The City of Devonport is located on the Mersey River in the heart of the north west coast of Tasmania. Efforts by Council and the community, have seen the incorporation of lush natural environments into new recreation areas.
Parklands, established along the Mersey Estuary, along the whole coastal foreshore and in the Don River valley contain a cycling/walking track linking many of the City’s recreational facilities. The first environmental project in 2000/2001, the Mary Street Wetlands, saw the successful rehabilitation of a remnant urban wetlands.
“The wetlands had been subjected to the deposition of fill material, largely by Council, for some time greatly reducing its scale and its ecological integrity,” said Council’s Manager Infrastructure Services, Don Anderson.
Cooperation between local residents and Council resulted in the establishment of a steering committee, the employment of a full Greencorps team and a Friends group. Community involvement included local primary and secondary students, the adjacent Melaleuca Home for the Aged and local residents.
Winner of a State Tidy Towns environmental award in 2001, the wetlands now boasts regeneration of native plants, four species of frogs and various bird life. It is the habitat for the migratory Green and Gold frog known to have historically inhabited the local area. Walking tracks, boardwalks and an open pond have seen the transformation from grassland to an enriched diverse habitat.
“Vandalism over the past two years has been minimal with local residents providing stewardship,” Don Anderson said. “Monthly working bees by the Friends group have seen new native plantings and ongoing weed control. The wetlands showcases the cooperation between Council and local residents/school children in providing a local environmental focus for local residents and visitors to enjoy. It now provides an educative benefit in both a ‘hands on’ learning experience and in encouraging a growth of interest and appreciation for the natural environment.”
For further information, contact John Molnar, Council’s Environmental Planner, on (03) 6424 0551
