Reef Trust 4 – Combating Erosion and Building Reef Resilience

Between 2017 and 2023, the Reef Trust 4 program made significant strides in combating stream bank erosion in the Mackay Whitsunday region, particularly along the O’Connell River and St. Helens and Murray creeks.

It had been calculated approximately 2.9M m3 had been lost from stream bank erosion over nine years along 82kms of river in the O’Connell River/St Helens and Murray creeks.  Streambank erosion and sediment loss directly harm water quality and threaten the resilience of coral reefs. This compromises the reef's ability to recover from environmental stresses, affecting its overall health and sustainability.

The project was large scale, delivered over a six year project and provided significant challenges for the Reef Catchments Waterways team. The nature and size of the project required focused strategic planning and implementation along with strong collaboration with landholders and local businesses.

The program's efforts included collaboration with 31 local properties to reduce sediment flow into the Great Barrier Reef lagoon by 10,356 tonnes and the planting of over 70,000 trees to strengthen 25 hectares of riparian zones.

The initiative not only helped reduce erosion but also supported local job creation, improved regional environmental assets, and provided community education on sustainable land management techniques.

The success of Reef Trust 4 in Mackay Whitsunday region shines through its innovative approach to stream bank remediation and distinguishes it as a leader in the field. The important learnings and experiences from this and the Disaster Recovery program continue to pave the way for future environmental investments in the region.

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