$6.7 million to restore Scenic Rim’s Upper Warrill Creek 

• Queensland Government and South East Queensland Council of Mayors secure vital funding for waterway.
• Project will protect key agricultural land while improving flood resilience.
• Stream banks will be strengthened and native vegetation supported to help stabilise key waterway.  

A $6.7 million Strategic River Resilience project will deliver vital river rehabilitation works in South East Queensland’s Scenic Rim to protect agricultural land and improve long-term flood resilience.

The investment will support priority flood resilience works along Upper Warrill Creek – a major tributary of the Bremer River, which flows through the Scenic Rim and Ipswich City local government areas before joining the Brisbane River as it flows to Moreton Bay. 

Responding to feedback from the SEQ community about the need for effective and strategic river resilience projects, a funding bid was developed by the Queensland Government and supported by key stakeholders including the Council of Mayors (SEQ).  

Funding assistance is being provided by the jointly funded Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) Efficiencies Funding Program and aims to deliver large-scale works that build resilience in the catchments to flood events as well as other co-benefits such as habitat for native species. 

The rehabilitation of Upper Warrill Creek will include significant on-ground works such as stream bank stabilisation to reduce erosion, revegetation to decrease flood energy, as well as weed control to give native plants a fighting chance.  

The project will be delivered by Resilient Rivers SEQ, an initiative of the Council of Mayors (SEQ) which delivers coordinated catchment management to improve the health and resilience of the region’s waterways, including the internationally significant Moreton Bay. 

Federal Minister for Emergency Management Kristy McBain said supporting locally driven recovery projects was essential to help communities recover from natural disasters and prepare for future events. 

“Rehabilitating Upper Warrill Creek is about more than flood recovery as it supports riverbank restoration, helps local farmers protect their land and strengthens resilience across the Scenic Rim catchment,” Minister McBain said. 

“Through the jointly funded Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements, we’re proud to work alongside local and state partners on projects like this that reduce erosion, protect productive land and improve the health of our waterways from the Scenic Rim to Moreton Bay.” 

Queensland Minister for Local Government and Water and Minister for Fire, Disaster Recovery and Volunteers Ann Leahy said the funding would deliver an important demonstration project for all councils, communities and catchments affected by flood events. 

"The rehabilitation of Upper Warrill Creek supports landscape-scale restoration efforts that reduce flood risks and help build long-term resilience for communities, farmers and local ecosystems,” Minister Leahy said. 

"This project will deliver targeted efforts to mitigate the impacts of multiple severe wet weather events on our waterways and support the local communities that depend on them.” 

Queensland Minister for the Environment and Tourism, and Minister for Science and Innovation Andrew Powell said protecting the future of South East Queensland’s waterways starts with strong partnerships. 

“The Crisafulli Government is excited about partnering with councils to deliver this project,” Minister Powell said.  

“This is the biggest single investment in river resilience in the Scenic Rim – a region of significant agricultural, tourism and environmental values.”