One of Byron’s ‘most significant environmental projects’ starts

The Byron Shire Council says work is starting to happen on one of its most significant environmental projects, restoration of the Sandhills Wetlands in Byron Bay.

The restoration work is the first stage of the Byron Bay Drainage Strategy, which the council says will improve the quality of water flowing to Clarkes Beach.

Byron Shire Mayor Michael Lyon says a series of paths is to be built through the wetlands, connecting to the Byron Bay town centre through Jarjumirr Park and to the Arakwal Cultural Centre site on to the lighthouse.

The project is co-designed by Arkawal, Tweed Byron Local Aboriginal Lands Council and NSW Crown Lands ‘in line with the community’s vision, expressed through the Byron Bay Town Centre Masterplan,’ Cr Lyon says.

Local First Nations consultation and oversight

The 1.8-hectare Sandhills site was a wetland prior to being sand-mined in the 1960s, Byron Shire Council Manager Major Projects Christopher Soulsby says.

‘There will be a lot of activity over the coming six months, starting with the removal of vegetation next week, in accordance with extensive environmental assessments that were done as part of the Environmental Impact Statement,’ Mr Soulsby says.

‘Heavy machinery will rebuild three wetland cells with the entire area to be revegetated with native plants to return it, as much as possible, to its original state.

‘Arakwal representatives will be overseeing excavation and vegetation removal and environmental consultants will inspect all vegetation prior to removal, checking for native birds and animals and marking trees and plants to be retained.

Funding from the project comes from the federal Northern Rivers Recovery and Resilience Program and the NSW Public Spaces Legacy Program, with more information available via the Byron Shire Council website.