Bottom-breathing turtles and fish with one lung: Unique species thriving in one of Australia's most intriguing rivers
In 2009, the then federal environment minister Peter Garrett effectively blocked the dam on the grounds that it posed an unacceptable risk to threatened species such as the Australian Lungfish, the Mary River Turtle and the Mary River Cod."It's quite unique in this part of Australia, this central eastern part of Australia, not to have a big dam," says Professor Mark Kennard, from Griffith University's Australian Rivers Institute.
Ecologists, community groups and traditional owners have teamed up to explore every bend and twist of the Mary River.And documenting the current state of the Mary is an essential first step in putting together a comprehensive protection and rehabilitation plan."I'm surprised at how good some parts of the habitat is, and how bad some of the habitat is," says Tom Espinoza.Erosion is a problem for the Mary River.
The scars from last year's record-breaking flood are clear to see, with widespread scouring and loss of topsoil.The sediment from erosion along the banks of the Mary River ends up in the catchment of the Great Barrier Reef."There's been a lot of clearing – clearing right up to the banks." Community groups such as The Mary River Catchment Coordination Committee say it's essential to document which rehabilitation programs are working best.
"Over the past 20 years many landholders have been rehabilitating their riverbanks, with tree-planting and weed control, which were clearly evident during the canoe-based assessment," a committee report says.Scientists are tracking rare and endangered species as well as feral species.
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