About the Upper Mary Rivercare Progam
SEQWATER – Upper Mary Rivercare Landholder Program (Jinibara, Kabi Kabi country)
The Upper Mary Rivercare (UMRC) Program is a community-driven water quality improvement program co-designed by Upper Mary landholders in collaboration with the MRCCC and Seqwater. The UMRC program now has 52 participating landholders actively engaged through workshops and field days. A total of seven Best Management Practice (BMP) assessments were completed during the last year. BMP assessments lead to the creation of Property Water Quality Action Plans, which outline property projects for water quality improvement over the coming years. Projects are then integrated into Annual Work Plans for following years.
The MRCCC continues to develop, organise and support workshops, field days, pasture walks and other extension activities to engage new and existing landholders. These activities result from consultation with landholders, focussing on their areas of interest and topics that support their goals. They also provide regular opportunities for connection, support and learning.
One particular observation the UMRC team has noted this year is that the group’s participants are forming strengthening connections, developing community and engaging with each other more deeply at our organised events.
Highlights of activities from 2024-25 include:
November 2024 Kenilworth Vine Weed ID workshop
Vine weed infestation, including cat’s claw creeper vine (CCCV) and Madeira vine continue to be problematic, and control is a priority for Upper Mary Rivercare. Learning about weeds is also a priority for Rivercare participants. With CCCV usually in full bloom this time of year, this timely workshop attracted much interest with more than 30 attendees, including Kabi Kabi and Jinibara Rangers. Starting at Moy Pocket, where Jewell Beetles were released to feast on the cat’s claw vine, the group then moved to Kenilworth to check out the vine weeds along the river at Charles Street Park.
May 2025 Beef Grazing Field Walk
With many UMRC participants running grazing properties, small or larger, or simply wanting to run a few head without stressing their paddocks, pasture management and safe stocking rates are key to the success of their BPMs. At this field walk in Conondale, learnings focussed on pasture plant ID (including 3P grasses, legumes, edible forbs, and weeds), assessing pasture condition, forage budgeting, and implementing improvements that benefit livestock wellbeing, grazing efficiency and downstream water quality. Once again, this event was popular, with well over 20 people coming along to what was a perfect autumn day.
July 2025 UMRC Introductory Workshop Kenilworth
To become an UMRC program participant, attending and Introductory Workshop is mandatory. Here Rivercarers are introduced to the program, learn about river processes, and the importance of protecting water quality in the catchment for community and environment. We also encourage participants to contribute their stories, and guide us about what is important to achieve the goals for their properties. At this particular gathering, the focus was on vulnerable river inhabitants such as the Mary River cod and Mary River turtle, and included a walk-and-talk along the river. More than 30 people attended enjoying a hot lunch, excellent discussion with other rivercarers, and magnificent weather.
August 2025 Fencing Along Waterways workshop Carters Ridge
One of the more requested workshop topics is fencing, particularly riparian fencing that is critical to supporting river- and stream-bank rehabilitation and management. With the catchment subjected to serious flooding reasonably regularly, finding fencing solutions that are resilient is a priority for our landholders. In this workshop, we invited our landholders to co-design the agenda and deliver much of the content, appreciating that they are the ones with on-the-ground experience, driving innovative solutions for their particular circumstances. We also learnt about wildlife-friendly options, and fencing solutions that don’t involve a fence! Attended by more than 30 people, with lots of discussion and engagement, this workshop was a great success.
In addition to workshops and events organised directly by the UMRC team, our program participants also attend activities that are part of other MRCCC and stakeholder projects and programs such as the Natural Resource Recover Program (NRRP), Seqwater Noosa Landcare Lake McDonald Catchment Creekcare Program, MRCCC Catchment Crawl in October each year, and the Mary River Festival in July.
Feedback for Upper Mary Rivercare is overwhelmingly positive; the program enjoys consistently high participation and engagement rates. The team is always encouraging Rivercarers to actively collaborate with us to continue evolving the program into one that supports their rivercare and property goals.
*Funding support is subject to participation in the Upper Mary Rivercare program and an eligibility assessment.
How is funding eligibility assessed?
Funding eligibility is based on:
- Your location and overall property and environmental need*
- Your ability to make or obtain an “in-kind” contribution towards the project, either financially, or through your labour or other input
- Attending the Gateway Workshop (Entry** and Active*** level members)
- Taking part in property planning including completing a Best Management Practice property assessment with MRCCC and making a simple property water quality plan with 1-1 support (active members)
*Landholders with property on the Mary River or tributaries up to 25km upstream of the Kenilworth and Goomong drinking water offtakes are eligible to access funding under the program
**Entry Level program participants can apply for competitive grant funding on a year by year basis for project assistance up to the value of $5000.
*** Active level members can access multi-year, locked-in funding support for projects in their approved property water quality plan.
Landholders in the Mary Catchment interested in joining the Upper Mary Rivercare Program should download and complete an Expression of Interest then mail or email it to the MRCCC at admin@mrccc.org.au, or care of PO Box 1027, Gympie, 4570, or drop it in to our office at 25 Stewart Terrace, Gympie.
For more information, contact the MRCCC on 07 5482 4766 or email admin@mrccc.org.au
Click on the links below to read the latest news and updates in the Upper Mary Rivercare newsletter!
