7.8 Dune Revegetation at Stuarts Point

1. Stuarts Point stabilisation area, it is small coastal village located on the mid-north coast of NSW. The dune area is 5km long with a width of 200-400m varying.
2.

• 1970 the scheme started
• Large flood caused the river to break through the sand barrier at southwest rocks
• Silt build up due to longshore drift
• Grassy head gave access to dunes
• Closure of river lead to cattle grazing
• sand removed by wind
• Dunes were attacked by heavy seas

3. The role of the community is to conserve the barrier and to look after the soil. The people in the community is to check up with the soil conservation service.
4. The sand barrier is important because they need the barrier so their tourism and fishing industries can survive, the barrier also protects weights
5.There is primary, secondary and Tertiary species of plants on a sand dune, grassers and creepers belong to the Primary species, shrubs and short-lived trees live in the secondary species and Long-lived trees live in the Tertiary species.

 6. The majority of roots from the vegetation help stabilise the sand dune area.
7. Cattle grazing had a devastating impact as they continually destroyed the sand drift control.
8. It would have destroyed the incipient dunes, which means the primary species of the area would have lost their homes. It destroyed many habitats.
9.The Department of Public Works,The Department of Lands, the Macleay Shire Council, and the Soil Conservation Service of NSW.
10.The main stages in the management program was using a tractor to form a dune 1.8metres high on top of which a fence was constructed to protect the hind dunes.
12. The water just destroyed the entire area
13.       a) It was very successful in restabilising the sand dunes  
             b) The Macleay river entrance was destroyed by the removal of the vegetation
             c) It had a very positive impact on the local communities