A day out with the Moreton Bay Shellfish Reef Restoration Reference Group
Shellfish reefs in Moreton Bay play an essential role in maintaining coastal ecosystem health and hold cultural significance in Australia. For thousands of years, Traditional Owners have sustainably harvested shellfish, leaving behind oyster middens that still shape the coastal landscape. European colonists later exploited these oyster reefs for lime production, leading to overharvesting and ecosystem collapse. Today, only 1-4% of Australia’s original shellfish reefs remain, victims of dredging, disease, sedimentation, and degraded water quality.
Community-led restoration efforts
In response, a dedicated group has emerged: the Moreton Bay Shellfish Reef Restoration Reference Group (MBSRR). Made up of Traditional Owners, environmental organisations, universities, government bodies, and industry stakeholders, the group exists to promote reef restoration, cultural values, and ecological health across the bay.
Their work is centred on collaboration, including the sharing of knowledge, building relationships, and overcoming barriers to restoration, such as complex development approvals. Participating organisations include Traditional Owners, non-profit organisations, universities, industry groups, the local Rotary group, and government partners.
The shellfish restoration project is a community-driven effort and plays a vital role in reconnecting and revitalising marine habitats across the Ramsar-listed wetlands of Moreton Bay.
Members of the Moreton Bay Shellfish Reef Restoration Reference Group.
Highlights from the bi-monthly gathering
Recently, the MBSRR group gathered for their bi-monthly meeting at Sandstone Point on Yirin (Bribie Island).
The group was originally formed to streamline the complex process of securing development approvals for reef installations and by working together, members have made significant progress in navigating regulatory hurdles as well as advancing restoration efforts.
Meetings provide a platform to share updates on current projects across South East Queensland, exchange best practices, and present the latest scientific findings. The relationships built through this group are essential to strengthening resilience and safeguarding the natural assets of Moreton Bay.
Presentations at the meeting
The meeting opened with a presentation from Fred Palin, Director of the Marine Ecology Education Indigenous Corporation who shared the story of his family’s deep-rooted connection to Sandstone Point and the region’s oyster harvesting heritage.
Alex Goad, the Director of Reef Design Labs presented on innovative artificial reef design used in shellfish reef restoration. He specialises in eco-engineering for coastal protection, including living seawalls and reef structures. He also shared the different types of artificial reefs they design including the use of 3D printing to create moulds.
Anita Ramage from Biosecurity Queensland warned about the spread of the invasive Suminoe oyster (Magallana ariakensis), first detected in 2023 and with reported sightings in Kedron Brook.
The subtle appearance and rapid spread of this invasive species present a concern for local ecosystems, reinforcing the need for vigilant monitoring.
Members of the public should report any findings of the Suminoe oyster to the Department of Primary Industries.
Dr Ben Gilby, from the University of Sunshine Coast, presented findings from the North Pine River Shellfish Reef Restoration Research project. Established in 2023, this project kicked off with funding from Healthy Land & Water and has since been funded by Unitywater with support from OzFish.
Healthy Land & Water presented an update on current natural resource management projects being conducted by the organisation in South East Queensland and described upcoming and existing engagement opportunities for these programs.
Field trip to the DPI Bribie Island Research Centre
The workshop wrapped up with a tour of the CSIRO Marine Research Centre on Bribie Island led by Aiden Mellor from the DPI and a member of the MBSRR reference group. The research centre is an aquaculture research facility and the first of its kind in Australia.
It focuses on the development of innovative technology and extension with a focus on Queensland tropical and subtropical aquiculture, aquatic ecological research and fisheries management. The Centre collaborates with CSIRO, industry partners and with James Cook University, UniSC and the University of Queensland).
Key highlights of the visit included:
- Viewing diverse oyster shells and learning about their traits.
- Seeing algae cultivation methods for feeding oysters (thanks to Ken for explaining the process).
- Meeting CSIRO scientists breeding fish species for aquaculture.
- Touring facilities for oyster breeding and outdoor growth pools.
The MBSRR group took a field trip to the CSIRO Bribie Island Reseach Centre.
You can find more information about the centre on the DPI website
This workshop was funded by Queensland Government’s Natural Resources Recovery Program.
