About twenty years ago my parents moved from Eden, New South Wales up to the tropical north east of Australia to Hervey Bay. I’ve been coming here every year since then and I’m here now.
While I haven’t explored the area that much, having only a bicycle to get around on, I have explored the foreshore trees by means of the wonderful bicycle track that runs for about 5 miles along the coastline. These magnificent trees are the remnants of native woodland that once covered the entire area.
Magnificent Queensland Blue Gum growing along the foreshore at Hervey Bay
Over the years I’ve watched as the bicycle track has been built and extended; new playground areas developed; paved picnic areas; new toilet blocks; garden beds and other landscaping; resting seats; rubbish collection areas; and recently even fitness equipment.
The cycle path along the foreshore weaves its way through the trees
Many thousands of local people and visitors frequent the foreshore every year. It’s always a hub of activity, especially near the main restaurant/shopping areas, and I’ve marveled at the way the trees and natural areas have been protected and how they have survived such constant crowds of people and pets. The trees are given priority as the main feature. I suppose in this climate that’s understandable. When it gets hot here, it gets REALLY hot. Shade is vital for the people who come to enjoy the area.
Children playing in one of the enclosed play areas in the shade of a big fig tree on the foreshore.
However, twenty years ago, when I first started coming here, I was concerned that the majority of trees now stood on their own. The shrub layer that no doubt included naturally regenerating young trees and the whole spectrum of native plants, had been removed and the trees were growing on bare lawn. I know from experience that bare ground or lawn under trees spells their eventual decline and that the end result over time would be a very exposed foreshore. I noticed tree planting had been carried out in some places, but again, experience tells me that planted trees will not stand up to the kind of storms that the Hervey Bay area often gets. Only naturally occurring trees have the track record to stand up to tropical storms and cyclones, as occur in these parts.
Native trees regenerating in the fenced Restoration Area
So to my foresters eye, by far the most impressive recent development has been the addition of a newly erected fence that has been beautifully signed “Restoration Area”. I’ve watched each year since the fence went up with keen interest to see if the bare ground beneath the trees would show signs of forest regeneration. Sure enough, after only about three years, there are now thousands of small saplings starting to appear and the whole area within the fence is taking on the look of a lush, natural forest.
I was so excited this year to see what a success it has been that I contacted the Fraser Coast Regional Council and asked to meet whoever was in charge of this project of forest restoration. To my delight Coastal Management Officer Rod Buchanan and Community Environment Officer Chris McCarthy agreed to meet me on site. They were able to answer a lot of my questions and we had a really interesting conversation about the ingenuity of nature in perpetuating and caring for forests. Chris visited Ireland a few years back and he did some voluntary work with Conservation Volunteers Northern Ireland. He told me that he had been quite startled to find out that Ireland’s native woodlands were down to 1.2%.
Rod Buchanan and Chris McCarthy standing in knee high Coastal Cypress Pine seedings
Meeting on site meant that I could find out what the different species were and also learn more about what nature was up to within these small strips of forest. There it all was to see, laid out for us to learn from. The very same forest dynamic can be observed here intropical Queensland as what I’ve seen throughout European close-to-nature forests. 1) A gap in the canopy. 2) In come the pioneer species, naturally regenerating. 3) Followed by sub-climax and climax species. 4) The cycle is repeated ad infinitum.
A carpet of Coastal Cypress Pine seedlings with one fast growing Queensland Blue Gum (Eucalyptus tereticornis) shooting up towards the light. .
I still get so excited to see this orderly system of regeneration and renewal occurring. The sheer brilliance of Nature compared to the clumsy attempt of the human being. Simple yet complex. Seemingly chaotic, yet utterly ordered and in sequence. How is it that we still get the whole thing so messed up when the example of how to do it is laid out by the expert for any eye to see?
Of course Chris and Rod also pointed out the drawbacks they’re having with this project that hadn’t occurred to me. Mainly in the form of complaints from the public. People see the fence and are worried that they won’t have full access to the beach. Some think it’s a backward step letting all this ‘scrub and rubbish’ grow back in parts of the foreshore. Some complain that it will harbour snakes and other native wildlife. Others just think it looks neglected and that it is the Regional Council’s way of cutting back costs on mowing and landscaping. Of course as these complaints come in to the Council Office, it puts pressure on Rod and Chris and there is even talk that the project could be scrapped.
I had already written a letter about the success of the exclusion areas into the local papers complimenting the Regional Council on their farsighted approach to foreshore protection. Don’t know what else I can do except give encouragement to the two lads to whom the project obviously means a great deal.
For twenty years I’ve been coming here to visit my parents, and each time I’ve witnessed destruction of trees and nature on a fairly massive scale. This small fenced in area that excludes human activity and allows a tiny space for nature to do its thing is the only positive sign I’ve seen of hope for a more balanced approach.
I remember reading a few years ago in the local paper that Hervey Bay was the fastest growing area in Australia. Read that last line again so that it really sinks in. Can you even begin to imagine the impact that has had on nature, – on trees and wildlife?
Australian magpie, two butcher birds and a noisy minor. The wild birds are learning to adapt to a built up environment. They've suffered massive habitat loss in the last 20 years.
Given the chance, I know in time these fenced forest areas will more than prove their worth to the local houses and businesses along the foreshore for the shade and protection they offer. – And of course they are already becoming little mini-sancturaries for the local wildlife that has suffered such habitat loss throughout the area as Hervey Bay’s population has grown so rapidly in recent times.
Brightly coloured lorikeet. Their wild and raucous song fills the air at dusk as they flock into the foreshore trees to roost each evening.
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