Keeping healthy in coastal beauty spots

A classic canal estate courtesy of Dr Anna Lyth

Three Macquarie University researchers are hoping to limit the impact of mosquito-borne diseases like Ross River virus in the future, by tackling the problem from an unusual angle.

Around 5000 cases of Ross River virus are reported in Australia each year, leading to an estimated annual cost in direct and indirect health bills in the tens of millions of dollars. Symptoms include debilitating arthritic and chronic fatigue symptoms which may persist for months. Currently there is no effective treatment.

Unfortunately, some of Australia’s most popular coastal resort areas also provide the perfect habitat for the mosquitoes that spread these types of diseases. And it’s a problem that may become significantly worse in the future, as urban growth brings more people to these regions and rising temperatures due to global warming increase the mosquitoes’ range.

Dr Anna Lyth, a senior lecturer in environmental and urban planning within the Graduate School of the Environment has teamed up with Dr Neil Holbrook and Dr Paul Beggs of the Department of Physical Geography to investigate the urban planning implications of this increasing risk of vector-borne disease.

Their research has focused on the sub-tropical coastal regions of south-east Queensland and north-east New South Wales. These are some of the fastest-developing and most beautiful places in Australia. They attract large numbers of workers, retirees, and domestic and international tourists who are drawn by their mild climate, beaches and wetlands.

An unusual approach

“Plenty of work has been done on diseases in relation to the biophysical environment and traditionally published in health and environmental management journals, but very little attention has been paid to planning perspectives,” says Lyth. “Issues need to be considered in a more holistic context of development, environmental change and the vulnerability of populations. We’re attempting to target planners to reach a different group of decision-makers who need to better engage with the management of this sort of health challenge.”

The modification of the environment to accommodate development and tourism in an era of climate change means that researchers need to manage today’s issues, but also thoroughly explore options for the future. These include planning tools and strategies to limit vector-borne diseases in what may be an increasingly vulnerable population.  

Rather than just responding on an ad hoc, development-by-development assessment basis, Lyth sees the need for integrated strategic decision-making on future developmental trends, and the sort of character these regions will eventually have.

“It’s essential that all three levels of government work together. This is the way of the future,” she says.

There are already some useful initiatives. Through a Contiguous Local Authorities Group (CLAG) in south-east Queensland, local authorities have pooled their resources in a co-ordinated regional mosquito management program. The group has also considered research priorities for alternative methods of management, including non-chemical controls and a mosquito surveillance network. But such measures do not deal with long-term management or prevention, says Lyth.

“For any successful and sustainable strategy, both state and federal government health, environmental and planning departments must play a clearly-defined role,” she says. “In addition to the continuing need for monitoring and surveillance, research will need to further investigate areas and people at risk. An effective, sustainable management strategy will include regulation and also strongly integrated regional and strategic planning, well supported by good assessment and local planning controls.”

Contact Dr Anna Lyth at alyth@els.mq.edu.au for copies of her paper, Vector borne diseases in urban subtropical coastal zones: planning perspectives for an emerging natural hazard written in conjunction with Dr Paul Beggs and Dr Neil Holbrook. The Graduate School of the Environment website is at www.gse.mq.edu.au

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