Total sediment saving t / yr: 15,688t
LANDSCAPE REMEDIATION
OVERVIEW
Remediating large-scale gullies was the largest component of this program because it offered immediate sediment reduction benefits. A higher investment in this area ensured a reliable water quality outcome, serving as the foundation of the overall BBB Water Quality Program.
Griffith University was tasked with identifying the most active large gully networks and estimating their fine sediment loads, followed by field assessments to verify findings. This process pinpointed 54 potential remediation sites across the BBB catchment, using a prioritisation method.
To narrow down the list and find the most cost-effective sites, assessments focused on the highest sedimentyielding areas, with landholder support secured. A feasibility assessment identified risks and barriers and estimated sediment reduction potential for key gully networks.
An Expression of Interest process was used to contract qualified teams for design and construction, following NQ Dry Tropics’ Purchasing and Procurement Policy. Cost-effectiveness remained a priority throughout the project.
Sediment saving( Type 3 / large gullies):
14,860t
Sediment saving( Type 1 / small gullies):
828t
Total catchment area rehabilitated ha:
136ha
Total sediment saving t / yr: 15,688t
Big effort, big impact: Healing the banks of Station Creek
A large-scale streambank restoration project on Havilah Station, near Collinsville, was a big job.
The work focused on two badly eroding sections of Station Creek, two kilometres upstream of the Bowen Developmental Road crossing. These stretches – 1050m and 554m long – feed into the Bowen River and contributed huge amounts of sediment downstream.
The goal was to stabilise the streambanks, stop erosion in its tracks, and reduce the amount of sediment heading for the coast. The project was estimated to have prevented more than 15,000 tonnes of sediment from entering waterways each year, reducing the amount of fine sediment reaching the coast by 9,157 tonnes annually.
To tackle this, vertical banks were reshaped to a stable slope, and nearly 2000 timber piles, sourced by local contractors from State forests, were installed to help hold sediment in place. The project also involved building rock chute drains and bunds to manage overland flows from existing gullies.
But it wasn’ t just about dirt and rock. Restoring vegetation was a massive part of the job.
More than 13km of irrigation pipe, two large water tanks, and solar pumps were installed, and 2850 natives were planted to bring life back and help native vegetation reestablish. The revegetation team from Strathdickie Plant Hire, subcontracted to Neilly Group Engineering, worked for weeks, most of it by hand, to avoid damaging the fragile site.
They laid out irrigation lines, augered close to 3000 holes, and hand-planted tube stock with fertiliser and water crystals. Each plant got its matting and dripper, all connected to a pressure-equalising system powered by solar pumps. Plants were watered every second day and checked twice a week to ensure they were establishing well, and that wildlife like pigs and kangaroos weren’ t interfering with the system.
The site has been fenced to keep out stock while the vegetation gets established. Long-term grazing management will help protect the restored areas well into the future.
This is the third major restoration project on Havilah Station delivered through the RTP-funded Landholders Driving Change program, and it’ s another strong example of collaboration between landholders, local contractors, and Traditional Owners, with cultural heritage surveys carried out in consultation with the Birriah People before works began.
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