Areas of Mudgeeraba Creek in the Gold Coast hinterland are set to be restored by a local community group after a grant was awarded by the Queensland Government.
Environment Minister Andrew Powell and Member for Mudgeeraba Ros Bates saw firsthand how the Government’s Everyone’s Environment Grants were helping communities like Mudgeeraba during a visit to the site of Austinville Landcare’s creekside restoration work.
“Austinville Landcare received $35,900 through our Everyone’s Environment Grants program earlier this year to help them enhance sections of Mudgeeraba Creek,” Mr Powell said.
“The work community groups do for our environment is absolutely invaluable, and it’s great to see this funding already being put to good use to protect the Mudgeeraba Creek catchment.
“This creek is one of Mudgeeraba’s many natural assets and I know that cleaning up Mudgeeraba Creek is very important to Ros Bates.
“That’s why I’m committed to working with her to find a way for Mudgeeraba Creek to be cleaned up for the enjoyment of local families and future generations.”
Ms Bates said the hinterland was full of many natural wonders for locals and visitors to enjoy.
“It’s great to have Minister Powell in Mudgeeraba so he can see how important Mudgeeraba Creek is to our community and the work Austinville Landcare is doing to protect it,” Ms Bates said.
“I’ve made it clear to the Minister and others in Government that cleaning up Mudgeeraba Creek is one of my most important local priorities.
“Mudgeeraba is the green behind the gold that locals and visitors alike can explore and enjoy and it’s important we work together to keep it that way.
“That’s why it’s great to see this community group working hard to protect sections of the creek from erosion and weeds.”
Austinville Landcare member Michael Hanns said the Everyone’s Environment Grants program was invaluable in keeping creekside restoration work going.
“Our group has been active since 2005 but it’s only with the help of the Government that we’ve been able to keep stopping the spread of invasive weeds to the Mudgeeraba Creek catchment and stabilise the creek bank from erosion and runoff,” Mr Hanns said.
“Our grant has enabled us to purchase trees and hire environmental contractors to carry out work that would have been impossible only using our unpaid volunteers.
“As a community group, it can be hard to stay on top of the work involved but with our Everyone’s Environment Grant, we’ve not only kept our work going but in fact expanded it.”