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Dr Hawkins said agricultural and urban runoff, along with land clearing and recent major flooding events, have resulted in poor water quality and a severely degraded river ecosystem.<\/p>\n
In 2023, Byron Bay was named Australia’s newest Mission Blue Hope Spot.<\/p>\n
A Hope Spot is an area identified as critical to the health of the ocean.<\/p>\n
The Northern Rivers Hope Spot runs from the Richmond River to Brunswick River, including Julian Rocks Nguthungulli Nature Reserve as well as the broader Cape Byron Marine Park and related waterways.<\/p>\n
The Keep it Clean workshop is one of many that run throughout the year as part of the Byron Bay Hope Spot Ocean Champions program.<\/p>\n
Byron Bay Hope Spot coordinator Alice Forrest said the event showed the community’s desire to restore the Richmond to a beautiful, swimmable waterway.<\/p>\n
“It used to have oyster agriculture, clear waters, and healthy ecosystems, and thanks to local scientists and organisations we can see a path towards restoring that,” Ms Forrest said.<\/p>\n
Dr Hawkins said anyone can help to restore the river health.<\/p>\n
“It can start in the home by using products that don’t contain harmful chemicals which are in many herbicides, pesticides, and clearing products.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
NORTHERN Rivers locals have rolled up their sleeves to clean up the shores of the Richmond River. OzFish and Dolphin Research Australia organised the ‘Keep it Clean’ workshop to bring the community together and empower people to be champions of the river. The day started with a one-hour clean-up at the Boat Harbour in West […]<\/p>\n