The Historic Site and the Nature Reserve are of special cultural significance to the local Goori people and are of historic significance to the general community.
The Historic Site and the Nature Reserve are important for natural heritage conservation as it is an isolated remnant in a region of high species diversity where only a small proportion of coastal lowland vegetation has escaped urban development. Half of the Historic Site and the Nature Reserve consists of mangrove and saltmarsh communities and there are several small patches of littoral rainforest. While heavily degraded in parts, the habitat provides an increasingly important refuge for estuarine fauna, particularly birds.
Tweed Heads Historic Site is presently leased to the Tweed Aboriginal Cooperative Society Limited for the operation of the facilities including the cultural centre, museum and retail outlet. The Tweed Heads Historic Site will be managed cooperatively by the Minjungbal Trading Company and the Service to protect the cultural and natural values and to provide opportunities for nature based educational and recreational uses.
The overall strategy for management will be to reduce the threatening processes affecting the Historic Site and the Nature Reserve while creating a buffer for the more isolated core of the planning area. This will be achieved by the control and eradication of weeds and introduced animals (including dogs and cats) and management at the interface with residential areas through additional fencing, access control and signage. Cooperation from visitors will be sought to protect sensitive values, such as shorebird habitat. Cooperation from the local community will be sought to extend the effectiveness of this approach.
Visitor infrastructure will only be provided on the Historic Site and the adjoining intertidal area of the Ukerebagh Channel where the boardwalk is located. The Nature Reserve will remain undeveloped except for signposting, allowing for nature based pursuits which don’t require visitor facilities. Within the Historic Site the focus is on visitor and cultural heritage management issues, while in the Nature Reserve the primary focus is on natural heritage management.
Photo: Ukerebagh Island, Ukerebagh Nature Reserve / OEH
