Bug catching citizen scientist project hits Nambucca River
Published on 28 May 2026
For the third year running, Nambucca Valley Council participated in the Macro Muster, the longest running citizen scientist project.
On Friday 22 May, Council staff, North Coast Local Land Services staff, and OzGreen representatives put on waders and took up nets to hunt for macroinvertebrates (water bugs) at specific sample sites across the Nambucca, Taylors Arm, Bellingen, and Kalang river catchments.
Nambucca Valley Council General Manager Bede Spannagle said the initial indicators from the water bugs found indicate the Nambucca River catchment has good water quality, especially in its upper catchment areas.
“Last Friday was a big day for OzGreen’s Macro Muster 10, the longest running citizen scientist project in Australia,” he said.
“While scientists from the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water are still analysing the water bugs found and their numbers, Council’s Environmental Project Officer said he believes the local catch shows sites in the upper Nambucca River catchment are in good health.
“As sample sites got lower down in the catchment, near Bowraville, sensitive bugs were caught, which is great, however they were not found to be in high numbers. This suggests the lower catchment areas have good water quality, however the habitat for water bugs could be improved by having additional edge vegetation and more woody debris.”
Nambucca Valley Council Environmental Project Officer Keegan Noble said rain events over the past fortnight had caused the water level to rise in the Bellinger, Kalang and Nambucca River catchments, so unfortunately, local school students and volunteers who had registered to participate in Macro Muster 10 on Thursday and Friday 21-22 May could not do so.
However many local children and volunteers still attended the macroinvertebrate count held at Bellingen Showground on Friday night from 4pm-7.30pm.
“Children helped to find macroinvertebrates inside the sample buckets and then placed them in ice-cube trays for identification and counting,” Mr Noble said.
“For me, it was excellent to see that a lot of the upper catchment area in the Nambucca River had a vast array of macroinvertebrates and other creatures. In these areas the creek banks have quality riparian zones, which creates good stabilisation and minimal erosion, keeping the water quality and bug habitat in excellent health.”
Council’s sponsorship of OzGreen’s Macro Muster 10 was funded from the Environmental Levy and it helped to achieve goals in the Nambucca Coastline and Estuaries Coastal Management Program.
Local volunteer organisation, Nambucca Riverwatch, has participated in Macro Musters over many years as well, however their volunteers could not participate in this year’s event due to rainfall. This organisation also regularly tests water quality at specific sample sites across the Nambucca River catchment to.
ALL MEDIA ENQUIRIES TO:
Mr Bede Spannagle
GENERAL MANAGER
02 6568 2555
DATE: 28 May 2026