Community
24 December, 2021
Cairns local on a quest for proper maintenance of the Centenary Lakes
Edge Hill resident Trevor Johnston has been on an all-year crusade to get Cairns Regional Council to clear Centenary Lakes of what he believes to be an invasive species of waterlilies.
Mr Johnston has been pushing for prompt action from Council since the lilies keep covering the lake’s surface.
Council clarified in a statement on December 14 that the plants were not lilies but lotuses, which are native species, and that they pose no risk to the lake’s health.
Mr Johnston said he wanted Council to announce a deadline for the maintenance of the lake as not only the appearance of the lake is unnatural but has also pushed the native birds away.
“The lake used to be full of ducks, geese, pelicans and all sorts of birds, and now you can barely see a bird. People used to take photos of the lake, but now there’s nothing to see,” he said.
“In the beginning, there used to be some lotuses just in the corner, that’s fine, but now they covered everything; the lake needs to be clean. I want to shame Council into doing something; they keep saying they will but never when.”
Parks and Gardens last removed the lotuses in early August, and four months later, they have covered the surface again.
Acting General Manager Infrastructure Services Gary Everson said the lake’s appearance is not unnatural or a signal of an unhealthy ecosystem.
“The lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) is a native species that has always been part of the formal plantings within the Botanic Gardens precinct,” Mr Everson said.
“Given this, the appearance of the lake is not inappropriate, nor is it indicative of an ecosystem that is out of balance.”
Mr Everson said the lack of birds in the area does not have to be related to the presence of the lotuses.
“The perceived lack of water birds could be attributed to a number of factors, including favourable conditions in the Gulf and Cape York, which would keep birds away from artificial lakes,” he said.
Mr Everson acknowledged that there were concerns from the community over the excess of lotuses in the lake. “Council contracted a surface-based aquatic weed harvester earlier this year to remove excessive lily and weed growth in many parts of the lake,” he said
“This provided a temporary solution, and Council is currently considering options for the long-term maintenance and control of lotus in the lakes,” he said.
For Mr Johnston, this battle will not end until Council assembles a program for the cleaning and maintenance of the lotuses.
“There needs to be a program in place to maintain the lakes because Parks and Gardens can’t do anything without Council’s approval,” he said.
