TasWater, NRM North and underwater photographer David Maynard were just a few of the presenters involved in Saturday’s Tamar Discovery at Beauty Point – part of National Science Week. 

Mr Maynard, who has over 25 years experience, said he hoped to increase awareness of the estuary. 

“A lot of people think it’s just a dead silty waterway, but that’s not the fact – it’s actually very alive towards the Heads, it’s a biodiversity hotspot,” he said. 

NRM North facilitator Megan Dykman said water quality, fish care and sewerage treatment were discussed in detail, as visitors discovered the wondrous biodiversity that has made the Tamar Estuary its home. 

“There’s actually incredible kelp fish, forests, seagrass, meadows, reef – a lot of marine life,” she said. 

She described last year’s discovery of a new and unnamed species of soft corals as a breakthrough.

Mr Maynard said a range of different habitats existed in the Tamar within their own communities, but additional research was required to understand the elusive biodiversity. 

“It’s hard to get the funds to do that, but if we’re going to look after the Tamar we really need to do that work to know what’s there,” he said.

NRM North Tamar Estuary and Esk Rivers coordinator Michael Attard said the populations varied through the estuary’s five zones, particularly the Launceston area which consisted largely of silt, sand and sediment.

The Upper Tamar, which covers Launceston, received the lowest score possible in this year’s estuary report card by NRM North. 

“That is another function of where that zone is...that’s the delivery point from the greater catchment, it will always probably be the poorest zone, and get the worst grades.

“But that doesn’t mean that we can’t start to improve it by our practises, by land practises, or even the little things that everyone does – don’t put oil down the sink.”