LAGOONS CREEK REHABILITATION AT RACECOURSE MILL

MACKAY SUGAR LIMITED (Mackay Sugar) entered into a joint venture with not-for-profit organisation Reef Catchments Limited (Reef Catchments) during July 2014 to commence and deliver the Lagoons Creek Rehabilitation Project (the Project) located at Racecourse Mill and Refinery Mackay, Queensland. The Project was part of the Australian Government Reef Programme, designed to deliver improved water quality to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (GBRMP) catchment via Lagoons Creek within the Pioneer River Basin. The primary objectives of the Project were to improve water quality, biodiversity values and ecosystems and water security for operations. Racecourse Mill and Refinery has long been thought to be a major contributor to nutrient run-off within the Lagoons Creek and the Pioneer Catchment. Through staging the approach to development of the Project, a targeted program of weed control and modification and extension of the Lagoons Creek wetland to restore approximately 16 km2 of land, including existing dam infrastructure and channels for flow and bypass flow, was completed. Following modifications to the Lagoons Creek wetland, additional weed control programs were conducted prior to revegetation of embankment areas with native species and provision of fauna habitats and structures. Through implementation of thoughtful Water Sensitive Design (WSD), significant improvements to the water quality of Lagoons Creek are anticipated with initial successful establishment of re-vegetation species.