FRESHWATER WATERBUGS
RiverWatch Project:
The Pine Rivers Catchment is well-known for supporting a wide range of ecological values, including species and ecosystems that are coming increasingly under threat in South-East Queensland.
Our waterways provide important habitat for the iconic platypus, as well as a wide variety of waterbirds, fish, invertebrates and plant species.
Additionally, the Pine Rivers Catchment flows directly into and affects the ecological values of Northern Moreton Bay. Despite this, there is little information available regarding the ecological health of the Pine Rivers waterways.
The Pine Rivers Catchment Association (PRCA) have established the first comprehensive water quality monitoring project in the Pine Rivers area – RiverWatch Pine Rivers!
The North and South Pine Rivers, including their major tributaries, are sampled for their key environmental health values. Their major physical and chemical values will be collected, in addition to macroinvertebrate sampling to give us an insight into the biological health of our waterways.
This is of great value to the public due to the Catchment’s ecological values, recreational significance, drinking water and contribution to the heritage of the area.
With this project, the Pine Rivers Catchment Association (PRCA) and their partners, including Seqwater, the City of Moreton Bay Council and other local not-for-profits, will be better equipped to prioritise the actions that will ensure the health of our local environment.
RiverWatch Pine Rivers is only possible due to the support of the Community Bank Samford (Bendigo Bank) through their inaugural Major Grant Round (2024).
Community volunteers are in high demand for this project – if you are interested, please get in touch!
Dan Pagotto
Dan is the Operations Manager at the Pine Rivers Catchment Association. He holds a Bachelor of Environmental Science (Hons) with a major in ecology and conservation, specialising in freshwater ecology.
He has worked extensively throughout all of Queensland and Papua New Guinea on both small- and large-scale aquatic projects.
Dan’s primary interests are the interface between land and water and engaging the broader community in citizen science initiatives.
Dan leads PRCA’s Seqwater and Healthy Land and Water partnership programs, and in collaboration with Trudi, manages the general operations of the organisation.
Jason Ramsay
Jason has been part of PRCA since 2022 and is our Research Project Officer, leading our RiverWatch and biological control programs while supporting our volunteer Catchment Care groups.
He holds a Bachelor of Environmental Science and has just completed his honours thesis on the biological control of cat’s claw creeper.
Jason is dedicated to the preservation of our catchment’s precious biodiversity.
Contact Jason Ramsay <jason@prca.org.au>
MARINE MACROINVERTEBRATES
Marine macroinvertebrates include insects, bivalves, gastropods, annelids and crustaceans.
Bob Crudgington will be talking about the macroinvertebrates of Moreton Bay including molluscs (bivalves, gastropods and cephalopods) and crustaceans found in the the Bay's intertidal zones.
BOB CRUDGINGTON
Bob Crudgington is the President of REF Environmental and holds a Bachelor of Science (Hons) in marine ecology from the University of Queensland.
Bob developed a strong interest in marine invertebrates and was involved in several research projects, including the study of mangrove habitat utilisation by juvenile prawns, an analysis of juvenile fish diets, and invertebrate distribution in intertidal flats.
Additionally, he contributed to a comprehensive survey by collecting and analysing plankton samples targeting Cumaceans (small marine crustaceans) within Moreton Bay.
Bob founded the Redcliffe Environmental Forum Inc (REF Environmental) in 2005, a volunteer group focused on protecting, conserving and restoring Moreton Bay's environment.
With over a million dollars in grants for wetland rehabilitation, REF Environmental actively promotes local environmental values.
In late 2023 REF secured a community lease for the Deception Bay Environmental Hub in Queensland.
Bob's current focus is on connecting environmental professionals, scientific researchers, volunteers involved in citizen science, and the general public.
His work involves community presentations, digital stories, and workshops concentrating on the ecology, flora, and fauna of Moreton Bay.
He uses digital platforms under the brand EnviroEd to emphasise the need to conserve the natural assets of Moreton Bay and Southeast Queensland.
