October 2023

November 2023 - March 2024

• Initial engagement with community / stakeholders.
• Engineering & technical assessments.
• Ecological surveys.

Findings from this stage will determine whether future stages progress.

Dependent on results of Stage 1. Potentially March - June 2024.

To be confirmed

This section of the Kedron Brook was hit hard during the 2022 floods, with many areas of creek bank and riparian vegetation suffering significant damage from fast moving flood waters. Understanding the potential to restore this waterway will help to increase our knowledge of how to reduce ongoing erosion, support impacted ecosystems, and improve the resilience of the reach to future flooding and rainfall events.

Healthy Land & Water – the peak environmental group for South East Queensland – has been appointed as the project manager. Healthy Land & Water is the official natural resource management body for South East Queensland with extensive experience leading environmental restoration and flood resilience projects. This project is being supported by engineering, water and environmental experts Bligh Tanner and community engagement experts Fourfold Studio.

This project provides an opportunity to pilot an improved process for collaboration between all levels of government, key stakeholders, and local communities in responding to flood events and building resilience within waterways. We have a strong commitment to community and will keep local residents informed of the project as it progresses through each stage.

Assistance for this project has been jointly funded by the Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.

The aim of the project is to improve waterway health by reducing streambank erosion, restoring riparian vegetation and building resilience to future flood and rain events. The environmental recovery will seek to benefit high value vegetation and potential habitat for endangered or vulnerable wildlife species with the intent to support healthy biodiversity and ecosystems within the reach and surrounding areas.

This will be achieved in a staged approach, with progression to each stage dependent on the success of the previous. This includes detailed site assessment and investigations (Stage 1), detailed instream rehabilitation design (Stage 2), permitting and approvals (Stage 3) and on-ground construction works (Stage 4).

This area was earmarked for urgent review by the Queensland Government due to damage that occurred during the February 2022 floods. Recent reconnaissance identified locations of streambank erosion within the reach, a legacy impact of the floods and symptomatic of historic and ongoing changes to Kedron Brook and the catchment over time.

The particular project site was considered by multiple departments and Healthy Land & Water to be a location that would benefit from environmental recovery efforts due to:

• Suitability of the channel for restoration and resilience works at multiple locations.
• Biodiversity and connectivity opportunities due to the proximity of parks and other green spaces and possible presence of threatened species and high value habitat and vegetation.
• Local community interest in driving locally informed and led actions.

We are in the process of reaching out to residents whose properties may need to be accessed during the investigation stage of the project. We also want to hear from other locals and the broader community about their personal experiences during the 2022 floods, any ongoing impacts they have observed, and how they use and value this important area.

As part of this project, we will be holding a series of events and activities to give local community members the opportunity to provide direct feedback to the project team. Community feedback helps us to understand local community needs and aspirations and will be used to inform the project design and approach.

There are many different mitigation approaches, designs and materials that may be considered for project works.  Designs will be developed in a collaborative manner taking into account the velocity of floodwaters, environmental considerations, and the views of key stakeholders including community.

In addition to community engagement, formal surveying works will need to be undertaken by our environmental and engineering experts, Bligh Tanner. These efforts are to make sure we fully understand the extent of the damage and ongoing impacts before we progress to planning the detailed instream rehabilitation design (Stage 2).

The project doesn’t include upgrades to public facilities, parks, or sports fields. Elements such as street furniture, playgrounds and artwork are ineligible expenses under the Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements. Supplementary funding streams would need to be considered if these elements were to be considered within concept designs.

Healthy Land & Water is primarily an environmental group and our focus and funding for this project is to reduce streambank erosion, restore riparian vegetation and improve resilience of the waterway to future flooding events. 

Kedron Brook has a long history of flooding and bank erosion. This project is seeking to reduce erosion of the creek banks, but is unlikely to lower flood levels given flooding primarily influenced by the large upstream catchment.

Healthy Land & Water Our work on other waterway and environmental recovery projects in the past has had positive outcomes and helped to build more resilient urban waterways.  We acknowledge every waterway is unique and will need tailored solutions, however several successful projects in the region demonstrate the efficacy of contemporary approaches to repairing waterways.

We are committed to engaging with community and stakeholders throughout the life of the project. In early 2024, we will be speaking with impacted residents and running site walks to hear from residents and share information about the project and discuss the potential for future community-led stewardship of The Brook.