The Catchment of the Laura and Normanby Rivers covers approximately 1,517,300 hectares or 586,080 km2, spanning the central base of Cape York Peninsula. The Laura-Normanby Catchment area covers a vast and relatively undeveloped area encompassing extensive riverine and wetland systems, one of Queenland’s largest conservation areas (Lakefield National Park), numerous sacred aboriginal sites, good cattle country, and productive agricultural lands. The Laura-Normanby Catchment Management Strategy was initiated by the Laura-Normanby Catchment Management Group in 2002 utilising funding from the Department of the Environment, Natural Heritage Trust (NHT1). This Strategy documents the knowledge and concerns of the local landholders, resource managers and traditional owners who are most affected by Cape York management decisions. Stakeholder surveys were conducted to identify and prioritise issues and management actions required to address natural resource management in the Catchment. The top priority issues, according to the majority of surveyed stakeholders, are: water quality and quantity, weeds, conservation of biodiversity, grazing impacts and feral animals. Other priority issues identified included fire management, the preservation of Cultural Heritage, management of commercial and recreational fishing and the increasing tourist and recreational use of the Catchment.
Most members of the community would like to see more funding go towards the on-ground works that are needed for natural resource management. Support (financial and other) is needed to control weed infestations, to provide and maintain fencing along stream banks to keep out cattle and feral animals, to identify and protect critical habitat for the diverse range of aquatic and terrestrial fauna of the catchment area, to map groundwater resources for irrigation and stockwatering, and to coordinate burning regimes across the Catchment. Additional infrastructure is required to support the growing tourism and recreation industry and the use of proper engineering design and sediment controls must be enforced during any earthworks conducted in the highly erodible soils within the Catchment. The Laura-Normanby Catchment Management Strategy has identified these and other priority actions to which natural resource funding should now be directed.
Implementation of the Strategies identified in this Plan will require cooperation among the various segments of the Catchment community, including QPWS, traditional owners, graziers, the agricultural industry, and the Cook Shire Council. The knowledge of the local community will be critical to the identification of specific locations requiring action and government support and coordination will be necessary to see these actions through. By working together, members of the community can significantly contribute towards improving the productivity and sustainability of the various industries within the Catchment AND towards ensuring the protection of local natural resources.