The Emerald Fringe
We’re surrounded by sea and trees
On the island, we are lucky to have easy access to two of the most calming environments on the planet: water and trees. The Emerald Fringe is native bushland, with many beautiful native trees, that skirts the circumference of the island — it is state-owned, public land.
Many trees on the island that have been standing tall and majestic for decades, if not centuries. Many of these are in the Emerald Fringe. There are also mangroves on parts of our shoreline that are important for the marine ecosystem and protection against erosion from storm surges during extreme weather events.
When we view the island from the mainland or the bay, depending on your vantage point, we can’t see many/any signs of human habitation. The ferry terminal and barge ramp on the south of the island are the only infrastructure that reaches the shoreline. Very few structures and roof lines can be seen amongst the tree lines.
Aerial view of the north-east corner of the island illustrating the green buffer of land, the Emerald Fringe, between the shoreline and residential/freehold blocks. Photo by Adric Spiteri (Sure Shot Film).
The Emerald Fringe makes us unique amongst Queensland’s habited islands
Coochiemudlo Island is the only habited island in Queensland that does not have privately-owned land that stretches to the shoreline or beach. This means that the public can walk around the entire island without interruption — without private property, gates, fences or signs that state ‘Keep Out’.
The Emerald Fringe offers us ease-of-access right around the island. We have the opportunity and satisfaction of enjoying the natural environment by walking around the island while taking in nature and the bay.
The origin of the Emerald Fringe
When George McDonald surveyed Coochie Mudlo Island in 1885, the Queensland Surveyor Generals Department had mandated to leave a setback minimum of 150 links (30 metres) from the high-water mark when surveying crown land. On Coochiemudlo Island today, this set back is now known as the Emerald Fringe. For more information about the survey, read ‘The Origin of the Emerald Fringe’, an article on the Coochiemudlo Island Heritage Society’s website written by island resident and cartographer, Keith Slack. Keith’s article includes historical images of the Town of Coochie survey.
How do we protect the Emerald Fringe?
The Emerald Fringe — the beautiful green esplanade, right around Coochiemudlo Island — is part of the island’s identity and history. Without development restrictions on what can be built on this zone, we could lose it. The Coochiemudlo Island Heritage Society is working with Redland City Council on a Conservation Management Plan for the Emerald Fringe to protect it, to keep this part of the island’s heritage in tact.
Island-based community organisations work hard to control invasive weeds that have encroached onto the Emerald Fringe since settlers have arrived to the island. On the western side, down to the mangroves, smaller native flora have been engulfed by introduced species that have gone rogue. The dumping of garden waste onto this area — which is prohibited — plus birds spreading seeds, are the likely causes. Our environmental groups, Coastcare and Bushcare, work hard on the north-east, east, and south-east of the island to keep weeds like mother-of-millions in check — weeding them out is a constant task because they are so virulent. The island’s volunteers’ work tirelessly to protect the natural environment on the Emerald Fringe.
The Coochiemudlo Island Native Nursery regularly donate native grasses to help with regenerating the foreshore vegetation. The Native Nursery submits regular articles about weeds to Hi Tidings about introduced plant species that are now a hazard — on the island (and throughout Queensland). The articles inform gardeners on what species are best to avoid planting. The articles also offer good ideas about what natives to plant instead of introduced species that are potentially invasive.
