Tallebudgera Creek Catchment

The Tallebudgera Creek catchment occupies an area of 9770 hectares and extends from the Springbrook plateau in the west, to the Pacific Ocean in the east. Approximately 27 kilometres in length, Tallebudgera Creek flows from southeast to northwest and discharges to the ocean immediately south of Burleigh Headland.

The lower tidal sections of Tallebudgera Creek are vegetated with mangroves, saltmarsh and coastal forest (e.g. coast she-oak, melaleuca) communities. These vegetation communities often occur as narrow, discontinuous patches and are severely threatened by weed invasion and adjacent land use activities (e.g. parks, urban development). The section of creek immediately downstream of the Pacific Motorway (M1) bridge is managed by the Department of Environment and Science (DES) as a conservation park – Tallebudgera Creek Conservation Park.

Riparian vegetation along the lower and middle freshwater reaches of Tallebudgera Creek have been extensively cleared for past land use practices. Narrow patches of forest red gum and river she-oak forest and rainforest remain in some areas. However, these areas generally exhibit poor condition and contain high densities of weed species such as camphor laurel (Cinnamomum camphora). Scattered patches of rainforest, wet sclerophyll and river she-oak are also present in the upstream reaches of the creek.

For information on the health of the Tallebudgera-Currumbin catchment area, view its report card at Healthy Land and Water.

To find out more about how you can become involved in caring for your catchment, why not consider volunteering in your catchment? Visit the Watergum website to find out how to get involved.

For further information and advice please contact us.