At a local level, our seagrass meadows are the feeding grounds for dugong and turtles, and provides a protective habitat for many small species. Seagrass meadows are dynamic in nature but need relatively clear, shallow water to exist. They are affected by mainland pollution and fresh water run-off which includes transported sediments and man-made pollutants. Seagrass meadows are also regularly destroyed by stormy sea conditions and boats which churn through it with their propellors, keels, and rudders, not to mention their underwater exhausts which deposit particulate matter and carbon monoxide onto the fragile plants. In slightly deeper water, there is the added damage caused by anchoring, where the tackle slowly rotates around the anchor to cause "crop circles" which are visible on aerial mapping. There are also a number of moorings which have been historically located amongst shallow seagrass meadows, where the boat is actually "high and dry" at low tide, after dragging its hull or keel around the mooring block with excessively long tackle.

These areas are also often hot-spots for crab pots, which can be dragged around by the currents. The seagrass meadows regularly change size, shape, and location due to these outside influences. An area which was previously rich can become barren while new meadows form in nearby areas.

Seagrass basically filters and traps mobile sediments, provides habitat for small creatures, and food for grazing dugongs and turtles, etc. There are a handful of different species within Moreton Bay, and all of them are fragile and need to be protected from manmade dangers. As hovercraft owners, we are aware that although our craft are exponentially safer to both flora and fauna, we are also unique in that we can easily access those same areas which are often protected from incursion by other vessels because of the shallow water. We need to be seen as responsible operators by avoiding damage and minimising disturbance to these ecosystems. Fortunately for us, this is easy as long as we don't traverse the exposed seagrass when it is "high and dry".
The second concern is the disturbance of migratory wading birds. Their annual trans-global migration between Australia and parts of the northern hemisphere are seasonal, and they take advantage of our rich feeding grounds on the mudflats. After their mega-effort of arriving here, they are in dire need of food to rebuild their energy and body weight in preparation for the return migration. Every single disturbance to these vulnerable birds takes its toll, no matter whether it is passing boats, jetskis, hovercraft, walking visitors or their dogs. Although it has been conclusively proven that hovercraft are virtually harmless to these feeding grounds and their plentiful supply of edible residents, it is imperative that we don't approach these areas when they are occupied by flocks of birds. If the birds start paying attention by looking toward you, then you are already too close and need to slow down and change course away from them, then maintain that distance every time.
Our negotiations with the department have been leading to the club demonstrating our responsible attitude through more education.

Their attitude is to "regulate by restriction" until a case is proven to be reasonably harmless to the environment. This is why the blanket bans on traversing seagrass, sand and mud banks was originally put in place, thanks to ignorance and mis-information.
The glaring facts about unrestricted boats and jetskis (due to their sheer numbers), and the continuing prop-strikes, keel-strikes, and furrows carved through shallow areas are totally ignored by the department while we remain treated as "Controlled" or "Restricted" vessels.

We are hopeful of getting these anomalies sorted out in the near future, thanks to the club's continual pressure which has been accelerated more recently by the substantial efforts put in by James and Elisha King and others.

The men from Fenced-off River. Thursday 30^th March 2017

There was movement at the BP station, for the word had passed around
that the big wet from way up north had moved on down to town.
So all the cracks had gathered to the fray,
Ben Woodhead and Kim Allen came down to lend a hand, and so
no better riders held the helm for they behold were crafty,
'twould lead the rest. Staff at Yatala were slow, held up by Albert of the overflow
and counting now their options, for long pond may lead to old regret.
Kim could skim where neither horse nor man would swim
and Ben bore the badge of gameness as he let his ambition fly
in the midst of Debbie's dark and furious eye.
But few could ride beside him when his blood was fairly up
He was something like a race horse and rides in marvel guise.
There was Neil who made his pile when Libby sold the cup
All the tried and noted riders from the stations far and wide
had mustered at the Budworth homestead for a mop and squeegee cleanup.
The puff and stormy settled and a back fire snuffed the battle in defeat,
where around the overflow the silted reed beds sweep and sway,
the men from fenced off river had no mud beneath, their feet.
The Courier had its say for these be household words today.

Hello everyone, here is the latest information from Ben and Kim regarding their busy weekend around the Logan River area, running a hovercraft ferry service for some of the people who were stranded due to the flooding which followed Cyclone Debbie up north.

Hi Steve, this is my face book post for Friday 31^st of March 2017:-
Had a rather manic day. Woke up at 4:00 am because Calum decided to. Saw a report on the Logan flooding, a mate of mine is building a house on the Logan in a particularly flood prone place, so I felt obliged to check it so pulled on some shorts and a work top and checked it out, then warned him when half his acre block is under. Came home, hooked up the hovercraft and started driving. I knew I'd be needed somewhere, and went up through Waterford, then back through Beenleigh listening to the radio and it was all bad. Went down to Beenleigh south, down near the brewery, and the roundabout had a bit of water on it and there where a couple of blokes and the manager from the Yatala BP saying his staff were stranded, so I said I'd get them out.

Drove over the roundabout to a Shell service station on higher ground on the service road where 2 tradies helped me get the hovercraft off the trailer, and I shot down more than 500m of flooded road, dodging roadsigns and lamposts and trucks over their roofs. Get there, walk into the service station and say to the staff "does anyone want to be rescued by hovercraft", (blurry photo they all have their mouths open. lol). Anyway, rescued 2 Macdonalds employees 1st run, then 2nd run 1 BP employee, then 3rd run 1 employee, then the 2 tradies say the roundabout is under water and the levels have come up 1.5m in half an hour, so we quickly loaded the hovercraft, drove up the road, and I quickly got the 2 Macdonalds employees in the car who were walking up the road, and had to drive OVER the roundabout through 700mm water depth for 300m to get to dry land.

Had to leave 2 Macdonalds and about another 20 people on the island petrol station, so I went south on the Pacific Motorway to Yatala south, then back-tracked to the Yatala north exit, then started unloading and started the hovercraft, but the engine throttle stuck open. A local garage guy helped me fix the stuck throttle. Launched to the BP at Yatala, picked up 10 people back to safety in good time, then the hovercraft blew the alternator belt so I went to a scrap yard and got a belt for free, then went and did a few more runs until a heater hose blew off the radiator and overheated the engine. I fixed that while chatting to TV Channel 9 on the phone. That's how the footage taken by a local business got me on tv.

Then Kim Allen rocked up, and we started quite literally a free ferry service. We even rescued a 14 year old deaf cat from a pet delivery business who is still stranded with goats and chickens on the 'BP island' for a guy who had driven from Ipswich to collect his pet. Guess we may be busy tomorrow.
Thank you for all the thanks, but we are not doing this for praise, if we can help we will, and we have the machines to do it - so we will.

This is my post for Saturday:-
From yesterday, went out at 6:00 am and flew the drone over the Logan River's lower catchment - still much in flood. Took the family out with hovercraft in tow for a tour to see if we could help anywhere. Ended up driving around the roundabout at 7:00 am that had been 4 metres under water only 15 hours earlier! Made the national papers with 3 photos.

The local State Emergency Services didn't want us, so feeling a bit useless after yesterday's shinanagins, we launched in the lower Logan River, still very much in flood, and went up to the Airlift Hovercraft factory which had been flooded and was deserted. Took some pics then we headed up the river and I spied a tractor with 2 people in 800mm of water on the side of the river. It turned out to be Ross Macleod, the owner of Airlift Hovercraft, so I rescued his wife and managed to get her to the factory, then Ross chugs round there on his tractor, through flood water up to a metre deep for more than 1 kilometre through the fields.

We then flogged it up the river to the motorway crossing. Kim refueled while I hovered round the carpark which was under 3 metres of water, dodging lamposts. We then cruised back down the river, avoiding trailers, upside down and sunken boats etc, and got back to the mouth of the Logan River only to receive a call from a mate Neil Budworth whose house (on stilts) was going under underneath (not the house) so we had to rescue all his tools and boat etc. A full on day again!

Thanks Ben. Quite a weekend for hovercrafting! If other QSH club members have also been involved, please let me know asap so I can pass it on.
See you on the (flood) water,
Steve.
QSH publicity.
High and dry on Russell Island,
S.E. Queensland.
Australia.