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General News

10 July, 2024

Riverbank recovery aims to preserve critical sites

The program aims to repair damage from torrential rain and extreme flooding in 2022.

By North West Weekly

Extreme flooding in 2022 has eroded riverbanks on the Flinders, threatening important sites and causing environmental damage to Gulf waters.
Extreme flooding in 2022 has eroded riverbanks on the Flinders, threatening important sites and causing environmental damage to Gulf waters.

Progress is underway on a significant riparian restoration program at three sites on the Flinders River near Hughenden.

The program aims to repair damage from torrential rain and extreme flooding in 2022, which washed valuable vegetation, soil and slabs of riverbank downstream.

Working closely with land managers, councils and Traditional Owners, Southern Gulf NRM has used aerial reconnaissance to identify three high-priority, severely degraded riverbank erosion zones on the Flinders River, including a site at the Hughenden Golf Club.

Cultural heritage surveys by Traditional Owners are predicted to begin at the sites in coming weeks, ahead of boots on the ground for the start of riverbank and revegetation work by September.

The Flinders River riparian restoration project is part of a $32.7 million Riverine Recovery Program funded by the state and federal governments’ Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).

The works will limit sediment and nutrient runoff into the environment and minimise the impact of future flooding on the biodiversity of the Flinders River.

“Our goal for the restoration efforts is to ensure our natural environment sustains healthy biodiversity and ecosystems by establishing vegetation in and around areas of severe erosion until it becomes self-sustaining,” said Southern Gulf NRM chief executive Alison Larard.

Queensland Disaster Recovery Minister Nikki Boyd said the region relied on the waterway.

“The Flinders River flows directly to the Gulf of Carpentaria, making river health critical to supporting local jobs and the sustainability of the region’s fishing and agriculture industries,” she said.

“Aerial reconnaissance and the partnership between engineers, council and Traditional Owners, have pinpointed projects with the biggest potential to build back river resilience to further potential flooding. These recovery projects from the devasting 2022 floods put boots on the ground with good, local jobs for Queenslanders, while protecting riverbank biodiversity for future generations.”

Federal Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt said the project was a legacy piece for North West Queensland and the Gulf country.

“Environmental recovery is important for the region, and important for future generations,” he said.

“The Albanese and Miles governments are committed to disaster recovery, and we welcome the progress that has been made on this program.”

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