Maroochy River declared Fish Habitat Area

Location and plan number

  • Parts of Maroochy River, Eudlo Creek, Petrie Creek and Coolum Creek north of Maroochydore
  • Plan number: FHA-008 (Revision 1)
  • Sunshine Coast Council

Size and management level

790 ha total

  • 176 ha Management A
  • 614 ha Management B

Declaration history

  • 16 March 1974:
    • original declaration of Maroochy River Fish Habitat Reserve
  • 17 November 1983:
    • original declaration of Maroochy Wetland Reserve
  • 13 August 1999 redeclaration:
    • redeclared to cadastral boundaries
    • combine the 2 Maroochy Fish Habitat Areas
  • 5 September 2014 redeclaration:
    • exclusions around Cooks Road
    • removal of Boggy Creek
    • reinstate the tidal lands of Eudlo Creek and Coolum Creek Regional Parks

Management features

  • Management of recreational fishing area within a relatively undisturbed estuarine landscape
  • Important juvenile and adult fish habitat
  • Limited habitat modification (runnels) for mosquito control
  • Sugarcane
  • Residential, including revetments, and open space areas on some adjacent lands

Habitat values

  • Scattered mangroves (Rhizophora, Bruguiera and Avicennia) with areas of saltmarsh on the Maroochy River northern shore
  • Mangrove fern (Acrostichum speciosum) on the Maroochy River southern shore
  • Small sparsely vegetated sandbanks
  • Well-established closed mangrove forests in Coolum Creek Conservation Park

Fisheries values

  • Important recreational fishing area
  • Species:
    • Australian bass
    • Bream
    • Estuary cod
    • Blue salmon
    • Flathead
    • Garfish
    • Jewfish
    • Luderick
    • Mangrove jack
    • Sea mullet
    • Tailor
    • Whiting
    • Mud crabs
    • School prawns
    • Greasyback prawns
    • Eastern king prawns
    • Banana prawns
    • Bay prawns

Other values

  • Popular recreation area
  • Habitats support populations of the vulnerable water mouse (Xeromys myoides)