Innovation led to environmental
success when Port of Townsville Limited completed the Acid Sulfate
Soil remediation of the former Sun Sun Prawn Aquaculture Farm
located on the Far North Queensland coastline south of
Townsville.
Remediation Success
The former Prawn Aquaculture Farm located adjacent to creeks,
tidal waterways, fish habitat areas, the Great Barrier Reef Marine
Park and World Heritage Area, covered an area of approximately 30
hectares and operated from 1986 to 1993. After the venture ceased
operations the site was abandoned and handed back to the Port of
Townsville Limited in a highly disturbed and degraded state.
The site had been identified as having Actual and Potential Acid
Sulfate Soils during previous studies conducted, and was subject to
irregular tidal inundation, significant erosion and impacts from
recreational off road traffic and illegal dumping which further
inhibited the natural regeneration of the area.
Port of Townsville Limited engaged GHD environmental consultants
to undertake an assessment, and develop and manage the remediation
of the site. The key objective of the remediation was to minimise
existing and future environmental harm, principally by neutralising
the identified Acid Sulfate Soils and returning the site to a
natural landform.
GHD environmental consultants applied innovative planning and
design strategies, using in-situ treatment of soils, tidal
inundation and creating niche micro climates to allow the site to
regenerate naturally and return to a healthy marine
environment.
Post project assessments have revealed the project to be
highly successful with the site subject to regular tidal
inundation, and the natural rehabilitation process associated with
the tidal inundation showing approximately 80% of the site is
covered by marine plant species and is home to seabirds, crabs and
other natural marine life. The innovative strategies used by
GHD has set a new benchmark for intertidal Acid Sulfate Soil
remediation in Queensland.
Innovation and success of the Port of Townsville Limited project
has been widely acknowledge with the project being awarded the CCF
Earth Awards in 2009 and the AUSMEPA Environmental Awards
2010.
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