About Us

What is Coastcare?

Arcadia Coastcare is modelled on the National Coastcare program. Coastcare is a network of community volunteer groups made up of everyday Australians who care passionately about the protection and management of our coastal and marine environments.

Coastcare groups identify local environmental problems and work together with government, local businesses and interest groups to achieve practical, sustainable solutions.

What Arcadia Coastcare Does

Arcadia Coastcare is a volunteer community group. Previously called Geoffrey Bay Coastcare and Olympus Crescent Coastcare, we work in natural areas on public land at Arcadia on Magnetic Island with approval from land managers, e.g., National Parks, Traditional Owners and the Townsville City Council.

Our activities include:

Weed control
Assisted natural regeneration
Tree planting
Habitat protection
Interpretation
Workshops for community consultation and knowledge sharing, e.g., Turtle Nesting Workshop and Interpretation Planning (which resulted in this website).

We also apply for grants for materials and expert labour, to engage weed contractors, graphic designers and other professionals to help us do our work.

RED20_maggie_reclaimed_CaseStudy_Jan2018

Contact Us

If you’d like to find out more about Arcadia Coastcare and/or Arcadia’s natural values, please contact us at arcadiacoastcare@gmail.com

Why I love living in Arcadia

Arcadia means peaceful place, utopia. It's a privilege to live here.

"I came 21 years ago seeking healing and regeneration after illness. Living here where wildlife is abundant, and the tree covered hills are near to the sea is nurturing of spirit mind and body.

Sharing this place with others who live here and visit, and those whose ancestors were here thousands of years before (Wulgurukaba people), means that I need to be aware that nature can't always be left to repair or renew itself after man-made damage or events like cyclones.

I was very fortunate to join forces with Tony O'Malley in 2001 and begin some environmental projects under the name Geoffrey Bay Coastcare. I love being involved with this group of volunteers and believe we are honouring the World Heritage Values in Arcadia, as well as those of Magnetic Island.

The light, the colours, the sounds, scents, nature in abundance, friends and community is why I love living in Arcadia. As I said, it's a privilege.”

- Vandhana 2019

Why I love living in Arcadia

Thank you for respecting this place.

"I live in Arcadia and belong to Arcadia Coastcare. We’re providing this information through this website because we value this place, Arcadia.

We swim and snorkel regularly in Alma and Geoffrey Bays. We walk the beaches and local tracks. We watch the seasonal changes from the dry to the wet and reverse. We keep an eye on the native plants and wildlife.

Sometimes this place just makes my heart sing. The golden, late afternoon sun on the hill-top pandanus palm, the soaring osprey returning to its nest high up in a boulder sheltered hoop pine, the tiny, baby masked-lapwings scuttling round dunes above Geoffrey Bay, and much more. This stuff matters to us.

Not just to us as individuals, but also to our Coastcare group and to those who use, promote and maintain the National Park, Marine Park and World Heritage values of this special place.

We pick up rubbish, we weed invasive species and report feral predators. If we own dogs, we walk them on leads and keep our cats indoors. We tread lightly.

Residents and visitors can help maintain these values by also treading lightly in Arcadia. To help protect the land, sea and wildlife, please remove litter and weeds, and walk dogs on a leash- particularly on the beach and dunes. Keep vehicles on-road.

Thank you for respecting this place. It matters."

- Meredyth Woodward 2019