Tinchi Tamba Wetlands

Tinchi Tamba Wetlands

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Posted 2019-09-11 by Roz Glazebrookfollow
I had kayaked around the in 2016, but I had never walked around the area. The thing I remember most about the kayaking trip was paddling through thousands of Blue Blubber jellyfish (Catostylus mosaicus).



We saw lots of flying fish, birds and a couple of large stingrays as we paddled near mangroves.

It was difficult trying to avoid the jellyfish, as they were everywhere just below the surface. My kayak glided over them without any problems, but my two friends were on stand up paddleboards and jerked forward when their board fins ran into one. They were hard to avoid. The jellyfish are native to eastern Australia, from Torres Strait to Victoria. They are a beautiful blue colour in Queensland. They grow to 35 cm and have a dome-shaped bell.



It took me three years to get back to the area. A group from my bushwalking club met at the Reserve at Wyampa Road, Bald Hills a few weeks ago.



The wetlands are located 19 kilometres north of the Brisbane CBD, between Pine River and Bald Hills Creek.

Tinchi is the Aboriginal word for mangrove, and Tamba, the Aboriginal word for Ibis. The Reserve is over 380 hectares and part of a network of coastal wetlands on the edge of Moreton Bay. It is 19 kilometres north of Brisbane City, between Pine River and Bald Hills Creek.



There were toilets, picnic tables and barbecues here, and boat ramps for fishermen and kayakers at the day-use area on Deep Water Bend. The area was deserted on the weekday morning. There was plenty of free parking.



We planned to walk about ten kilometres around the reserve. We were lucky it was a fairly cool day and the mozzies weren't bad. I had heard they could be vicious at times, so you do need to bring repellant. The walk was very interesting as we walked through a variety of habitats, including mangroves, tidal flats, salt marshes, casuarina trees, eucalypt woodlands, open forests, melaleuca wetlands and grasslands.



Due to lack of rain, the wetlands were pretty dry. The area has been planted with native grasses. I am sure it would be very different after a lot of rain.



Reserve is over 380 hectares in size and is part of a network of coastal wetlands on the edge of Moreton Bay.

Indigenous Australians hunted and fished in the sheltered and food-rich wetlands of Tinchi Tamba for thousands of years. The Wyampa tribe originally inhabited the area.



The land was originally opened for selection. In 1921, land was resumed for soldier settlements and cleared for farms, however, the land proved unsuitable for agriculture. Deep Water Bend was declared a recreation reserve in 1929.



In the late 1980s, a canal development was planned along the river. Brisbane City Council saved the wetlands in 1993 by purchasing this land through the Bushland Preservation Levy.



A housing estate was planned for the area in 1993, but the council used the Bushcare Acquisition Fund to secure long-term protection.



Freshwater and saltwater flooding shapes the wetlands. High tides flood the mangrove and tidal flats, creating food-rich environments for fish, crabs, molluscs and birds. Spring tides flood the saltmarshes several times every year. During major floods, most of Tinchi Tamba is covered by water.



We saw lots of large Eastern Grey kangaroos. Large bucks kept a close eye on us, and made sure we didn't get too close to the mob. Dan, our leader lives near the area and walks there often. I'm sure the kangaroos probably recognise him.



I was lucky to see one of the secretive mangrove kingfishes after I walked down to the edge of the mangrove bank near the bird hide and saw a kingfisher perched on a branch intently watching the water watching for prey.



It is a beautiful, peaceful area close to Brisbane. We are lucky that housing estate didn't get developed. Now Brisbane residents and wildlife can enjoy the area.





#animals_wildlife
#bald_hills
#nature
#outdoor
#picnic_spots
#walks
%wnbrisbane
196585 - 2023-06-16 04:19:55

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