Conditions are looking good for a spot of fishing at Carbrook’s Riedel Park.
A new platform and boardwalk have been opened alongside the park’s Logan River boat ramp, to improve fishing access and help protect the area’s estuarine environment.
The micromesh platform includes seating, a tackle bin and a fish cleaning station.
The boardwalk will allow pedestrians to travel from the carpark to the fishing area without disturbing delicate saltmarsh on the riverbank.
Saltmarsh areas – made up of various reeds, grasses and shrubs – provide important shelter for small or juvenile fish during high tide and help stabilise the riverbank.
Environment Chair Councillor Jon Raven said the project was part of Council’s long-term strategy to improve the health and sustainability of local waterways.
“We know that the community values this waterway as important natural and recreation resource, a place of cultural significance and a key wildlife corridor, which is why it’s part of Council’s Logan River Vision,” Cr Raven said.
“Projects like this one directly support that vision by providing the community with better access to their river, while also helping natural ecosystems to thrive.”
Riverbank stabilisation works, including the installation of new rock fillets, were carried out as part of the project.
Rock fillets – or rock piles – placed in the river’s tidal zone help decrease bank erosion and allow the growth of mangroves.
New ‘oyster baskets’, comprised of cleaned oyster shells recovered from seafood businesses, will also be trialled in the area.
The shells provide a base for young oysters (spat) or other shellfish to attach and grow, while also creating habitats for species such as crabs, shrimp and snails.
Division 10 Councillor Miriam Stemp said recreational fishers would enjoy the river from a comfortable new vantage point.
“The wide and easily accessible space will allow more fishing enthusiasts, including families with prams, to enjoy and appreciate the natural beauty of the Logan River,” Cr Stemp said.
“Importantly, it will also help protect our river for future generations.”
The Riedel Park project was primarily funded through Logan City Council’s Environmental Levy.
The project received a Recreational Fishing Grant from the Queensland Government’s Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.
It was also supported by Healthy Land and Water, through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program, in conjunction with Ozfish Unlimited.
