Flood resilience drives ambitious SEQ waterway restoration works

Major works have commenced along Upper Warrill Creek in the Scenic Rim to strengthen the tributary against future flooding and improve water health and habitat.

The ambitious $6.7 million waterway restoration project in the south-east, halfway between Ipswich and Warwick, will boost flood resilience, water quality, and green space for local fauna, while also protecting agricultural land along the creek.

A vital branch of the Bremer River, Upper Warrill Creek flows through the Scenic Rim and Ipswich local government areas before joining the Brisbane River to travel into Moreton Bay.  

Successive severe weather events in 2017, 2022 and 2024 caused widespread damage across the Scenic Rim, heavily impacting the waterway and neighbouring farms with severe erosion and heavy soil runoff.

To repair the damage and build resilience into the natural asset, significant earthworks are reshaping eroded banks and stabilising slopes along the creek, reducing sediment runoff and preventing loss of productive farmland.

More than 20,000 new native plants are being planted, and intensive weed removal is underway across more than 50 hectares of waterway corridors.

This includes removing the cat's claw creeper, an invasive vine that negatively impacts trees and wildlife, which will support more birds, koalas, gliders and other animals to the area.

The extra plants will also help to slow floodwaters, to lessen impacts downstream the creek and river.

Work to rehabilitate Upper Warrill Creek represents a practical investment in both the resilience and productivity of the Scenic Rim.

For a region that enjoys a well-earned reputation for its agriculture, food, tourism and natural beauty, the resilience-building offers long-term benefits to the local economy.

The project is being led by Resilient Rivers SEQ, a partnership between south-east Queensland councils, the state and federal governments, water utilities and key regional water bodies.

Resilient Rivers SEQ was established to help manage the health and resilience of catchments and waterways in the south-east, including Moreton Bay.

Financial assistance for the Upper Warrill Creek project is provided through the jointly funded Commonwealth-state Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).