Watergum works with other organisations in the delivery of projects that benefit the environment, many of whom are Watergum member groups. Read about all of projects, past and present, below.
Watergum Led Projects

Project details:
A Watergum project in partnership with Seqwater and Numinbah Valley Landcare. This project – Nerang River Source Protection aims to engage with landowners in Numinbah Valley to encourage them to adopt best practice land management to minimise the flow of sediment, nutrients and pathogens into the river system. The catchment waterways are, in places impacted by agricultural activity, earthworks, landslips, and natural disasters. The purpose of this project is to target these high-risk points for remediation and improve source water protection and management. Implemented restoration works include invasive flora species control, with a focus on Madeira Vine, fencing, earthworks stabilisation and native flora planting.

Pink Underwing Moth
Project Duration: 2 years
Funder: Australian Government – Department of Agriculture, Water & Environment
Project details:
A Watergum project in partnership with Healthy Land and Water. This project – The Recovery of the Pink Underwing Moth) entails the assessment of Carronia Vine and Pink Underwing Moth larval populations, removal of transformer weeds, and work to regenerate fire affected rainforest at Binna Burra.

Toogoolawa School Tree Planting & Nest Boxes
Project Duration: 1 year
Funder: State Government’s Department of Environment and Science fund
Project details:
A collaboration between Watergum and Toogoolawa school. This project aims to educate and engage students in native tree planting, habitat restoration and fauna monitoring. The project is focused on students participating in environmental STEM activities, encouraging new valuable skills and experience.

Project details:
A collaboration between Watergum and Wildcare. This project works in two ways, the first enables the ongoing efforts of Wildcare volunteers to continue with native wildlife rescue and rehabilitation and release. The second part of the project focuses on habitat restoration in Binna Burra, particularly bush fire recovery work for glider habitat.

Project details:
Management and support of groups undertaking projects through the Landcare led bushfire recovery grants. Facilitated by the Australian Government, the grants program provides funding for Landcare led bushfire recovery projects in Queensland, New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Victoria and South Australia, impacted by the 2019/2020 bushfires. The funding supports the recovery of fire-affected plant and animal species recovery, ecological communities and natural assets.

Project details:
A collaboration between Watergum and Healthy Land and Water. Restoration of Brown and Curlew Islands by weed removal and plantings. Curlew island is the most Southern roosting and feeding site for listed migratory shorebirds in Southern Moreton Bay and is of great significance to many species.

Coombabah Wetlands Restoration
Project Completion: June 2023
Project details:
This project is managed by Watergum for Healthy Land & Water through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program. The Coombabah Wetlands are an integral component of the Moreton Bay Ramsar Wetland. The project site is adjacent to feeding and roosting sites for internationally and nationally listed wading birds. This project will focus on the removal of weeds in order to improve the ecological function of this important habitat.
Watergum Sponsored Projects

Quoll Research
Project Completion: Nov 2021
Funder: State Government’s Department of Environment and Science fund
Project details:
A member group project by Quolls SA and sponsored by Watergum. An effort to capture evidence of quoll populations in the SE QLD region using baited camera stations. Although there are a number of verbal sighting reports, Quolls have not been photographed and confirmed in some areas for over 30 years.

Subtropical Lowland Rainforest Restoration
Project Completion: Sep 2022
Funder: Queensland Government’s CSA fund
Project details:
A member group project by Austinville Valley Landcare, sponsored by Watergum. Regeneration works to restore one of the last remaining degraded areas in the Austinville rainforest catchment. Restore important habitat for the 12 threatened flora species and 5 threatened fauna species, and others, that live in the area.

Quoll Girraween National Park Project
Project Completion: Nov 2022
Funder: Queensland Government’s CSA fund
Project details:
After locating a healthy population of quolls at Girraween National Park near Stanthorpe, QuollSA has secured funding to live trap and GPS track quolls in the Granite Belt. The project will study the movement patterns, habitat preferences and home ranges of quolls, as well as looking at the reasons why quolls have been able to survive in this part of Queensland, but have disappeared from other areas that should support the species.


Project details:
A member group project by Austinville Valley Landcare, sponsored by Watergum.

Linking Springbrook and Lamington National Parks
Project Completion: June 2021
Funder: Landcare Australia and WIRES
A member group project by Numinbah Valley Environmental Education Centre P&C, sponsored by Watergum. Carry out important regeneration, environmental monitoring and habitat repair works in the Numinbah Valley region. Currently overrun with weeds, this work will re-establish the rainforest link between two ecologically significant sections of rainforest on National Heritage land that are home to a number of rare and endangered species.
Completed Projects
Project | Description | Funder | Managed by | Funding $ (‘000) | Inkind $(‘000) | Total $(‘000) | Completion |
Koala Fodder Farm | Establish a Koala Fodder Farm for overnight koalas in care at Country Paradise Parklands |
Landcare Australia | Watergum, Wildcare, Koalas on the Green and NCPA | 14 | 6 | 20 | November 2020 |
Youth Ambassador project | Giving youth ambassadors the opportunity to organise beach cleans on South Stradbroke Island | City of Gold Coast | WildMob | 16 | 4 | 20 | June 2020 |
Crane Creek Restoration project | Restore and revegetate Crane creek at Country Paradise Parklands through community involvement | City of Gold Coast | Nerang River Keepers | 8 | 23 | 31 | June 2020 |
Burleigh Head National Park Restoration | Purchase of new tools for the local landcare group that looks after Burleigh Head National Park | Qld Community Benefit Gambling Fund | Friends of Burleigh Head National Park | 3 | 1 | 4 | January 2020 |
Back Creek Restoration Project | Riparian restoration work and revegetation of Back Creek in Beechmont | Healthy Land and Water | Watergum | 55 | 5 | 60 | June 2019 |
Springbook National Park Restoration Project – Austinville Section | Riparian restoration along 4km creek within Springbrook National Park in Upper Austinville enhancing critically endangered subtropical Rainforest. | Healthy Land and Water | Austinville Landcare | 44 | 3 | 47 | June 2019 |
Restoration of Shorebird habitat on Curlew and Brown Island | Ecological restoration and revegetation of Curlew Island and Brown Island to assist migratory shorebird populations. | Healthy Land and Water | Watergum | 28 | 2 | 30 | June 2019 |
Upper Cave Creek Restoration | Ecological restoration on 4 private properties in Upper Cave Creek, Numinbah Valley. | Healthy Land and Water | Watergum | 22 | 18 | 40 | June 2019 |
Tacklebin expansion on the Gold Coast | Install new tacklebins at popular fishing spots on the Gold Coast | City of Gold Coast | Tacklebin | 7 | 12 | 19 | June 2019 |
Gold Coast Migratory Shorebird Habitat Restoration | To improve the condition of 5 migratory shorebird habitats on the Gold Coast | Healthy Land and Water | Watergum | 55 | 5 | 60 | June 2018 |
Austinville Road Protection Project | Tree planting and barrier fencing carried out by Austinville Landcare to protect areas from human impact to complement the HLW Austinville Road Project. | Healthy Land and Water | Austinville Landcare | 100 | 7 | 107 | June 2018 |
Stewart Farm Demonstration Project | Demonstration project showing the local community the benefits of restoration. | Qld Community Benefit Gambling Fund | Watergum | 9 | 7 | 16 | September 2017 |
Carricks Creek Riparian Restoration | Riparian restoration work of Carricks Creek | Healthy Land and Water | Springbrook Wildlife Appreciation Group | 15 | 1 | 16 | June 2017 |
Austinville Road Project | Riparian restoration along 3km of road and creek in Upper Austinville enhancing critically endangered subtropical Rainforest | Healthy Land and Water | Austinville Landcare | 50 | 10 | 60 | June 2017 |
Nature Conservation Assistance Program (NCAP) Co-investment | Funds directed to the Private Conservation Partnerships Program within City of Gold Coast Section to extend the scope of their NCAP Program over areas of sub-tropical lowland rainforest. | Healthy Land and Water | Watergum | 33 | 2 | 35 | June 2017 |
Hinterland Pest Management Project | Trap and eliminate foxes and wild dogs in Numinbah Valley, Springbrook and Austinville | QLD Dept of Agriculture and Fisheries | Watergum | 22 | 5 | 27 | January 2017 |