Logan Rivers and Wetlands Recovery Plan 2014–2024 MESSAGES Mayor’s Message The waterways that connect the City of Logan The Logan Rivers and Wetlands Recovery Plan play a pivotal role in supporting our community’s 2014-2024 (the Plan) has been developed in liveability and quality of life. direct consultation with the Logan community. It represents a shared commitment to the recovery of Long term, the health of our waterways and our waterways and a more integrated approach to wetlands is central to ensuring a variety of catchment management. ecosystem services, such as recreational opportunities, rural productivity and our unique We would like to personally thank the Logan ecosystems into the future. community for their commitment to the recovery of Logan’s waterways.” Council recognises the importance of working with the community to improve the health of our waterways and wetlands and the importance of developing a whole-of-catchment approach underpinned by strong community partnerships. Acting Mayor Cherie Dalley City of Logan 2 LOGAN RIVERS AND WETLANDS RECOVERY PLAN 2014–2024 * Front cover photo: Albert River, Bannockburn CONTENTS Setting the scene 4 What is river recovery — Our Vision 6 Our creek our river our city 8 Strategic fit 10 Why we need the recovery plan 12 How did we develop the recovery plan? 14 Our values 16 Our strategic outcomes 18 Investing in Logan’s river recovery journey 22 Our priorities – key areas of interest 24 Our implementation plan – achieving our vision 26 Reviewing and reporting 31 Acknowledgements 31 3 SETTING THE SCENE The waterways* that connect the City of Logan have To the local Yugambeh, the Logan River was known integral social, economic and environmental values as Dugulumba. and are an important part of the city’s landscape. In 1826, Captain Logan explored the Logan River with Healthy waterways play a pivotal role in supporting a the early settlement of Logan Village leading to the community’s livability and are central to developing and growth of the river towns that stretched to Moreton sustaining a sense of place and community identity. Bay. The Logan River served the local timber and With historical and current land pressures on our agricultural industries and set the foundation for a waterways, it is essential we protect and enhance these thriving local economy. natural assets. Our waterways continue to play an important role for It is important to acknowledge the significant role of local businesses, industry, aquaculture, tourism and our waterways for traditional custodians - peoples of recreation in the city now and into the future. The the Yuggera and Yugambeh language groups - and in Logan Rivers and Wetlands Recovery Plan 2014- the establishment and growth of the early river towns 2024 (the Recovery Plan), informed and guided by and settlements. Logan’s waterways were once the ongoing community consultation sets the direction lifeblood of the community. Teeming with fish, crabs, for the rediscovery and recovery of Logan’s rivers and prawns, mussels and hundreds of edible plants, the wetlands with collaboration, community stewardship region’s waterways served as a rich resource for both and multiple outcomes at its core. the local Aboriginal people and the Europeans who later joined them. *The term waterways within the Recovery Plan will encompass wetlands, rivers & creeks. The Logan and Albert Rivers – A snapshot in time Logan and Albert river district occupied by Aboriginal people of the Yugambeh and Yuggera language groups 1826 1842 1849 1867 1887 1898 1947 Captain Patrick Timber cutting Agricultural Sugarcane Major flooding Stradbroke Island Major flooding Logan explores begins industry begins planting begins with the Loganlea breaks in two (Australia the Logan and with cattle grazing Railway Bridge resulting in massive Day) with the tidal changes in Albert rivers along the Logan washed away Waterford Bridge Moreton Bay and washed away and Albert rivers the Logan and Albert rivers 4 LOGAN RIVERS AND WETLANDS RECOVERY PLAN 2014–2024 The Logan and Albert Rivers – A snapshot in time. 1960’s 1974 1981 1987 2008 2011 2013 Rapid urban Major flooding Logan declared Aquaculture Queensland Local Logan Waterways Major flooding growth begins in (Australia Day) a City industry starts Government Summit – major (Australia Day) the city and sand amalgamations community extraction starts – Logan Council consultation acquires parts of process Beaudesert Shire and Gold Coast City Council 5 Logan River, Woodhill WHAT IS RIVER RECOVERY? OUR VISION Working together to support healthy rivers and wetlands that sustain Logan’s culture, lifestyle and livelihood. River recovery is Strategic about: outcomes: • Multiple and shared outcomes SOCIAL: Our community has increased 1 ownership and capacity to participate • Catchment collaboration and partnership in the ongoing stewardship of our local • Driving investment waterways • Delivering on-ground waterway improvement ECONOMIC: Logan’s catchments are actions 2 productive and sustainably managed and support diverse enterprise and function • Outcome evaluation and reporting ENVIRONMENTAL: The health and • Community consultation, engagement and 3 resilience of our waterway ecosystems participation has improved 6 LOGAN CITY’S RIVERS AND WETLANDS RECOVERY STRATEGY 2014–2024 Wetland Celebrate Ecosystem services Shared responsibility Ownership Resilience Stewardship Rehabilitation Diverse Community River Iconic identity SOCIAL ENVIRONMENTAL Sense of place RECOVERED Clean Community values Asset RIVERS & Activate protection Liveability WETLANDS Waterways Industry best Recreation practice Partnership Productive Community consultation and ECONOMIC Investment connection Efficiency Aquaculture Beautify Knowledge Nature based experiences Industry Preparing for growth Tourism Sustainable 7 OUR CREEK OUR RIVER OUR CITY The City of Logan is home to more than 300,000 Eagleby and together, they complete their journey in the people and celebrates more than 215 different southern end of the World Heritage-Listed Moreton Bay. cultures. Logan is also a very young city with The City of Logan also contains the headwaters of two around 50% of residents aged 30 or younger. other important waterway systems. In the north-west of Covering an area of 957 km2, 80% of which is Logan, the regionally significant wildlife corridor of Oxley classed as rural, semi-rural or conservation, Logan Creek flows north into the Brisbane River. While Tingalpa is a relatively green city that is home to an array of Creek in the east of Logan forms part of Redland’s freshwater and estuarine waterway environments. drinking water supply catchment. The Logan and Albert rivers are the two main An important feature of these catchments is the many waterways that traverse the city (Figure 1). The whole significant and diverse wetlands. Over 200 of these are catchment covers 3,862 km2 and five local government located within our parks for the community to visit. areas, making it one of the most dominant waterways in South East Queensland (SEQ). These ecosystems are complex and highly productive habitats and provide key ecological and hydrological The Logan and Albert rivers begin their journies in the functions such as biodiversity conservation, flood world heritage listed Gondwana Rainforests on the mitigation and water quality improvement. Wetlands are New South Wales/Queensland Border Ranges and also important from a recreation, aesthetic and cultural flow down through regionally significant floodplains heritage perspective. and wetlands. The Albert joins the Logan around Logan River, Carbrook 8 LOGAN RIVERS AND WETLANDS RECOVERY PLAN 2014–2024 Figure 1 The waterways and catchments of Logan City. 9 STRATEGIC FIT Integrating with existing local, regional, State and Federal programs and plans will ensure the Recovery Plan is effective, efficient and able to achieve multiple outcomes. Strategically, the Recovery Plan aligns with Council’s long-term corporate outcomes and strategic visions as outlined in Table 1 below. Table 1: Strategic alignment of the Recovery Plan. Strategic Strategic Strategy Document Level Link Logan City Corporate Plan 2013–2018 Corporate Plan Priority Priority: Building our Environment (E) E1 Enhance our rivers and wetlands with our community E2 Build our future wildlife corridors through vegetation, koala and water quality offsets and focussed community partnerships Priority: Building the Wellbeing of our Communities (WC) WC2 Ongoing priority for healthy and active lifestyle initiatives Logan City Environmental Health Plan Logan City Council strategic document Addressing environmental health issues of importance to the 2014–2017 community Logan Tourism Strategy 2012–2016 Logan City Council strategic document Enhancing tourism opportunities in the city Logan Recreational Trails Strategy Logan City Council strategic document Establishing identified recreational trails through the city 2010–2020 South East Queensland Regional Plan Desired regional outcomes and Measurable targets for the condition and extent of environment (2009–2031) policies and natural resources South East Queensland (SEQ) Natural Desired regional outcomes and Targets include restoring ecosystem health and ecological Resource Management (NRM) Plan policies processes to waterways and maintaining and increasing (2009–2031) wetland condition Queensland’s Ecotourism Plan Vision and strategic priorities Strategic priorities include facilitating investment into ecotourism (2013–2020) products and embracing a partnership