Lake Cathie Stakeholder Meeting May 2021

The Board of Revive Lake Cathie hosted our second Identified Lake Stakeholder meeting in Lake Cathie on Friday 14 May 2021, following the launch of the Remote Smart Water Quality Sensor Monitor in Lake Innes.

In attendance at this meeting was Southern Cross University (SCU), Charles Sturt University (CSU), NSW DPIE – Biodiversity Conservation and Science, NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE) – National Parks & Wildlife, Port Macquarie-Hasting Councillor Sharon Griffiths, Lake Cathie Progress Association & Ozfish Unlimited.

The matters raised and discussed were as follows:-

• Concerns of surfactant pollution and sewerage impacts on the lake system evidenced in our NSW Waterwatch testing results.
• Impact of urban growth on an already suffering estuarine system, and the need for best practice in retention pondage performance and maintenance investigations by PMHC.
• DPIE advised Port Macquarie-Hastings Council had not provided a completed scoping study, a significant concern considering the urgency.
• Revive Lake Cathie offered assistance to CSU in biota of the lake, wildlife ecology & wildlife management.
• Opening strategy viewed as critical to address acid sulfate issues.
• Concerns from all Lake Stakeholders in the revetment wall history being repeated. In the past the community revolted against a planned land retreat. 13 options were considered in the past, 4 out of 13 seen to be successful options.
• Lake Innes Environmental Assessment (June 2013 – Jennifer Hale) is viewed as flawed and is under review as it fails to address new impacts on the system such as acid sulfate soil leachage, following the drought.