State Government helping to protect Cardwell waterways

Streams and waterways in the Cardwell Shire are set to be improved as part of an $8.3 million program of river improvement works approved by the Queensland Government.

Minister for Natural Resources and Water Kerry Shine said the works, subject to any necessary approvals, included flood mitigation and riparian zone management and improvement projects.

Mr Shine said he had approved the Cardwell River Trust’s proposal to carry out works valued at $561,000 under this year’s program.

“As well as responding to events such as floods, Queensland’s 17 River Improvement Trusts undertake preventative and remedial works such as restoring stream banks, controlling weeds and revegetating degraded riparian areas,” Mr Shine said.

“In the Cardwell Shire, the Trust plans to continue installing flood level gauges in flood-prone areas. These can be monitored by residents to allow efficient updating of a flood level database, which the Trust maintains.

“They also plan to revegetate the banks of Banyan Creek adjacent to the Tully Sewage Treatment Plant. The work involves reinstating riparian vegetation, stand-alone revegetation and sediment management.”

Another project involves extending an existing fishing platform in the Hull River on the Hull Heads seawall. The Trust also plans to restore trust assets which were damaged by flooding caused by Cyclone Larry earlier this year.

This year’s total works program includes 92 individual projects to be undertaken by 14 trusts and includes 29 projects carried over from the last financial year, and will involve 14 of the trusts.

The River Improvement Trust Act 1940 was enacted after the lower BurdekinRiver area was severely damaged by cyclone-induced flooding.

It enabled the formation of the Burdekin Shire River Improvement Trust, which planned, built and maintained works to protect the banks  of the river against further flooding.

In later years, a further 16 trusts were formed for river systems in North and South East Queensland that were also subjected to regular flood events.

Queensland's 17 River Improvement Trusts are:

Boonah Shire, BurdekinShireRivers, CairnsRiver, Cardwell Shire, Clifton Shire, Don River, Douglas Shire, HerbertRiver, IpswichRivers, Johnstone Shire, Jondaryan Shire, Millmerran Shire, PioneerRiver, Stanthorpe Shire, Wambo Shire, Warwick Shire and WhitsundayRivers.

Funding of River Improvement Trust works is obtained from various sources, including local, State and Federal governments.

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