Fish can tell us a lot about the health of our rivers and creeks. Healthy waterways tend to support a diverse range of native species, while waterways under pressure are often dominated by a smaller number of non-native species.

For many people, illegal dumping is something they notice in passing. For Townsville local Dave Dudley, it became impossible to ignore.

Across the region, the record-breaking wet season influenced the health of Townsville’s rivers, creeks, and coasts, according to the 2026 Waterways Report Card.

Partners of the Healthy Waters Partnership joined the Port of Townsville Limited to plant the final 100 trees at their Gumlow South Sediment Reduction project.

The Australian Institute of Marine Science deciphers microplastics evidence to support mitigation and reduce impacts.

Targeted action by Townsville City Council helps restore function, improve water quality and support wetland health.

The path from complex data to meaningful stories isn’t always clear, but for our intern, Sanjana, navigating that journey has been a defining part of her internship experience.

With Earthwatch and MangroveWatch community monitoring at its core, new data is mapping values, identifying pressures, and charting actions to improve the health of our tidal wetlands.

A promising study led by Reef Ecologic in collaboration with the Healthy Waters Partnership has unveiled a new method to monitor fish diversity using citizen science data, strengthening reef health reporting for the Townsville Dry Tropics.

How do you turn your last semester of a marine biology degree into a launchpad for a career in conservation? For two James Cook University Master’s students, Madhu Kabade and Ka Ho (Marco) Cheung, it meant diving into the Healthy Waters Partnership as interns.

Living in North Queensland means living with extremes, but it also means living with nature. And that’s our greatest asset.

Locals are leading the charge towards a cleaner, greener Magnetic Island - without the waste.

In the heart of Townsville, where backyard creeks wind through suburbs to the coast, Coastal Dry Tropics Landcare Inc have had boots in the mud and hands in the soil for over 30 years.

Within Townsville’s main water treatment facility, students are learning to value and care for every drop.

A dedicated team of green thumbs have been on a mission to restore Magnetic Island’s native vegetation, stabilise creek banks and enhance soil health to minimise erosion and control sediment.

The annual Townsville Dry Tropics Waterways Report Card grades the health of our rivers, creeks, and coasts, by analysing water quality data, which measures things like nutrients and physical-chemical properties, known as phys-chem.

The 2025 Waterways Report Card has been released by the Healthy Waters Partnership, offering a snapshot of the health of Townsville’s rivers, creeks, and coastal waters, from the catchment to the Great Barrier Reef.

Reef Ecologic brought community and science together for World Oceans Day with their annual ReefBlitz event - a celebration of citizen science and ocean action.

The sixth annual Townsville Dry Tropics Waterways Report Card will give decision makers and the community a vital snapshot of the health of our local rivers, creeks, and coasts.

From North Carolina to North Queensland, Megan “Saville” Wall has travelled far, both geographically and professionally, to further her career as a marine scientist.