The Project

Title: Continuing the Path to Regional Resilience, Advancing Nature-Based Solutions

Duration: 2024 – 2026
Funding: Australian and Queensland Governments under the Queensland Resilience and Risk Reduction Fund

The Queensland Resilience and Risk Reduction Fund (QRRRF): Continuing the Path to Regional Resilience, Advancing Nature-Based Solutions Project, will support landholders across the Mackay Whitsunday Isaac region to implement riparian, wetlands or coastal vegetation fencing and off-stream watering points. The project will support and strengthen the community’s resilience to cope and mitigate the impact of future tropical cyclones and flooding events, as well as mitigating erosion and reducing sedimentation of our waterways.

Program Objectives: To support and strengthen the community’s resilience to cope and mitigate the impact of future tropical cyclones and flooding events, as well as mitigating erosion and reducing sedimentation of our waterways.

Backgound

The Mackay Whitsunday Isaac (MWI) region has experienced more and increasingly severe catastrophic climate-driven events over recent history.  These events resulted in widespread damage to natural and built infrastructure across the region. However, throughout our region, the areas that best responded to events of tropical cyclones and flooding had healthy riparian zones that acted as a natural buffer to the extreme volumes of water in the riparian systems. Conversely, where the riparian zones lacked such resilience, they were susceptible to the same flow conditions and required much greater investment in recovery and remediation. 

This initiative will not only reinforce the resilience of riparian areas to withstand extreme weather events but also enhance their ability to provide essential ecosystem services that benefit both the environment and society.

Priorities

The core priority of this program is to provide protection to these areas through riparian fencing and off-stream watering point grazing best land management practice to ensure fence integrity and natural recruitment of riparian and beach scrub vegetation. Benefits from this project contribute to sediment savings to the Great Barrier Reef lagoon, preservation of valuable agricultural land, an enduring legacy of riparian best management practices, and investment into the local economy.

Strategy

The Continuing the Path to Regional Resilience, Advancing Nature-Based Solutions Project works include:

• Delivery of  a region-wide riparian, wetland and coastal vegetation fencing program to protect and restore ecosystems vulnerable to natural disasters
• Delivery of at least 120km of riparian fencing
• Building community resilience to tropical cyclones and flooding impacts
• Enhancing riparian resilience

Riparian Fencing Grant

Reef Catchments will support landholders to deliver a region-wide riparian, wetland and coastal vegetation fencing program to protect and restore ecosystems vulnerable to natural disasters. Protection of the riparian areas reduces the potential for erosion and subsequent sedimentation of the waterways. This program will aim to complete over 120km of riparian protection through riparian fencing and the adoption of improved management strategies, including off-stream water points, to ensure fence integrity. This program will be delivered through a grant program funded by 40% with an in-kind 60% contribution from the landholders.

For further information about  the expression of interest process please refer to the project information guide or contact the Reef Catchments office.

Download Project Information and Application