Just how healthy is the Noosa River? Image: greghardwick.com.au

Despite the constant high ratings awarded to the Noosa River’s water quality in the Healthy Waterways Reports, fish kills and deformities have brought the spotlight firmly upon local macadamia farmers. In particular, the fungicides and pesticides used on their crops.

After the release of an interim report into fish kills and deformities at the Sunland Fish Hatchery near Boreen Point, Matthew Landos, an honorary lecturer and research associate at the University of Sydney was recently reported as saying: “The interim report highlights that agrichemicals are likely, and in my opinion highly likely, to be causally associated with the syndromes reported at Sunland Fish Hatchery”.

Crop Life Australia goes so far as to not only dismiss Mr Landos’s claims, but they also believe he is lying.

“Claims by activist green veterinarian Matt Landos regarding chemical causing deformities in fish larvae, are irresponsible, will harm legitimate Australian farmers and are blatant lies.”

However, if Mr Landos is correct, harming “legitimate Australian farmers”, will be the least of our concerns.

Although the report is yet to be finalised, local residents should be eagerly awaiting its outcomes.

For years local councils and environment groups have hailed Noosa River as the benchmark for clean and healthy river water in south-east Queensland.

Experts agree that the river is fortunate to have most of  its upper sub-catchments contained within a national park. The Cooloola National Park, with its vast areas of coastal heathland, acts as a large, undisturbed natural sand filter.

Local environment groups and the former Noosa Council have, for many years, been active in protecting and enhancing a river system contained within an area now known as the Noosa Biosphere.

In the mid 90s, catchment groups were established across the state, each containing more than 20 representatives from government, industry and the local community.

Agricultural organisations were well represented on the group established to manage the Noosa River’s catchment area — initially known as the Noosa River Catchment Coordinating Committee and now known as the Noosa Integrated Catchment Association. For most of its early history, the catchment group was led by local farmers. This was seen as a good way of ensuring fairness in decision making.

In 2001 a taxpayer-funded catchment strategy was released. It showed an extensive range of existing and potential impacts threatening the river, and an equally extensive range of possible solutions.

A late 2008 image of a two-head bass embryo from the Noosa River. (Sunland Fish Hatchery - Gwen Gilson)

Although agriculture was deemed to contain varying degrees of impacts — mostly in the form of vegetation loss and sediment run-off, the focus turned towards the relatively highly-populated lower-catchment areas. These were within the estuarine parts of the river system, which housed settlements from Tewantin to Noosa Heads. All organisations represented on the catchment group publicly agreed with, and supported this approach.

Although the focus of action was diverted away from the agricultural areas of the catchment, fish kills and deformities must surely ring alarm bells. After all, many stakeholders have made huge and often voluntary contributions towards the health of the catchment.

If the final report directly links agrichemicals to the fish deaths, just how wide spread is the problem? (The final report is not due until February 2010).

Whether or not the impacts of agricultural chemicals are clearly understood, how serious have some farmers been in protecting the river catchment by minimising spray drift and run-off in accordance with industry best practices? (The neighbouring macadamia farm bordering the fish hatchery, according to the interim report, “is considered to be operating under industry best practice guidelines”).

One thing is certain, a river catchment, is the sum of its parts. If one part is impacted by chemicals, then the entire system is degraded. And it’s not only the local environment that suffers.

Greg Hardwick is a freelance journalist and Environment Scientist

Below is an article from the Queensland Greens and an interesting video clip explaining the impacts upon the Sunland Fish Hatchery.

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The Queensland Greens have taken up the cause of Gwen Gilson, the fish hatchery owner from the Sunshine Coast who has reported fish kills and deformed fish among her stock, reportedly from chemical spraying at the neighbouring macadamia farm.

Gwen breeds native fish fingerlings, including silver perch, yellow belly and bass for release into dams and waterways.

Greens spokesperson Libby Connors visited the Sunland Fish Hatchery near Lake Cootharaba north of Noosa recently to discuss the issue with Ms Gilson. Gwen’s fish farm is bordered on three sides by a macadamia farm and has Cooloothin Creek at the bottom of her hill.

In 2006 there was a total fish kill after spray drift from the macadamia farm and more followed. Gwen’s microscope also showed dying fish larvae, some spinning out of control and others with two heads (see image). Complaints to the Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries found the macadamia farm was using pesticides allowed by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) and the farm’s spray log was in order.

After Gwen sought help late last year in the aquaculture magazine Hatchery International, agricultural veterinarian, Matt Landos, came to the farm and carried out tests. He identified three chemicals being used – Carbendazim, a fungicide with suspected hormone disrupting effects, Endosulfan, a highly controversial organochloride insecticide and Methidathione, a highly toxic organosphosphate insecticide also linked to deformities.

Endosulfan is well known for its disastrous effects on aquatic life but Landos identified Carbendazim as the one most likely to be causing the deformities. It has been identified by the European Commission as being likely to affect hormone function and to be linked to fish deformities. Unfortunately, the testing of chemicals on fish larvae is not a requirement of the APVMA. Carnedazim was de-registered by the USA in 2001 because of concerns about reproductive effects in humans.

The Queensland State Government has set up a task force to examine these incidents and the APVMA is reviewing Carbendazim but the probability of bureaucratic inertia winning the day is very high. Libby Connors wants State and Federal Government to act more decisively.

She is calling for:

• updated State legislation to cover insecticides and fungicides used by unlicensed ground sprayers;
• the APVMA to establish similar review process to that of the European Union with more independent testing of the effects of chemicals on fish eggs, broodfish and embryos before approval;
• the APVMA to test environmentally relevant mixtures and to test for toxicity the whole products used not only the active ingredients;
• the APVMA to test chemicals for their endocrine/hormone disrupting effects;
• all chemicals to undergo a compulsory review every three years to maintain registration.

“The Noosa [river] is regarded as having the best water quality of any river in south-east Queensland and yet the local golden-eyed mullet has disappeared entirely from the upper Noosa River and local catches of bass have almost disappeared,” Dr Connors said.

“Also, all local residents including the township of Boreen Point have rain water tanks.  This is an important issue for the environment, human health and the economy.”

Source of the above article: The Queensland Greens

Canoeing the Upper Noosa River. Image: John Burrows

Canoeing the Noosa River, with blue sky and every detail of riverbank vegetation exactly mirrored on the river’s surface, is an unforgettable experience. The entire river is worth exploring, but it’s the upper reaches, contained in the Great Sandy National Park, which attract the eco-adventurer.

Here you’ll find a wilderness which is about as pristine as you can get. In fact, the river always scores top marks in the South East Queensland Waterways report card, compiled each year after the health of all the rivers in the region has been assessed. It scores so well because much of the catchment is in national park, where there’s little riverbank erosion and no upstream land clearing or other damaging developments which could increase sediment loads, muddying and polluting the river.

Despite its status as the cleanest river in southeast Queensland, the river does have a murky water colour. It’s been stained by tannins, organic nutrients leached from the ubiquitous melaleuca. This gives the river a dark appearance, almost black in parts and on a calm day results in the most amazing reflections.

River Reflections. Image: John Burrows

A very satisfying and eco-responsible way to experience the river is by canoe or kayak. You can see quite a bit on a day trip, but a longer visit is needed to enjoy the river’s many moods. The recommended starting point is from Lake Cootharaba. Canoe hire is possible from both Boreen Point (accessible by public transport, a $2 taxi service running from Tewantin) and Elanda Point, a few kilometres further north.

The lake’s huge expanse of space and light is glorious, but to avoid windy conditions, which make for uncomfortable paddling, it’s best to leave as early in the day as possible. Make sure you have directions to help navigate the waterways.

It’s worth stopping at the Kinaba information centre at the top of the lake, then detouring up Kin Kin Creek, which enters the river from the west. Another detour is possible into Lake Como.

The Noosa River then enters a narrow winding area known as the Everglades. Being less exposed to wind, this is where the river’s ability to faithfully mirror its surroundings is most likely seen. Forests with melaleuca, cypress pine, banksia and scribbly gum line the riverbank and sedges grow thickly to protect the river’s edges. Birdlife can be spectacular, with Brahminy kites, black cockatoos, cormorants, honeyeaters and azure kingfishers, to name just a few.

Continuing upstream you’ll reach Harrys Hut, a popular camping spot accessible by road. This is about four hours paddling from Boreen Point without detours. Another four hours paddling north takes you to the river’s confluence with Teewah Creek. From here, fallen trees make further progress up the Noosa River impossible, but you can continue up Teewah Creek itself for a while. It’s quite narrow and with vegetation meeting overhead is a beautiful stretch of paddling.

There are nine riverside camping sites north of Harrys Hut and, except for Camp 3, you can book one for your exclusive use. You’ll enjoy a real feeling of wilderness, total quiet at night except for bush creatures and the sound of surf drifting across from the coast.

The view looking south from the Cooloola Sandpatch. Image: Greg Hardwick.

Walking tracks starting from the riverside are well worth following, especially in springtime when wildflowers are blooming. One track leads to the Cooloola Sandpatch, with a great outlook over ocean, lakes and the National Park. From here the fragility of the Cooloola area is very apparent. In the 1960s sandmining had begun, more was on the way (applications for mining leases covered 8ooo hectares of dunes), and developers were eyeing off the Noosa River plain and thinking ‘subdivide’. Determined opposition by conservationists saw a complete end to sandmining by 1970, but it took another 20 years before the entire area was permanently protected with National Park status.

Even with this level of protection though, the Noosa River still faces some threats. Teewah Creek is a source of water for settlements in the Cooloola Shire. Increases in population will see more and more water taken from the creek, a decrease in water flows into the Noosa River, and potentially far reaching effects on the ecosystem. A lowering of the water table, and the possibility of seawater entering the aquifer, could have devastating consequences for the river.

Parts of the river system not included in the National Park are subject to agricultural and urban runoff, with impacts on water quality and aquatic and marine life. It’s a concern that last year the SEQ Waterways Report Card reduced the freshwater component rating of the Noosa River from B to B minus.

Play your part in protecting the unique values of the river, be a minimal impact visitor, and help the Noosa River remain the cleanest we have.

There’s more information including campsite bookings on the EPA website.