcomes. Publish final Committee Study. Study. Plan. Public plan. set up. Public Public comment comment comment invited. invited. invited.

28 Snapshot of the Tuggerah Lakes Estuary Management Plan What happens now?

We value The most important part of How to contact us the Plan happens now – the your comments implementation. Over the next Wyong Shire Council 5 years, the actions listed in Siân Fawcett each of the Action Plans will Senior Natural Resources be considered by the working Officer – Aquatic Resource groups and put into action Management around the estuary and in the catchment. As the owners 43505506 of the Plan, you, the local [email protected] community have a role to play Department of in ensuring that the Estuary Natural Resources Management Plan produces the outcomes that you want Neil Kelleher for your estuary, so please Senior Natural Resource stay involved! Officer – Coastal, Estuary and Floodplain Engineer, You can also find information Strategy and Planning, about the Tuggerah Lakes Hunter Region (Gosford) Estuary Process Study, Tuggerah Lakes Estuary 43377313 Management Study and [email protected] the Tuggerah Lakes Estuary Management Plan on Wyong Council’s website: www.wyong.nsw.gov.aus

Snapshot of the Tuggerah Lakes Estuary Management Plan 29