Marom and Chilcotts Creeks

Marom and Chilcotts Creeks Restoration Project

Completed 2019 - 2022

Ballina Shire Council in partnership Bushland Restoration Services, five local landholders and funding from the NSW Government’s Environmental Trust have successfully completed a three-year rehabilitation project during 2019 - 2021 that has involved the restoration of six hectares of nationally threatened Big Scrub Lowland Subtropical Rainforest (an Endangered Ecological Community) along two waterways in the Ballina Shire - Marom Creek and Chilcotts Creek. Extra rehabilitation works were undertaken in June 2022 to remediate damage from flooding at the site.

Project activities included development of site plans for 6 hectares of creek front land over five privately owned properties, targeted weed control, the planting of 37 species of native plants with over 7,500 individual plants, as well as stock exclusion fencing to protect new plantings and riparian areas.

The private landholders involved in this project, along with their friends and families contributed enormously to this project, undertaking weed control, watering and maintenance of fencing, with over 1,270 combined volunteer hours over the life of the project which has greatly assisted in the high survival rate of plantings at 95% and weed cover being reduced by 90% over the five sites.

Over the 3 years a total of $167,231 was spent on the project with $93,981 in funding contributed by the Environmental Trust, and a total of $73,250 contributed by local landowners in the form of volunteer labour, fencing, donated plant stock and in-kind contributions from Council.

The successful outcome of this project will enable positive ongoing environmental effects such as bank stabilisation, improved water quality through the catchment, increased habitat for two threatened species (the koala and Alberts’ Lyrebird), and enhancing connectivity of native vegetation corridors.

2019 Site A

2021 Site A

2019 Site B

2021 Site B

2019 Site C

2021 Site C