Biodiversity Strategy - Gosford City Council - NSW Government

Three public schools in the catchment area joined in the local streamwatch program. Students
and teachers were provided with training in water quality testing and invertebrate sampling
techniques. Mangrove Creek has one of the highest species diversity of the major rivers on the
central coast and contains invertebrates only found in high quality waterways. The schools were
provided with their own streamwatch kits by Council for analysing the health of their local
streams. Schools can upload the water quality research onto the streamwatch website and
compare results with other groups in NSW.
2. Community Flora and Fauna Surveys
Mangrove and Mooney Creek (photos: G. Woolcock).
Gosford Scouts and Rovers conducted flora and fauna surveys in the Mangrove Creek
Catchment. The surveys identified common and threatened species from animal call playback
and spotlighting. The Gosford Rovers were trained in vegetation sampling to assess the
potential changes along the riparian zone from bushfires, people and cattle.
A - 3.3.5
Kincumber Creek Riparian Rehabilitation Project
Stage 1 of the Kincumber Creek Riparian Rehabilitation Project was initiated in response to an
acknowledgement of the poor water quality in Kincumber Creek and the potential for
rehabilitation of the riparian zone as a means to not only improve water quality, but also to
create habitat for native animals, increase biodiversity and improve visual amenity. Kincumber
Creek was identified as being one of the worst creeks in Gosford City based on water quality
data and the degraded health of the riparian zone.
Through the Environmental Levy funds were allocated towards a riparian rehabilitation project
and Kincumber Creek was identified as a priority. Thus, the Kincumber Creek Riparian
Rehabilitation project was initiated in 2001, and a partnership was formed with the then Central
Coast Community Environment Network (CCCEN). The Kincumber community was consulted
throughout the project, which was implemented through a Council/Central Coast Community
Environment Network partnership and funded through Gosford City Council’s Environmental
Levy. Stage 1 of the project included the development of the Kincumber Creek Riparian
Management Plan, which outlined present conditions along the creek and made
recommendations in the form of an action plan for 2003.
A Kincumber Creek Riparian Management Plan (GCC and CCCEN 2003) was prepared which
outlined the current state of the creek, and problems and assets within each section. Strategies
to address priority sections and issues were outlined. These actions included professional bush
regeneration, seed collection and plant propagation, community workshops, and development
of educational material, initiating a Waterwatch group, installation of signs and fencing,
community planting days and tree giveaways. The evaluation report for Stage 1 of the project
(CCCEN 2004) found that most of the goals for the project were achieved.
Biodiversity - Technical Report Page 74