Stage One Belmore gully rehabilitation complete
Remediation of stages Two and Three is now underway on Belmore Downs, near Collinsville.
Until this large-scale intervention, the gullies were sending an estimated 4617 tonnes of sediment downstream every year and expanding at an accelerated rate.
The work was designed and constructed by Neilly Group Engineering, and included 12 rock chutes and a series of bunds to slow water flow across the landscape.
The result is spectacular.
Read more about it here.
Next steps…
Remediation on stages two and three will soon get underway.
The approach is targeted given the scale of works required along with the size of machinery required to undertake works cost effectively. Earthworks include:
- cut-to-fill reshaping earthworks to locations that are actively undergoing alluvial gullying;
- constructing grade control rock chutes to prevent the headward growth of linear gullying;
- constructing overland flow diversion bunds to direct flows currently contributing to headward migration of gullies, instead over the armoured rock chutes;
- constructing porous rock check dams to slow down flows through the gully network, leading to a system with hydraulic conditions that is more depositional and less erosive;
- ameliorating soils to treat soil chemistry (based on soil sampling) that is contributing to erosion and gullying (due to processes such as dispersion and slaking and due to poor soil nutrients limiting vegetation cover); and
- revegetating the reshaped alluvial gullies and all areas disturbed during the works to provide healthy levels of ground cover to ensure the former gullies are resilient to erosion.
The work has been designed and constructed by Neilly Group Engineering. Local contractors will be used to undertake remediation works.
The site will be monitored to measure remediation effectiveness.
Stage 2.
Stage 3. Stage 1 can be seen in the backgroun to the left.
Cultural heritage survey was undertaken
A cultural heritage survey and impact assessment has been completed in consultation with the Birriah Traditional Owners to address NQ Dry Tropics’ obligations and cultural heritage duty of care under the Queensland Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2003 (ACHA).
Aboriginal cultural heritage surveys are conducted to identify places in the landscape that contain or embody Aboriginal heritage values, not just sites. Cultural Heritage Solutions was contracted to assist the Birriah Aboriginal Corporation in coordinating the cultural field survey and a number of artefacts were found at the site.
The project will continue to work to ensure no cultural heritage is harmed during the on-ground works process to demonstrate a successful working relationship between all parties to care for Country.
Pictured are, from left, NQ Dry Tropics cultural Fire Management Project Officer Trinity Georgetown, Birriah representative Imran Walsh, Cultural Heritage Solutions Technical Advisor Damian Britnell and Birriah representative Ian Twist.