Coomera River Group

The Gold Coast's beautiful natural environment allows us to enjoy a lifestyle like no other city. You can play an active part in keeping it this way by joining the Coomera River Group.

The Coomera River Group comprises local residents from all areas of the catchment. They take part in a variety of volunteer activities to protect the river's environmental values. Such activities include:

• identifying and controlling weeds
• identifying and encouraging native species
• maintaining your site
• planting native trees where required.

Current project

The group are currently working in partnership with our NaturallyGC Volunteer Landcare Program. They are restoring a one-kilometre section of the Coomera River at Regatta Waters Park.

The Oxenford family cleared and farmed the site during the 1950s. Developers owned the land until recently. Regatta Waters Park was dedicated to Council in 2006. Since then its use has been as a grazing licence through Council.

A master plan is being developed for the park. In time, it will house sports fields, pathways and a community hub area. The group will help with the planting of over 70,000 trees at the park.

The key actions by the group include:

• community planting days
• engaging local residents to become involved
• water quality monitoring (undertaken in partnership with Watergum).

Site aims:

• Help Council restore a one-kilometre stretch of the Coomera River at Regatta Waters park. This will also enhance environmental, aesthetic and recreational values
• Encourage active community involvement and ownership of Regatta Waters Park
• Promote growth of existing native species by controlling weeds
• Provide learning opportunities for local landholders in ecological restoration
• Increase community awareness about significant conservation values and management issues of this area
• Protect river bank from erosion where possible through revegetation and assisted regeneration
• Improve and increase habitat opportunities for native wildlife
• Improve the health of Coomera River and associated wetlands of Regatta Waters Park
• Restore and improve the structure of the existing native vegetation within the park
• Provide opportunities for the community to connect with other like-minded people

You can see the progress of the site by viewing our 360 degree aerial Google maps.

Other projects

Waterhen Lake in Russell Hinze Park, Oxenford, provides a nature refuge and habitat for waterbirds. It also receives storm water from the surrounding catchment. The freshwater lake has a history of algal blooms and Salvinia (a declared water weed) outbreaks. The group played a part in the Waterhen Lake Restoration Project.

The group also assist with waterway health monitoring in tributaries such as:

• Clagiraba Creek
• Yaun Creek
• Wongawallen Creek
• Guanaba Creek
• Coomera River.