Launch - Long Jetty saltmarsh construction

Long Jetty foreshore will be the first site to benefit from Wyong Shire Council’s plan to restore some of the 85 per cent of saltmarsh communities lost over the years.

From October 9, stage one of the saltmarsh constructions works started to prepare the surface of the 120 x 40 metre site for planting.

A temporary barrier will be erected around the site to protect the young plants until they become established.

“Assistance from the public in keeping dogs and children away from the site until it becomes established will be crucial to the success of the saltmarsh site,” Mayor Bob Graham said.

“Saltmarsh is one of the state’s most endangered natural environments and we need public support to promote the regrowth of saltmarsh around the lakes,” Mayor Graham said.

“Saltmarsh is often misunderstood as useless swamp land, when not only does it provide a complex ecosystem and a habitat for species such as migratory birds, it is crucial to reduce the bad odour that can arise from the lake.

“Most saltmarsh varieties only grow to around 30cm, but these small plants have a big job to do around our foreshores.

“Saltmarsh provides a natural ‘clothes line’ to help dry out dead seagrass, which would otherwise remain in the water where it contributes to the production of ‘rotten egg’ gas,” Mayor Bob Graham said.

One of the final stages of the saltmarsh construction project at Long Jetty will include extending the pathway to provide a new all access viewing platform.

“The new viewing platform at Long Jetty will provide a way for the community to appreciate the vibrant ecology that the saltmarsh will bring once established,” Mayor Graham said.

Over the next four years, 10 additional sites around the lakes will be committed to rehabilitating saltmarsh, with the Berkley Vale site getting underway next month.

This project is coordinated by Wyong Shire Council, through funding from the Australian Government's Caring for our Country.

Media contact: Susan Rigby 0434 323 782

Page last updated: 07/10/09