Turning the tide at Panboola wetlands

The tide is about to turn at the Panboola wetlands – and you can watch as it happens.

Two live stream cameras recently installed at the Old Pambula Racecourse will help scientists track the changes as tidal flows return to the area and the wetlands come back.

The old racecourse, now a popular walking track, acts as a levee, reducing natural tidal flows to a section of the estuary and floodplain.

Now, this is about to change.

Works to restore tidal flows across 3.1ha of the Panboola wetlands for the first time over a hundred years are set to commence in coming months.

DPI Fisheries Max Osborne is looking forward to watching what happens next.

“There haven’t been tidal flows for 133 years at Panboola wetlands,” he said.

“We are looking forward the restoration of the Panboola wetlands – to something like they would have been before the levee was installed, once the tidal flows are restored.”

Existing drainage pipes from the interior of the old racecourse will be replaced with two channels opening the area to tidal flows and reducing the risk of flooding.

Mr Osborne said this should mean good things for the ecology of the wetlands and visitors to the area.

“We are expecting this will both improve water quality and fish passage in the wetlands, as well as increasing ecological diversity of the area,” Mr Osborne said.

“Parts of the existing track will be replaced with a boardwalk so visitors can still access this beautiful estuarine landscape,” he said.

“These works will complement the fantastic work by local volunteers to restore the Panboola wetlands already as part of the Pambula Wetlands and Heritage Project.”

Find out more about the restoration of the Panboola wetlands, at Pambula on the NSW South Coast here.

The DPI Fisheries managed Panboola Wetland Rehabilitation project is funded via the NSW Marine Estate Management Strategy and the NSW Estuary Asset Protection programs in collaboration with Pambula Wetlands and Heritage Project Inc, South East Local Land Services, NPWS and Bega Valley Shire Council.