STRATEGIC PRIORITY 1 : SOLUTIONS FOR LIVING LANDSCAPES
STRATEGIC PRIORITY 1 : SOLUTIONS FOR LIVING LANDSCAPES
Healing Country — one leaky weir at a time
While larger gully systems require major engineering solutions , small gullies can be effectively remediated by constructing simple structures such as leaky weirs . They ’ re built from natural materials — rocks , logs , sticks and vegetation , sourced from the immediate surrounds — making them a cost-effective tool for landholders to combat erosion .
Leaky weirs are designed to slow water moving down a slope , allowing more sediment to settle on the land instead of reaching a creek and impacting water quality flowing to the reef . Keeping water in the landscape improves infiltration , pastures and groundcover .
( Above ): Gudjuda Ranger Michael Backo in front of a freshly-constructed leaky weir .
Constructed 424
leaky weirs to remediate gullies and promote ground cover
Under the Healing Country Project , First Nations environmental crews from Indigenous employment group Three Big Rivers , and Gudjuda Reference Group Aboriginal Corporation , constructed leaky weirs while gaining a range of land management skills .
The Healing Country project is funded through the Queensland Government ’ s Reef Assist Program .
( Right ) From left : Cade Wells and Ethan Upkett Nelliman ( Three Big Rivers ) with Healing Country Project Officer Jake Bowyer ( NQ Dry Tropics ) at Red Hill Station .
8 NQ Dry Tropics