Fears for stranded animals as new Bribie Island breakthrough widens

A tiny Queensland island is rapidly shrinking with fears its disappearance will leave a coastal community sitting on a ticking time bomb.

The new Bribie Island breakthrough is now large enough for boats to travel through, while there are fears that animals including an echidna have been left stranded on a chunk of land that is getting smaller by the day.

A section of land near the northern tip of the island has become isolated, after Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred lashed the region in March.

The second Bribie Island breakthrough comes after the northern tip of Bribie Island was first broken apart in January 2022, in the aftermath of Ex-Tropical Cyclone Seth.

The second Bribie Island breakthrough has increased in size after it formed in the aftermath of Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred. Photo: Caloundra Fishing World

Footage and imagery has emerged of the new channel that has formed south of Lions Park, which is now large enough for vessels to travel through.

Pumicestone Passage Catchment Management Body (PPCMB) spokeswoman Jen Kettleton-Butler said that the separated land continues to be impacted by erosion and is getting smaller by the day.

“It is shrinking and fading by the day, it just continues to progress rapidly,” she said.

“That last little bit of island is going, going, gone.”

The narrow section of Bribie Island prior to the second breakthrough. Picture: Shane T Reynolds

Ms Kettleton-Butler, who has travelled through the new channel on her boat, said the environment in the area is rapidly changing and said an urgent solution is needed.

“The section that’s broken through is rapidly changing now, it is growing every day,” she said.

“I’ve been through it in my boat and I know that the Coast Guard has been going through it for at least a week or two.

“That island is being over washed regularly now that what’s left of it.

“Something has to be done about it, we are sitting on a ticking time bomb in Caloundra.

“If (Ex-Tropical Cyclone) Alfred was the wake up call, the next time a cyclone comes just north of us, we’re buggered.

“We are literally playing Russian roulette with the weather.”

An echidna was spotted on the land that has now become stranded following the second Bribie Island breakthrough. Photo: Jen Kettleton-Butler

Ms Kettleton-Butler added that she is concerned for the animals that have been spotted on that section of island prior to the breakthrough, including an echidna, as well as goannas, and snakes – resulting in her reaching out to Robert Irwin and Australia Zoo for assistance.

“We’ve got wildlife stuck over there, we know there’s goannas and snakes there,” Ms Kettleton-Butler said.

“There’s an echidna over there that I came across about two weeks ago.

“We’ve put a call out to Robert Irwin at Australia Zoo, they’re our neighbours here on the Sunshine Coast, to come and help us.”

The second Bribie Island breakthrough is now large enough for vessels to travel through. Photo: Caloundra Fishing World

A Department of Environment and Science spokesman said they had yet to observe any conditions impacting wildlife “that would warrant any form of intervention”.

“The department is not aware of any evidence of increased impacts on the survival or welfare of wildlife inhabiting the northern tip of Bribie Island that would warrant any form of intervention,” the spokesman said.

“These animal populations are adapted to a highly dynamic coastal environment with rapid and unpredictable changes.”

The most recent breakthrough prompted the State Government to announce an independent inquiry into the Pumicestone Passage and Bribie Island breakthrough, with the inquiry setting out to find out what action can be taken to preserve the island.

Australia Zoo has been contacted for comment.

Originally published as Fears for stranded animals as new Bribie Island breakthrough widens