The restoration of the littoral rainforest on the central Gold Coast is making significant progress, with approximately 70,000 new plants now thriving on The Spit. 

Gold Coast Coastal Rainforest Restoration

Since 2019, the City of Gold Coast, alongside contractors and volunteers, has been working diligently to plant over 100 different species as part of the Federation Walk Coastal Reserve Littoral Rainforest project.

Division 10 Councillor Darren Taylor highlighted the project’s importance in restoring endangered littoral rainforests and enhancing environmental wellbeing.

“This is one of Australia’s largest beachfront restoration projects and demonstrates our commitment to preserving the Gold Coast’s natural beauty,” Cr Taylor stated. “Restoring this coastal rainforest will increase valuable greenspace, provide habitat for native wildlife, and create a nature-based space for residents and visitors to enjoy.”

Effect

Once completed, the project will cover 37 hectares of littoral rainforest, just minutes from Surfers Paradise, offering trails for exploration, serene nature spots, and opportunities for wildlife spotting. 

Over the past five years, volunteers have planted approximately 29,500 plants.

An integral part of the project includes a comprehensive irrigation system covering about 30 hectares, featuring a 320-kilolitre recycled water storage tank. 

This system was completed at the end of last year to support the newly planted rainforest.

Significant Partnership

The Federation Walk Littoral Rainforest is a collaborative effort between the Department of State Development and Infrastructure and the City of Gold Coast, spanning five years. 

The Queensland Government has significantly funded the project with a $4.973 million contribution, part of the $60 million allocated to the implementation of The Spit Master Plan. 

Additionally, the City of Gold Coast has contributed $2.939 million, and the Commonwealth Government has provided $0.9 million.

The next phase of planting is scheduled to begin in September, with a total of around 350,000 plants expected to be established throughout the entire project.

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News source and image: Gold Coast City website