Mareeba Wetlands, QLD

Located in the Atherton Tablelands, this project sits within the Mareeba Tropical Savanna and Wetlands Reserve, inland from Queensland’s Cairns region.  

The Atherton Tablelands is a hub for biodiversity and birdlife, with remnants of native rainforest throughout the area. By restoring this project, Greenfleet is helping regenerate the area with legally protected native forest.  

The restoration of Mareeba Wetlands is supporting an area with one of the highest mammal diversities in the Cape York Region with critical conservation opportunities for more than 220 species of birds, frogs, reptiles and fish.  

One of the species that will benefit from the restoration of the Mareeba Wetlands is the endangered Northern Quoll. This species thrives in ecosystems such as open eucalypt woodlands, and as this forest is legally protected for 100 years, the project will provide long-term habitat. 

In 2023, Greenfleet restored 15 different locally native species at Mareeba Wetlands to restore the ecosystem.  

To help create a resilient forest, species such as Brown Salwood (Acacia mangium) and Large-fruited Red Mahogany (Eucalyptus pellita). These species make up 25% of the total species palette for the revegetation site, to ensure that they form a functional canopy and appropriate microclimate for successful growth of the other species. 

In 2023, Greenfleet adjusted planting operations due to excessive rainfall in the region making the ground preparation challenging. Prior to planting, the ground was burned, and the soil ripped before seedlings were planted directly into pre-prepared mounds.