In early March 2026, the Burnett River catchment experienced one of its most significant flood events in over a decade. At 1:00pm on Monday 9 March, the Bureau of Meteorology issued a flood warning for the Burnett River following several days of heavy rainfall across the region. Rainfall totals exceeding 300mm were recorded in parts of the catchment, leading to rapidly rising river and creek levels. By Wednesday 11 March, the Burnett River at Bundaberg peaked at 7.4 metres - marking the city’s most severe flooding since the devastating 2013 event. At the height of the emergency, more than 10 major flood warnings were active across Queensland, and over 300 roads were closed due to widespread inundation.
The Burnett S2 site located on the lower Burnett River was identified and restored under the federally funded Landscape Repair Project, which focuses on improving river health and reducing fine sediment loss flowing to the Great Barrier Reef. Works at the site involved reshaping and stabilising the riverbank to a more natural profile, combined with the installation of pile fields, coir matting, and other natural infrastructure designed to slow water flow and protect the bank during high-flow events. These measures were implemented alongside targeted revegetation using native riparian species, creating a system where structural elements provide immediate stability while vegetation establishes and strengthens the bank over time.
Civil works at the Burnett site were completed in October 2025 and revegetation with a cover crop and native riparian species was only completed in December 2025. Despite the short establishment time the batter and pile fields experienced only limited damage during the March flood event, with some localised erosion observed on the final pile field. Vegetation response has been encouraging. While the site experienced some plant losses, riverine species, even those positioned at the bottom of the bank and subjected to prolonged inundation have largely survived. Many plants are already showing signs of recovery, with new shoots emerging across the site. The event also brought changes to the turtle research area; however, the team continues to adapt and respond to evolving site conditions. Overall, it is encouraging to see the site functioning as intended under extreme flow conditions.
Large scale weather events like this are drivers for mass erosion, damaging valuable agricultural land, and transporting significant sediment loads downstream to the reef. It is promising to see the Burnett site in action, helping to reduce erosion and limit fine sediment movement. This performance highlights the value of well-designed nature-based solutions in stabilising riverbanks and supporting ecological resilience.
The Landscape Repair Program is funded by the Australian Governments Reef Trust.
