Lagoon Creek Wetland Remediation Project

The Project

Title: Lagoon Creek Wetland Remediation Project

Program: Reefwise Wetlands Grant Program, funded through the Australian Government’s Reef Trust

Duration: February 2026 to March 2030

Funding: $9,610,612 This project received grant funding from the Reefwise Wetlands Grant Program which is funded through the Australian Government’s Reef Trust.

Summary

Reef Catchments is delivering the Lagoon Creek Wetland Remediation Project, a large-scale wetland and riparian restoration initiative in the Proserpine sub-catchment of the Mackay Whitsunday Isaac region.

The project targets water quality and wetland condition along Lagoon Creek, a waterway that drains through sugarcane farmland and wetland systems before reaching the ecologically significant Goorganga Plain wetland complex and Repulse Bay. Across the broader catchment, a combination of altered hydrology, wetland degradation, invasive weeds, erosion, and nutrient and sediment movement has impacted wetland function and downstream water quality, highlighting the importance of targeted rehabilitation and restoration efforts.

Working with Alluvium Consulting and local sugarcane landholders, Reef Catchments will oversee the design and implementation of coordinated wetland rehabilitation works, contributing to important improvements in water quality.

Objective

The project aims to:

• Restore and enhance ecosystem function across 50 ha of wetland and riparian area along Lagoon Creek
• Reconnect more than 60 ha of Endangered Regional Ecosystems
• Reduce agricultural pollutant loads to improve water quality reaching the Goorganga Plain and Repulse Bay
• Achieve measurable improvements in water quality and ecological health within the Lagoon Creek catchment
• Establish sustainable landholder-led maintenance to support long-term restoration outcomes

Strategy

At the heart of the project is a 4.5 km treatment train spanning two sugarcane farms. Recommended by the Reef 2050 Wetlands Strategy, this approach uses a coordinated sequence of water quality interventions designed to reduce nutrient, sediment, and pesticide movement through the upper Lagoon Creek system before flows continue downstream to the Goorganga wetland complex and Repulse Bay.

Key works include:

• Treatment wetlands: Construction and rehabilitation of wetlands to capture and treat runoff from surrounding farmland.
• Vegetated drains and grass buffer strips: Low-cost, high-impact water quality practices that slow water flow, filter pollutants and reduce erosion before runoff reaches the creek.
• Streambank stabilisation: Targeted works along Lagoon Creek to address active erosion.
• Revegetation: Restoration of vegetation corridors across more than 1.5 km of Lagoon Creek, spanning approximately 13 ha.
• Wetland rehabilitation: Weed control targeting invasive Hymenachne and paragrass, pest management, and restoration of natural water flow across three wetland areas along Lagoon Creek.
• Natural Capital Accounting: Truii Pty Ltd will pilot Natural Capital Accounts for participating farms, measuring the environmental and economic co-benefits of the project and exploring environmental market opportunities including Reef Credits.

The project will be delivered in partnership with Traditional Owners and with a strong focus on landholder stewardship. Monitoring and condition assessments will be carried out throughout the project to track outcomes and inform ongoing management.