Havilah Station trials using mesh in gully maintenance work

Gully maintenance work was carried out on a gully at Havilah, near Collinsville, at the end of 2024, ahead of the wet season.  

The idea was to try biodegradable mesh on sites where previously hay was used during the revegetation process. The idea was to find out if this mesh could hold up against wind and heavy rainfall, especially during the wet season.

Hay has worked well in the past and the project managers are keen to test this product to see how it performs. 

The mesh was installed on embankments and batters to stabilise them, along with a grass seed blend mix that’s been given the thumbs-up by the land manager.

This mesh also helps trap soil and seeds blown by the wind, which is perfect for areas where we want natural revegetation to happen.

NQ Dry Tropics’ visited the site for the first day of work with Civil Works Cordinator Damian Flintham, Civil IQ and subcontractor Halloran and Sons Earthmoving. The project was completed within two weeks and will be inspected again after the wet season.

Cost savings from the Landscape Remediation activity area of the Landholders Driving Change project have been redirected to maintain gully sites near Collinsville on Belmore Downs, Havilah (Sites 1 and 2), and Weetalaba.

Fixing gullies in floodplains within the Dry Tropics catchments is no easy task as the soil erodes easily. A tailored approach to each site is developed to ensure on-ground work improves water quality for the Great Barrier Reef lagoon in the long run.

Maintenance work includes reshaping gullies and treating soil with gypsum or lime to make it less reactive. Adding rock capping, organic mulch, and revegetation helps the surface handle heavy rainfall.

It’s important to keep a close watch on the gullies being remediated to address any issues that arise and see if the work is paying off.

Monitoring after the wet season will provide an indication of how things are going.