It’s easy to see the plume effect of sediment pouring out of the mouth of the Burdekin River during a flood event.
Large-scale gully remediation at Belmore Station near Collinsville… tubestock planting has begun.
The Burdekin Landscape Repair project uses a site prioritisation approach to ensure efficient and impactful investment delivery of sediment reduction.
NQ Dry Tropics, in collaboration with project consortium members, strategically prioritises landscape-scale features to maximise sediment reduction.
This approach is designed to optimise cost-effectiveness and deliver long-term environmental, production, and socio-economic returns across the catchment.
To identify key locations for intervention, data collation and analysis were conducted using a diverse range of datasets and expert input.
This analysis led to the identification of priority landscape repair sites. The prioritisation process is dynamic, allowing for updates as new information becomes available.
The project’s delivery and effectiveness will be monitored and reviewed, which will guide annual implementation plans and overall program evaluation. This iterative process ensures continuous refinement and adaptation to maximise the project’s impact during the next six years.
The Burdekin catchment, covering approximately 134,000 km² — around 8 per cent of Queensland’s total land area — is the largest catchment draining into the Great Barrier Reef. It is also the most significant contributor of anthropogenic fine sediment among the 35 catchments flowing into the reef lagoon.
Due to the catchment’s large size and its impact on water quality, the flows within the Burdekin can significantly influence the overall health of the reef. As a result, gully and streambank remediation has become a focal point for investment, aiming to reduce sediment loads and improve water quality, ultimately benefiting the reef’s ecosystem.
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SOME EXAMPLES OF PREVIOUS WORK
LARGE-SCALE GULLIES
Belmore — sediment stopped
Eroding gullies on Belmore Downs covering an area of almost 260,000m² and sending 4617t of sediment downstream every year have been repaired. Large-scale gullies like this are beyond the scope of individual graziers.
Glen Bowen ‘eyesore’ repaired
A patch of country on Glen Bowen Station, grazier Christian Cormack considered an ‘eyesore’ is now lush, productive grazing land. The 3.36ha gully was previously losing an estimated 1500t of sediment annually.
Two Havilah gullies
Two gully systems at Havilah and Gattonvale stations, near Collinsville, covering more than 110ha have been repaired. The bulk of the work was on Havilah to prevent the gully system expanding.
STREAMBANK REHABILITATION
Molongle Creek — piles, revetment
Molongle Creek, near Gumlu was damaged in the 2019 flood and was remediated in 2021 with pile fields, a rock revetment and woody stem plantings. About half the planted trees survived, but it was enough.
Station Creek restoration
The final touch at the Station Creek remediation site, almost 2km long and covering an area of more than 25,000m², is to restore vegetation on the bank. It will provide stability and protection for the new work as well as habitat for wildlife.
The Burdekin Landscape Repair project is funded through the Australian Government’s Reef Trust program.
