A new alliance between the Healthy Waters Partnership for the Dry Tropics and Jet Zero Australia will fill a gap in waterway data to provide a clearer picture of the health of Townsville’s rivers, creeks, and coasts.
Executive Officer of the Healthy Waters Partnership, Kara-Mae Coulter-Atkins, said the collaboration will offer clearer insights into the condition of aquatic ecosystems in the Ross Basin and Cleveland Bay, which are vital fish habitats and home to important seagrass beds and coral reefs.
“Currently, for the freshwater zone of Stuart Creek, the Partnership can only grade the creek’s habitat and hydrology health. We’re elated that Jet Zero Australia have come onboard and can provide water quality data, which is a missing piece in the puzzle,” Kara-Mae said.
“Everything in our waterways is connected. The expansion of data gives valuable insights into the health of the entire waterway system, not only in the freshwater section but further downstream in the estuarine and inshore marine zone too.”
This data feeds into the annual Report Card, an independent report that better informs management decisions around water quality in the Great Barrier Reef catchment, and empowers the Townsville community to take actions that help waterway health in the region. The next Townsville Dry Tropics Waterways Report Card to be supported by Jet Zero will be released later in the year.
Jet Zero Australia has a strong commitment to understanding the surrounding environment, which includes the Stuart Creek sub-basin and Cleveland Bay where Jet Zero’s sustainable aviation fuel production facility is set to be built.
Jet Zero Australia’s CEO, Ed Mason, said that “Jet Zero Australia is proud to join the Healthy Waters Partnership, and we look forward to contributing to the health and wellbeing of Townsville’s waterways through this exciting collaboration.
“As we progress with Project Ulysses, Jet Zero Australia aims to embed the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into our operations. We believe this partnership is both an ideal way to enhance collaboration with our local North Queensland stakeholders and also make a positive impact on the health of local ecosystems”, Mr Mason said.
Together the Healthy Waters Partnership and Jet Zero Australia are committed to improving the long-term health of our local waterways, vibrant ecosystems, and the communities that depend on them.
