Multimillion-dollar water fix for Queensland tourism hotspots
A new government collaboration program will invest over $30 million into revitalising SEQ’s waterways ahead of the 2032 Olympics.
Resilient Rivers’ new two-year initiative will transform 16,000 kilometres of waterways across Noosa, the Brisbane River and Moreton Bay.
Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner says the partnership will ensure the health and protection of SEQ’s most important natural assets ahead of the Olympics.
“While other global cities are known for buildings and structures, Southeast Queensland is known for its pristine landscapes, waterways and coastlines and we want that to be a focus during the Brisbane 2032 Games,” Schrinner said.
Where is the funding going?
The new initiative will introduce the first regional platypus monitoring program utilising eDNA water sampling. The program will uncover essential information on platypi, freshwater turtles and endangered Australian lungfish, a species which dates back over 100 million years.
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Another initiative of the program is beetle breeding as a natural defence against invasive weeds threatening the wildlife habitats.
More than 200,000 native vulnerable plant species planted across SEQ will be another natural solution to combat invasive weeds.
The program will also construct 200 cod ‘hotels’ as breeding habitats for the critically endangered Mary River Cod and accelerate efforts to rehabilitate rivers, preventing 16,000 tonnes of sediment from entering waterways.
This will protect regional water security and the drinking water supply for Brisbane and Ipswich.
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The importance of revitalisation
Minister for the Environment and Science, Andrew Powell said the program would deliver real action to protect Queensland’s natural beauty.
“Whether it’s spotting platypus in the wild, kayaking at Moreton Bay’s islands or exploring Scenic Rim or Sunshine Coast’s lush rainforests, this program will help protect ecotourism and support local jobs to deliver lasting benefits for the people who live, work and visit here,” Powell said.
The program is one of 29 commitments from the SEQ City Deal 2025-27, a partnership between the Australian Government, Queensland Government and SEQ Council Mayors. The City Deal has supplied $21.3 million for the program, with another $8.7 million provided by SEQ councils and Seqwater.
The program Resilient Rivers was created to enhance the region’s accessibility, liveability, and prosperity. This two-year investment will constitute the largest coordinated environment revitalization project since the program’s establishment following the 2011 floods.
Minister for Local Government, Ann Leahy said all levels of government can achieve great work when they collaborate.
“This program is delivering real results in disaster recovery and long-term flood resilience, including reducing the impact of flood waters and sediment from devastating our communities and ecosystems,” Leahy said.
