Discover how the Laidley Creek Restoration Master Plan is creating resilience and safeguarding ecosystems, improving water quality, and protecting farmland. This extensive collaborative initiative restores riverbanks, reduces erosion, and benefits vital waterways, flora, and fauna.

In the aftermath of the harrowing 2013 floods, Laidley Creek emerged as a focal point for an integrated and extensive initiative aimed at restoring and reinforcing its riverbanks and conserving one of the most vital assets of this productive farmland – its soil.

This overarching, multi-year collaborative restoration plan to make Laidley Creek safer and healthier, covers over 10 km of Laidley Creek’s riverbanks, split into three stretches of creek (known as reaches), which are being addressed in three manageable phases:

• The first reach has been completed. Works included bank reprofiling and driving timber piles across the stream to manage in-channel flows so that the native vegetation planted into the reprofiled banks was afforded time to grow and set down roots. These root systems then hold the banks together during periods of stream flow, with the added benefit of providing habitat for native fauna. Additional activity included creating lines of resistance across the floodplain using timber posts and deep-rooted grassy vegetation to keep soil on the farm during high flows when the floodplain becomes covered in water.
• The second reach has just undergone detailed design. This phase provides the evidence we need to implement the most effective and efficient intervention measures to achieve the water quality outcomes and co-benefits we are seeking.
• The third reach is undergoing concept-level design and will be the next section to be addressed once the Reach 2 intervention has been implemented.

Crafting resilience through restoration

At the heart of the plan is the provision of resilience for the river system through robust natural defenses against erosion while safeguarding the ecological balance of the land.

The initial phase post-2013 floods saw intensive restoration works across the first five kilometres of the creek at Mulgowie. Here, strategic measures were employed to reshape and reinforce the vertical banks, decreasing their susceptibility to erosion and facilitating the re-establishment of native vegetation – a pivotal shield against further erosion and environmental degradation.

Beyond local impact

The benefits of these restoration efforts reach far beyond Laidley Creek. Re-establishment of native vegetation helps hold the bank together, reducing erosion and the amount of sediment and nutrients being transported downstream during flow events. Excess sediment and nutrients flowing to our water treatment facility at Mount Crosby (which provides much of Brisbane’s drinking water) adds to treatment costs and can have impacts on the health of the seagrass beds in Moreton Bay, an essential habitat and food source for marine life.

Other collateral benefits of the restoration are the ripple effects of erosion reduction:

• Improved water quality leading to lower water treatment costs at the Mt Crosby Water Treatment Plant situated along the Brisbane River.
• Protection of downstream environments from sediment, including the delicate ecosystem of Moreton Bay, thereby safeguarding the marine life and seagrass beds crucial to the bay's biodiversity.

In addition, nature-based solutions utilised for the restoration projects and revegetation efforts will improve the habitat values of the area, helping to support and restore both native flora and fauna.

By reviving and reconnecting native vegetation along waterways, the project creates vital corridors for wildlife like koalas, while also supporting our iconic aquatic species including lungfish and platypus.

Strategic phases: tailored approaches for lasting impact

Integral to the positive outcomes of the Laidley Creek Master Plan is its phased approach, tailored to address specific sections of the creek. This approach enables a focus on different reaches, with each phase incorporating restoration strategies tailored to the unique erosion risks prevalent in each area.

The success of this project has drawn investment from a diverse array of stakeholders, ranging from the Port of Brisbane and Urban Utilities to the Queensland Government and local councils. This collaborative investment not only underscores the significance of the initiative but also serves as a testament to the effectiveness of a unified approach toward comprehensive river restoration.

Looking ahead

In 2023, with the help of private, State, and Federal Government funding, we are commencing the detailed planning and execution of Phase 3.
This plan addresses the need for landscape-wide planning of restoration works to maximise beneficial impacts. The strategy aims to extend the restoration efforts upstream, addressing erosion risks and sedimentation in the upper tributaries.

Undertaking this planning allows us to identify areas of high erosion risk, such as steep banks that require a high level of engineering to stabilise, sections with intact riparian vegetation that may only require weed control, and everything in between.

Read the full project snapshot here.

This approach is far more cost-effective and efficient than a fragmented approach to restoration which targets isolated hotspots without building resilience over a larger scale. The Laidley Creek Restoration Master Plan is a testament to Healthy Land & Water’s commitment to preserving the environment for future generations, showcasing dedication and innovation in safeguarding natural habitats.

Acknowledgments
This project is supported by Healthy Land & Water, through funding from Urban Utilities, Port of Brisbane, Queensland Government, and Australian Government.