Cattle Creek is a defining feature of the Finch Hatton region, supporting generations of local farms and families, bolstering regional tourism and providing critical habitat for native wildlife. Unfortunately, in recent years, the creek has been subject to repeated extreme weather events, adding strain to the many social, economic and environmental ecosystems which rely on the waterway.
Landholders along Cattle Creek have witnessed firsthand the declining health of streambanks and native vegetation following a series of extreme hazard events over the past decade. Impacts of the extensive wind and flood damage caused by Tropical Cyclone Debbie in March 2017 are still evident throughout the region, coupled with the devastating Central Queensland Bushfires of 2018 which caused widespread loss of native vegetation along the creek. Already weakened by fire, the 2019 monsoon trough brought heavy rainfall that caused widespread flooding, severe erosion and the loss of agricultural land along the creek.
These extreme weather events, combined with extensive land use modifications to the natural environment of Cattle Creek, have led to poor land stability, declining water quality and degraded habitat health – creating an urgent need for restoration works.
Reef Catchments Principal Project Officer (Waterways), Emma Jones, describes that impacts have been felt deeply by the local community.
“Cattle Creek is part of the livelihood and family history for many people in the region, and there is a deep concern for maintaining the health of the creek. We are seeing more and more landholders ask for remediation support to not only protect their land from erosion risks, but also out of concern for local wildlife”
Recognising the urgency of restoring the Creek and hearing the local community needs, Reef Catchments are preparing to deliver targeted restoration works. Local service operators and material suppliers will be engaged to deliver stabilisation, repair and enhancement works across targeted sites throughout an eight-kilometre reach of Cattle Creek. The two-year project aims to protect adjacent land whilst strengthening vegetation and improving habitat connectivity for the many native species that call Cattle Creek home. The Cattle Creek project will be guided by expert advice, regional data and landholder input, including ecological studies, aerial surveys and the development an environmental remediation strategy for the project areas.
Leveraging established relationships with a network of trusted regional contractors and delivery partners, including revegetation specialists, earthmovers, local suppliers, and community-based organisations, is key to delivering landscape scale improvements in priority catchments like Cattle Creek.
“The project delivery partners are selected based on their extensive local experience and understanding of the complexities of working in creek environments,“ says Emma. “This will also boost local economy and employment for the Pioneer Valley region.”
Owner of Strathdickie Plant Hire and local resident Glenn Croxford said he is proud to be part of such a meaningful project.
“It’s great to have local companies play a major role in improving the environment for the Pioneer region,” he said. “I’ve lived here for many years, and like so many locals, I enjoy swimming and kayaking along Cattle Creek. This restoration work has been needed for a long time, and I’m excited to see it finally underway”.
Through strong partnerships with landholders, this project is helping return Cattle Creek to a more natural, resilient and self-sustaining condition. The works will deliver meaningful on-ground benefits for landholders, the broader community and the natural environment. By protecting valuable agricultural land from future erosion, reducing sediment entering to the Great Barrier Reef lagoon, and creating healthy habitats for native wildlife, the project supports the long-term health, beauty and productivity of the Finch Hatton region for years to come.
The Cattle Creek project lays the foundation for ongoing recovery efforts across this system. With the vision to demonstrate the value of reach-scale restoration and spark future opportunities, this work goes beyond creek repair; it reflects a community united in caring for the landscape that sustains it.
The Cattle Creek Restoration works have been funded by the Queensland Government’s Natural Resource Management Expansion Program.
