
Seqwater South Maroochy RiverCare program
South Maroochy RiverCare

Fencing, Revegetation, Weed control, Erosion control & Off-source watering points
ECOllaboration and Seqwater have partnered with eligible landholders over the past six years to deliver environmental projects on private properties to improve water quality and riparian ecosystems within the South Maroochy River catchment.
Through Seqwater funding, ECOllaboration can provide technical advice, project management and organisation of contractors to undertake activities on your property that improve the health of your land, stock and our waterways. The South Maroochy Rivercare program improves source water quality by delivering on-ground works that focus on three areas: sustainable agricultural practices, revegetation and weed control.

Sustainable Agriculture
One of the greatest threats to water quality is nutrient and pathogen loads entering waterways. Livestock, particularly cattle, are major contributors for microscopic pathogens – such as E. coli and Giardia – entering waterways. This poses a risk not only to the safety of drinking water, but to the health of livestock.
Our Rivercare program focuses on minimising access to source water through installation of stock exclusion fencing and off-source watering points. We provide property assessments to create multi-year best practice management plans in conjunction with the landholder.

Revegetation
Sedimentation is another key risk to water quality. This program aims to revegetate areas within the catchment that have a high risk of increasing sediment runoff. Areas of focus are along watercourses and steep areas that are a landslide risk.
Revegetation works include weed management of the area, assisted natural regeneration and maintenance of revegetation works.

Weed Control
A key component of maintaining a healthy river ecosystem and water quality is weed management, particularly transformer weeds that have the potential to outcompete native vegetation, reduce recruitment of native species and bring down native canopy. Transformer weeds within our catchment are Madeira vine, Cat’s Claw Creeper and Chinese Celtis.
As part of this partnership program, any property within the South Maroochy catchment that has an infestation of the listed transformer weeds may be eligible for free weed control.

Education & Community Connection
A core outcome of the South Maroochy Rivercare program is increasing landholder awareness and opportunity to education about best practice management of their property.
Our Rivercare program provides farm plans that involve high landholder engagement, which is supported through technical advice from ECOllaboration project officers.
We also support education through hosting educational workshops, and encourage creating connections with other landholders to share their best practice tips and foster greater community within their local catchment.
Am I eligible?
This program is open to landholders whose properties sit within the South Maroochy Catchment, which encompasses Kiamba, Cooloolabin, Yandina, Image Flat, Highworth, Kureelpa and Mapleton.
Eligibility is based on the property’s proximity to water source, land management practices and evidence of erosion or transformer weeds, alongside the landholder’s willingness to participate.
Benefits to joining
If eligible, landholders who become a part of this partnership program can receive multi-year funding and assistance in implementing on-ground works that achieve improved land management and water quality in the catchment. Some benefits to joining this program include:
- Increase the value of your property.
- Increase the water quality on your property and within the catchment.
- Increased resilience to climate change and adverse weather events.
- Increased productivity of your farm.
- Enhanced visual amenity.
- Reduced risk of livestock disease and infection.
- Enhance natural vegetation and biodiversity.
- Encourage native habitat for local animals.
- Increase community connections through landholder workshops and property visits.
- Increased streambank stability, reduced sediment and nutrient runoff.
How to get involved
If your property sits along a creekline within the South Maroochy Catchment and you have concerns about the health of your property, we may be able to help! Contact us today to find out more about the program or arrange a free property visit.
Email: francesca@ecollaboration.org.au
Mobile:
Phone: (07) 5476 4777

About the South Maroochy catchment
The South Maroochy catchment extends for 89.4km2, and is a sub-catchment of the Maroochy catchment which houses the headwaters of the South Maroochy River, as well as Rocky Creek, Rock of Ages Creek and Echidna Creek. These waterways feed into Cooloolabin Dam, Wappa Dam – whose water is treated at the Image Flat Water Treatment Plant (WTP) – and Poona dam, which provides short term storage before being treated and distributed as drinking water throughout the region.
Seqwater is responsible for providing safe and secure drinking water supply across South East Queensland through management of catchments, dams, and climate resilient water sources. Key threats to water quality include increased pathogens from livestock, risk of landslip and erosion, increased sediment runoff during wet weather events, and poor riparian health due to increased invasive species.
By managing threats posed to water quality, the cost of water treatment for safe drinking water supply is greatly reduced, creating cost-savings per household for water supply. Furthermore, the health of our catchment is greatly increased, alongside the health and value of your property and livestock.
Photos of our works









