ABOUT NOOSA COAST CARE
We care for bushland reserves along Noosa’s Eastern Beaches including the Marcus Beach and Peregian Creek areas.
Noosa Coast Care is about more than removing weeds. It is about protecting, restoring and understanding the coastal environment—and encouraging people to become actively involved in its care.
Our volunteers come from different backgrounds and bring different skills, but we share a common commitment: to leave Noosa’s coastal environment in better condition for the future.
Get Involved
Become a member
Support our ongoing conservation efforts and stay connected with our events. Anyone is welcome to join!
Volunteer at an event
You don’t need to be a member to lend a hand! Just come along to one of our regular working bees.
Stay informed
Sign up for our email newsletter to receive news, event reminders, and local conservation updates.
Our Aims
We protect and conserve the natural values of Noosa’s Coastal Reserves and adjacent bushland reserves.
By planting natives and through targeted weeding we support the preservation of the area’s biodiversity.
We encourage active participation of the community, natural resource managers and government bodies to support our aims.
- Adrian Gallagher (President)
- Colin Ingram (Treasurer)
- Michelle Wilson (Secretary)
- Judy Tulloch (Committee Member)
Bushcare groups operate on a voluntary basis, with the support of Noosa Council and local Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service. The amount of work that can be done by a small number of volunteers is dependent on the resources available, so the association actively seeks funding from Noosa Council and other bodies to extend its work. The association also relies on volunteers to fulfil diverse roles including bush regeneration, working with schools and other organisations, fundraising, submission writing, website management and administration. The rules of Marcus Beach Bushcare Association t/a Noosa Coast Care, can be viewed here (PDF).
Our supporters
We are extremely grateful to everyone who supports us whether it is by becoming a member or turning up for the occasional or regular bushcare working bee. We also recognise and thank those organisations that have generously supported us with grant support:
Learn more about Noosa Coast Care
Caring for Noosa’s coastal environment since 2009
Noosa Coast Care began in 2009 as a small but enthusiastic community group of local residents who came together as the Marcus Beach Bushcare Group.
From the outset, the group has been inclusive and community-focused. What brought us together was a shared passion for Noosa’s beautiful natural environment, a recognition of how precious its coastal habitats are, and a desire to restore and protect these places for the future.
We were particularly concerned about the impact of invasive weeds and environmental degradation on the coastal ecosystems that sit alongside our urban communities. These natural areas provide essential habitat for an extraordinary diversity of plants and animals. Our aim has always been to help restore healthy ecosystems where wildlife can thrive—and where people can continue to experience and appreciate the natural character of Noosa.
Growing beyond Marcus Beach
As more like-minded people became involved, our small group grew in both numbers and ambition. Volunteers began contributing their time, knowledge and energy to important areas beyond Marcus Beach, including Peregian Creek and Castaways Creek.
These coastal environments were under increasing pressure from invasive weeds, which were threatening important stands of Melaleuca and other native vegetation, while also impacting wetlands and waterways.
Through practical bushcare work, we began tackling these problems one weed, one patch of habitat and one working bee at a time. The work is sometimes challenging and always ongoing, but the results demonstrate what a committed community can achieve when people work together to care for the places they value.
Becoming an incorporated association
In 2015, the group decided to incorporate as an association. This provided a more focused structure for our activities and created opportunities to broaden our community engagement.
We developed a website to share information about our work and the natural environment, and began creating opportunities for schools and the wider community to learn about Noosa’s unique coastal ecosystems.
Education has become an important part of our work. We believe that understanding the natural world is one of the best ways to encourage people to value and protect it. By sharing knowledge about local plants, animals, habitats and environmental challenges, we hope to inspire the next generation of coastal custodians.
Our purpose
Noosa Coast Care is about more than removing weeds. It is about protecting, restoring and understanding the coastal environment—and encouraging people to become actively involved in its care.
Our work supports the recovery of native vegetation and wildlife habitat while helping to protect wetlands, creeks and coastal reserves from the pressures of urbanisation and invasive species.
We believe that healthy natural environments are essential to the character of Noosa and to the wellbeing of the communities that live alongside them.
Working together to protect our coast
At the heart of Noosa Coast Care are the people who give their time, enthusiasm and knowledge to caring for our natural environment. Our volunteers come from varied backgrounds and bring different skills, but we share a common commitment: leaving Noosa’s coastal environment in better condition for the future.
A collaborative effort
We do not work in isolation. Noosa Coast Care works alongside land managers, environmental organisations, local schools, and the broader community.
- Local Groups: What began as individual bushcare efforts at Marcus Beach and Peregian Creek formally joined forces in September 2014 to coordinate our care.
- Council & Local Partners: We work in close partnership with Noosa Council who assist by providing contracted teams to tackle heavy weed infestations on a broader scale.
- Local Schools & Business: Groups like Peregian College students and nearby community resorts regularly assist with site weeding and planting days.
Looking to the future
The challenges facing our coastal environment continue to evolve. Invasive weed pressure, urban development, and changing climate patterns make ongoing community involvement vital.
By working together, we ensure that the forests, wetlands, creeks, and foredunes of Noosa remain resilient—providing vital sanctuary for native wildlife and a peaceful natural space for our community.
Diverse coastal habitats along Noosa’s Eastern Beaches
The bushcare sites we restore stretch across coastal dunes, sheltered woodlands, and freshwater wetlands. These reserves sit within the Noosa Biosphere Reserve and border the Lake Weyba section of Noosa National Park, making their protection crucial to local biodiversity.
Vegetation zones and local species
- Foreshore Dunes: Exposed dune areas feature hardy ground covers and coastal trees including Jack Bean (Canavalia rosea), Pig Face (Carpobrotus glaucescens), Coastal She-Oak (Casuarina equisetifolia), and Twining Guinea Flower (Hibbertia scandens).
- Sheltered Woodland & Heath: Behind the dunes, species such as Midyim Berry (Austromyrtus dulcis), Coast Banksia (Banksia integrifolia), Beach Bird’s Eye (Alectryon coriaceus), and Tuckeroo (Cupaniopsis anacardioides) thrive. Specialised local flora includes the Beach Daisy (Actites megalocarpa) and the Shepherd’s Crook Orchid (Geodorum densiflorum).
- Freshwater Wetlands & Creeks: Along waterways like Peregian Creek, vegetation adapts to freshwater flows. Common Paperbark (Melaleuca quinquenervia), Giant Reed (Phragmites australis), and native sedges filter and stabilise the banks.
Protecting habitat for the Glossy Black Cockatoo
Much of the coastal plain originally contained dense stands of Black She-oak (Allocasuarina littoralis). This tree provides the primary food source for the vulnerable Glossy Black Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus lathami). As these trees have been cleared over time across urban verges, cockatoo populations have faced increasing pressure. Protecting and restoring native she-oak stands is a priority across our working sites.
Managing invasive weeds to allow natural recovery
Invasive weed species pose the single greatest threat to our coastal bushland. Verges, gardens, and waterways often introduce weed seeds into natural reserves. Left unchecked, aggressive weeds smother native seedlings, prevent natural regeneration, and replace diverse coastal habitats with dense monocultures.
Priority invasive weeds in our area
- Singapore Daisy (Sphagneticola trilobata): Formidable ground cover that mats over native plants along creeks and foredunes.
- Basket Asparagus Fern (Asparagus aethiopicus): Dominates the understory, outcompeting local shrubs.
- Broad-leaved Pepper Tree (Schinus terebinthifolius): Invasively displaces native canopy species.
- Glory Lily (Gloriosa superba) & Para Grass: Smother ground cover and disrupt natural dune structures.
For a full list of weeds and control techniques, see our table of weeds found in the area and also this page about our worst weeds.
Bushland condition across our sites
The condition of the bushland varies considerably. High-traffic locations, like the mouth of Peregian Creek, require intensive ongoing control due to severe historical infestations. Other areas—such as beach accesses 45 to 47—are in very good condition with low weed presence thanks to sustained bushcare efforts.
Low-impact restoration using the Bradley Method
Our primary goal is to suppress weeds so native seed banks can naturally germinate and recover. We rely on gentle, effective bush regeneration practices that minimize soil disturbance and protect existing wildlife habitat.
The Bradley Method in practice
- Working from good to bad: We prioritise working from the healthiest bushland edges toward heavily weeded sections. This releases suppressed native seeds—like Midyim Berry and Crinum Lilies—allowing native growth to naturally outcompete emerging weed seedlings.
- Targeted removal: Hand weeding is our main tool. We manually dig out root systems or target weed seeds and berries before they drop.
- Careful chemical use: For large, woody weeds (like Pepper Trees) or extensive grass infestations where manual removal is impractical, qualified members apply targeted cut-and-swab or spot treatments.
- Erosion prevention: We take care around creek banks and steep sand dunes to ensure weeding activities do not destabilise the soil.
Contractor support and funding
While regular volunteer working bees tackle front-line maintenance, heavily infested areas require specialised equipment or heavy labor. We secure grant funding – including Noosa Council Community Grants – to employ professional restoration contractors for severe infestations.
Restoring gaps and supporting natural recovery
While our main strategy is encouraging natural seed regeneration, supplementary planting is essential in areas severely damaged by storm erosion, heavy weed clearing, or physical disturbance.
How we re-vegetate
- Local provenance: We plant local native species suited to coastal conditions, sourced through Noosa Council, local Landcare nurseries, or collected native wildlings. (See our [Compatible Native Species List] for details).
- Water conservation: Due to dry, sandy coastal soil, water-storing crystals are added to every planting hole, and follow-up watering is conducted during dry periods to ensure seedling survival.
- Community planting days: Special community field days and local school outings are hosted throughout the year to give everyone a chance to put plants in the ground.
Monitoring and site tracking
Every working bee and planting session is recorded in our site journals. We track species planted, area weeded, volunteer hours, and seedling survival rates over time to continually adapt and improve our care for Noosa’s coastline.
Tables of plants within the Noosa Coast Care area
Native plants
The table below lists the native plants found along the Noosa coast. We work to encourage the growth of these natives to mitigate erosion and the impacts of climate change.
Weeds
The list in this table provides an overview of the weeds on the coast. We target these at our working bees to promote native biodiversity. See also Our Worst Weeds for more information.
Planting
The plants listed in this table have been identified as suitable for planting in our area. Also see our Gardening With Natives page to find out how you can get involved at home.