At 36,890 hectares or 369 square kilometres in size, the Bohle River drainage sub-basin covers a large part our town.
“If you live in Townsville, there’s a good chance the Bohle is your basin,” says our Executive Officer, Kara-Mae Coulter-Atkins.
Water drains into the Bohle River via many waterways, including Louisa Creek, Stoney Creek, Saunders Creek, and the Little Bohle and Middle Bohle Rivers – all flowing through the vast Town Common wetlands and ultimately, to the Reef.
“Ross River may look like Townsville’s main game, but it’s the Bohle that’s catching most of what we do,” Kara says.
The Bohle River freshwater sub-basin received a ‘D: poor’ grade for water quality in our latest Waterways Report Card.
What can we do to support our Bohle basin?
“Every time we water our gardens, and every time it storms, we’re washing pollutants into our river basins. Fertilisers, grass clippings, garden chemicals, dog poo, litter, oils from under the car — it all matters far more than we realise,” Kara says.
“Small changes to our daily behaviours in Townsville could make a big difference to the Bohle’s health,” she says.
We’re encouraging Townsville residents to 'Back the Bohle':
Think smarter about water
Use less of it on the garden
Cut back on fertilisers and chemicals
Avoid washing surfaces like roads and bare dirt
Keep pollutants and litter off the ground.
“We’re also celebrating the crews of people already at work in the Bohle basin to bring it back into balance. There’s a raft of organisations and individuals with their sleeves rolled up to keep Townsville’s Bohle River basin healthy, and we’re applauding these efforts.”
Why back the Bohle?
Because it backs us!
Healthy waterways are essential to our region, supporting life, tourism, agriculture, and recreation — and they have critical flow-on effects on marine ecosystems and the Great Barrier Reef.
The Bohle basin is also home to hundreds of species of animals, fish, birds and plants, and boasts the Town Common Conservation Park, and a protected Bohle River Fish Habitat Area. Tidal flats at the mouth of the Bohle River are also home to an extensive meadow of seagrasses, providing food for dugongs and dolphins.
Does your business or school back the Bohle?
Let us know how you’re helping Townsville live water-smart. We’ll be profiling case studies from across our catchments throughout the coming year.
Bohle resources we love: