Bassett Basin declared Fish Habitat Area

Location and plan number

• Parts of Pioneer River and Bassett, Vines and Barnes creeks, immediately adjacent to Mackay City
• Plan number: FHA-044 (Revision 1)
• Mackay Regional Council

Size and management level

• 662 ha – Management B.

Declaration history

• 13 April 1995: Original declaration.
• 13 August 1999: Redeclaration:
  • revoke one area of fish habitats
  • add another area.
• 28 March 2008: Redeclaration:
  • clarify the boundary.

Management features

• Conservation and management of fish habitats in the Pioneer River and adjoining creeks.
• Protection of recreational, Indigenous and commercial fishing.
• Buffer zone between human influence and the tidal environment.
• Local educational resource.

Habitat values

• Open mangrove shrubland (Rhizophora)
• Sand bars and tidal channels
• Saltmarsh
• Undercut banks
• Melaleuca wetlands.

Fisheries values

• Grey mackerel nursery.
• Species:
  • Barramundi
  • Blue salmon
  • Bream
  • Estuary cod
  • Flathead
  • Grunter
  • Mangrove jack
  • Queenfish
  • Whiting
  • Mud crabs
  • Tiger prawns.

Unique features

• Freshwater ponds flow into Bassett Basin, making a unique tidal habitat important for barramundi.

Other values

• None presently identified.