Crisafulli Government delivers action on Mooloolah River bar shoaling

• The Crisafulli Government is delivering on a long-and-short-term strategy to manage shoaling at the Mooloolah River bar.
• Action on the independent review comes less than a week after the legislation for the Sunshine Coast Waterway Authority was introduced into parliament.
• The Crisafulli Government is delivering a plan for Queensland’s future after a decade of decline under Labor.   

The Crisafulli Government is taking action to manage shoaling at the Mooloolah River bar on the Sunshine Coast, after receiving recommendations from an independent report.  

In September 2025, the Crisafulli Government commissioned an independent review into long-and-short-term solutions after the tragic death of experienced local skipper Robert ‘Smithy’ Smith on 27 August 2025. 

The review provided comprehensive recommendations to manage shoaling at the mouth of the Mooloolah River:  

•  Short term measures to manage safety risks while longer‑term works are developed:
  • Continue routine and targeted dredging using cutter suction dredgers.
  • Improve monitoring and modelling to enable faster, more targeted dredging.
  • Consider trailing suction hopper dredgers (a different dredge type) as supplementary equipment meaning greater resources for reactive dredging. 
  • Engage with dredging contractor to explore availability and cost for rapid‑response dredging when required. 

• A long-term, two-stage approach to managing shoaling:
  • Stage 1 – Dredge the Buddina Sand Trap, which will remove 100,000 m³ of sand from the trap and place it on Sunshine Coast beaches. It is expected this work will occur across 2026-27.
  • Stage 2 – Deepen the Entrance Channel, by excavating the underlying rock to increase the entrance channel depth. It is expected this work will commence in 2026-27.  

The Crisafulli Government will implement both the short and long-term strategies, with tenders to carry out the work to open in the coming weeks. 

The Crisafulli Government's response to the independent review comes less than a week after the introduction of legislation to create the Sunshine Coast Waterways Authority, which will give locals a greater say in how their waterways are managed.  

The Sunshine Coast Waterway Authority will take long-term responsibility for managing the Mooloolah River bar and implementing recommendations from the review.   

Minister for Transport and Main Roads Brent Mickelberg said the creation of the Sunshine Coast Waterway Authority and implementing recommendations from the independent review showed the Crisafulli Government was listening to locals.  

“Robert’s death was felt by the entire Sunshine Coast boating community,” Minister Mickelberg said.  

“We acted quickly to commission an independent review to develop a strategy to keep the boating community as safe as possible. 

“The fact we have delivered SCWA and are acting on these recommendations is evidence we are listening to locals after a decade of decline.

“With hearings set to commence, it is an opportunity for locals to shape how SCWA looks, and ensure it can effectively manage waterways from the Pumicestone Passage to the Noosa River.”  

Deputy Premier and Member for Kawana Jarrod Bleijie welcomed the establishment of the Sunshine Coast Waterways Authority following the independent review.

"This swift action is delivering practical recommendations to help keep local boaties safe,” Deputy Premier Bleijie said.  

“Unlike the former Labor Government, who had no long-term plan to manage shoaling at the Mooloolah River bar, the Crisafulli Government is listening to the concerns of the local community – it's the same reason we are creating the Sunshine Coast Waterways Authority."  

Member for Maroochydore Fiona Simpson said the outcome of the independent review was a direct result of community advocacy.  

“The community has long fought for long-term solutions to manage shoaling and create safer access at the mouth of the Mooloolah River, and the Crisafulli Government is delivering," Ms Simpson said. 

Member for Caloundra Kendall Morton said the Sunshine Coast Waterway Authority was an important step in making waterways safer through local involvement.  

“Locals can shape the Sunshine Coast Waterway Authority, and I would encourage everyone who loves our waterways to make a submission and help ensure local voices are part of the conversation in managing and protecting our waterways,” Ms Morton said.  

ENDS