Category: Blog
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Swimming in natural environments occurs around Australia – the Port River is an ideal placePort River Swimming Facility
in BlogAbout the proposal Imagine a swimming facility in the Port River where you could undertake morning exercise, a place to cool off during warm days and evenings, a venue for your next catch up with family and friends, and another enjoyable reason to visit the Port Adelaide region. Friends of Port River, with financial assistance…
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Study of Oyster Recruitment & Biodiversity in Port River
in BlogOyster Recruitment and Biodiversity was part of Ishtar Kenny’s PhD studies, at the University of Adelaide. Ishtar investigated Oyster Recruitment and Biodiversity in 3 Robust Oyster Baskets (ROBs) and some mini oyster baskets, and on settlement plates, at two sites in the Port River. The study was seeking to understand how many baby Native oysters…
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Seagrass monitoring update
in BlogNow low tides during daytime have returned, Friends of Port River (FPR) have gone back to Torrens Island to check on our 3 seagrass monitoring sites at Lipsons. FPR is continuing seagrass monitoring that began with Estuary Care Foundation in 2017. Following heatwaves in Feb 2023 and March 2024, FPR went to Lipsons on March…
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Yitpi Yartapuultiku’s Living Shoreline
in BlogIn 2024 major changes were made to the shoreline fronting Yitpi Yartapuultiku. The old bank was removed and the River given space to show its tidal flows, that vary from approx. 0.2m to 2.7m. The space created allows for rising sea level rise and demonstrates an eco-engineering response to climate change. Two headlands were built…
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Can potato starch structures assist seagrass recovery?
in BlogField work began this week on Torrens Island deploying potato starch structures (BESE) as a potential aid to seagrass recovery. Dr Alice Jones, The Future Coast Lab, University of Adelaide with local and interstate colleagues, and some volunteers from FPR and Flinders Ports, has been laying out BESE (Biodegradable EcoSystem restoration Elements), as shown below,…
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Shrubby Samphire Recovery Plan
in BlogThe future of Shrubby Samphires and Slender-billed Thornbills in the Green Adelaide region (and hopefully beyond) has been enhanced by the Board of Green Adelaide approving Shrubby samphire: A local recovery plan, developed by Peri Coleman and Faith Coleman, Delta Environmental Consulting. Shrubby samphire (Tecticornia arbuscula) is a tall samphire occurring in the temperate saltmarsh…
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Climate Resilient Infrastructure Program
in BlogCongratulations to the City of Port Adelaide Enfield for continuing to press for action to address the risks of flooding arising from climate change impacts (e.g. sea level rise) in the Port River and Barker Inlet system. An update was presented to Council’s July meeting on what Council has termed the Climate Resilient Infrastructure Program…
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T2D excess soil proposed as fill for controversial Gillman land
in BlogState Government plans for Gillman land, adjoining the Magazine Creek wetlands, are raising grave concerns about environmental risks and public costs. The Department of Infrastructure and Transport (DIT) has submitted a Development Application (DA) for ‘spoil’ from the final stage of the Torrens to Darlington (T2D) connection to be transported to and stored at a…
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Inadequate draft ADS Management Plan 2024
in BlogFriends of the Port River were disappointed with the draft Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary (ADS) Management Plan 2024, which was recently out for public consultation. This is the first update of the ADS Management Plan since the original plan was adopted in 2008 and is proposed as a seven year Plan. It’s hoped that significant improvements…
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Launch of ECF’s Future Vision
in BlogOn World Environment Day, June 5th, Friends of Port River (FPR) launched online the Estuary Care Foundation’s (ECF) Future Vision for the Port River and Barker Inlet Estuary. The Board of ECF decided to develop a Future Vision in 2022 in anticipation of ECF closing. Catherine McMahon and Alena Gerlek developed the content and Tom…
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Swimming Facility in Port River – further studies in 2024/25
in BlogSince 2020 Estuary Care Foundation has partnered with North Haven Surf Life Saving Club seeking a Tidal Swimming Facility in the Port River. The Coastal Engineering Scoping Study for a Tidal Swimming Facility: Port River, Adelaide was released in November 2023, following City Port Adelaide Enfield consideration of the Study. Council was advised at its…
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Community Engagement, Feb-June, 2024
in BlogFriends of Port River (FPR) are continuing the community engagement activities of the Estuary Care Foundation and have undertaken tours, speaking engagements and other activities: Feb 19th: Catherine McMahon and Steve Papp spoke to Urrbrae TAFE students, studying Conduct Intertidal Marine Monitoring. Steve and Catherine have been doing these lectures biannually since 2022. Feb 23rd:…
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Monitoring Marine Hitchhikers
in BlogIn January 2024 the Port Environment Centre hosted training for the Marine Hitchhikers of the Green Adelaide Region project, with lead researcher Janine Baker. Catherine McMahon, Friends of Port River attended the training and volunteered to assist the project. The Port River and Barker Inlet Estuary host many ‘marine hitchhikers’, the most prolific of which…
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Seagrass monitoring & research
in BlogMonitoring of seagrass along the western bank of Torrens Island, commenced by Estuary Care Foundation volunteers in 2017, is continuing through Friends of the Port River. ECF/Friends volunteers went to Torrens Island on January 31st, February 8th and February 22nd to check on the seagrass and its recovery from a heat wave that coincided with…
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Transitioning from ECF to Friends of Port River
in BlogInitial members of Friends of Port River have been volunteers and/or supporters of the Estuary Care Foundation and in March 2024, a thank you celebration was held with long standing ECF volunteers and supporters, and an initial formal meeting was held of Friends of Port River. At the meeting, the Friends decided to establish a…
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Welcome to Friends of Port River
in BlogThe Friends of the Port River are an offshoot of the Estuary Care Foundation (2016 -2023) and committed to the implementation of ECF’s Future Vision. That Future Vision is for a planned future that prioritises a healthy estuary and a safe community, and that generates a strong sense of social pride. The Friends of the…