Bribie breakthrough closed after 47-day
The first stage of an ambitious plan to cyclone-proof Bribie Island after two catastrophic “breakthroughs’’ has been pulled off in just 47 days. SEE THE AMAZING PHOTOS
Bribie Island should be protected from cyclones by late this year after the first part of a four-stage, $20 million emergency dredging effort was finished in darkness on Wednesday night.
Four bulldozers pushed the last piles of sand into “Alfred’’, a breakthrough which emerged earlier this year, causing alarm among beachfront homeowners in Caloundra.
Alfred was threatening to join the first breakthrough which opened in 2022, dubbed Bribie Bar.
Coast Guard Caloundra was forced to move its operations base to Pelican Waters and access to Bulcock was later lost as the ocean carved new channels across the area.
Coast Guard commander Roger Pearce said the huge effort, the first of its kind in southern Queensland since the 1980s, would now move about 200m south to a “wash over’’ that allowed the ocean to flow through at high tide.
“It has not fully broken through yet but it will without something being done,’’ he said.
“That’s stage two, which will take about two weeks.
“Stage three will move north to Bribie Bar, strengthening (the island) to make it 80-90m wider and 3.5m higher.’’
Mr Pearce said that work should take until the end of January, with a second dredge on its way in a few weeks to help.
The last stage in the emergency effort would see a 2m-deep trough dredged to restore access to Bulcock Beach, scheduled to be completed by December.
“We’re hoping to put enough sand down to close Bribie Bay next year, which will allow the island to withstand a cyclone,’’ he said.
Fears emerged almost seven years ago that the island would split in two due to erosion at its northern tip.
A report released earlier this year into how to future-proof Bribie attracted more than 1200 submissions.
Co-ordinator-General Gerard Coggan has been tasked with managing the rollout of works to restore the island’s northern tip and protect the Pumicestone Passage foreshore.
The project included closing the breakthroughs, buffering the island and dredging a temporary channel link to the northern passage.
The work should improve water quality and marine navigation safety in the Passage ahead of the annual severe weather season.
Emergency coastal works at Golden Beach in Caloundra were also part of the plan.
Doug “Bluey’’ Bazley, who has been documenting the first stage of the works using a drone-mounted camera, said it was amazing to see Alfred closed overnight.
“It was a fantastic effort by all involved. I’ve filmed it almost all day, every day, for 47 days,’’ he said.
Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie said: “In response to community concerns, the Crisafulli Government’s swift action included crews working around the clock to build a protective barrier and close Breakthrough 2 ahead of the next storm season.
“Labor ignored the community’s concerns about erosion during their decade of decline, but the Crisafulli Government delivered a fast-tracked a $20 million emergency works package for Bribie Island and the Pumicestone Passage.
“Closing breakthrough 2 is a critical milestone, but the job isn’t finished, and our focus now shifts to addressing Breakthrough 3 to ensure the Golden Beach community is protected and Pumicestone Passage is safer for all water users.”
