Queensland flood recovery work continues

Published Monday, 25 November, 2013 at 03:00 PM

Minister for Natural Resources and Mines
The Honourable Andrew Cripps

Queensland farmers and landholders have benefited from a $15 million program to improve on-farm productivity and riparian recovery, following major flood events over the past two years.

Minister for Natural Resources and Mines Andrew Cripps today visited two sites in the Lockyer Valley, one of the regions benefitting from the program, to inspect the works being undertaken.

“Unlike the former Labor Government, we are investing in partnership with landowners to improve land management practices and restore productivity in catchments damaged by severe flood events" Mr Cripps said.

“We are working closely with landholders, the Lockyer Regional Council and SEQ Catchments to better understand how flood waters behave in watercourses and on floodplains during significant flood events.

“We are also working to build up a broader catchment and restoration plan, involving local knowledge, aimed at bringing good agricultural land back into production.

“It is important that we get primary producers back into production, communities back on their feet, and actively build up farm and landscape resilience ahead of any future flood events.”

Member for Lockyer, Ian Rickuss, said many farmers and primary producers in South East Queensland suffered extensive damage as a result of the January 2013 floods, with the Lockyer and Fassifern Valley areas being some of the worst hit.

“The Lockyer Valley is a key contributor to the state’s vegetable production, with producers in the area vital to the local economy,” he said.

“Unfortunately, it sustained significant damage to paddocks and crops during the flood event associated with ex-tropical cyclone Oswald.

“The Upper Laidley Creek Valley was also badly affected by the January 2013 flood, with this severe event resulting in stream bank erosion and top soil loss on the flood plain".

Mr Cripps said expert information had been provided to local landowners to assist them to rehabilitate farm land and riparian zones, redesign flood defences and adopt flood resilient cropping practices.

“We are committed to working with landholders to improve the management of the landscape, minimise the loss of highly productive land and improve water quality outcomes" he said.

The Queensland Government’s program focuses on regions still recovering from the flood events of 2011 and 2013 including the Bundaberg, North Burnett, Fassifern and Lockyer Valley areas, as well as significantly affected areas in Dawson-Callide, Lower Boyne and Fitzroy Rivers and Darling Downs.

Projects receiving funding from the on-farm productivity and riparian recovery program commenced in July this year and are anticipated to be completed by mid-2015.

[ENDS] 25 November 2013

Media contact:           Eleisha Rogers 0413 375 088