Crisafulli government releases first part of Bribie Island breakthrough review report

A group fighting for the future of Bribie Island the Pumicestone Passage has called for faster action in the wake of the first part of a government review.

A group fighting to save the future of Bribie Island, the Pumicestone Passage, and the Caloundra foreshore has called for more drastic action in the wake of a government review into the impacts of two breakthroughs on the island.

The government this week released the first part of a review into the breakthroughs in 2022 and 2025, with a hope to have concrete plans and solutions in place by August this year.

Jen Kettleton-Butler, spokesperson for the Pumicestone Passage Catchment Management Body, said their focus was on the urgency of the fix required, and the report was only the first step.

“It appears to be an extremely comprehensive in its approach, which is encouraging in its thoroughness, as we’ve not seen a report of this rigour ever in the history of Caloundra,” she said.

“But to cut to the chase and to talk about the elephant in the living room, there are no urgent recommendations to be seen yet.”

She said the group hopes they are coming soon.

“In the meantime, our barrier island continues to fade away, creating further damage to the foreshore, an increasingly unsafe and unnavigable waterway, a dangerous, widening coastal bar, water quality issues at Bulcock Beach and a hamstrung Coast Guard.”

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

The Caloundra Coast Guard has been forced to move their base of operations down to Pelican Waters due to the treacherous bar.

She called on local and state government to fast track the urgent recommendations including filling in the new Ex-Cyclone Alfred breakthrough to stop wave action and higher tides at Golden Beach and Diamond Head, shoring up the Factory Gutter wash over and using large sand-filled geobags to protect the Golden Beach and Diamond head foreshore until a permanent solution can be put in place.

The community lodged more than 1200 submissions before the report, and raised key issues such as the potential for storm surges, the environmental impact of breakthroughs on Bribie Island, and the effects the breakthroughs could have on local homes, parks and roads.

Drone shots attached of the area where water has flowed over Bribie Island and where the next breakthrough could happen. Photos: Shane T Reynolds

The report digs into the history of the island and the passage, and was led by a team of coastal engineering experts drawing in more than 200 historical and technical sources.

The report, titled ‘Bribie Island erosion and breakthrough review’, was commissioned in the wake of ex-tropical cyclone Alfred which caused the second breakthrough on the island in less than four years.

It found the 2022 breakthrough at the northern tip of Bribie Island, caused by large waves opposite Nelson St, Golden Beach, was an anticipated event that had seen planning from government for “over a decade” beforehand.

The breakthrough created a new opening to the ocean and closed the original Caloundra bar. It also impacted tidal dynamics within the passage, as there was an increase in tidal flow through the new formed entrance.

The report found this was further exacerbated by the 2025 opening, which not only widened the channel created by the 2022 breakthrough, but also created a second breakthrough south of Lions Park.

“These events have heightened residents’ and businesses’ concerns about future risk and impacts, given the northern tip of Bribie Island has traditionally shielded Caloundra from effects of severe weather,” the report reads.

The state government has released the first report after a review of the Bribie Island breakthrough. Picture: Patrick Woods.

The next step is solutions, and the government plans to work hand-in-hand with the Sunshine Coast Council and the Caloundra community.

“The success of any solutions we propose is dependent on their support in both development of appropriate solutions, as well as contributing to the co-ordinated implementation of any actions the government may choose to adopt,” the report reads.

“The release of stage one lays the foundation to enable the independent review to zero in on the next stage, which will consider both short-term actions and urgent solutions to manage erosion to protect Bribie Island, the Pumicestone Passage, and surrounding communities,” a Queensland Government spokesman said.

Deputy Premier and State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Minister, Jarrod Bleijie, said the report was a “crucial step” toward addressing erosion issues on the island.

Erosion at the mouth of the Pumicestone Passage looking towards Bribie Island on Tuesday as Cyclone Alfred continues to approach south east Queensland. Picture Lachie Millard

“This review brings together years of scientific evidence and local insight to shift the focus from Labor’s do-nothing response to urgent and meaningful action,” Mr Bleijie said.

“Locals know the area better than anyone — and their views will directly shape the next stages of the review.

“This process is about delivering practical solutions that reflect both expert advice and community priorities.”

Caloundra Liberal State MP Kendall Morton said she would continue to work with locals to achieve the right outcomes.

“This is an important issue for the local community, and we are working together with the independent experts to focus on outcomes and urgent action,” she said.

Originally published as Crisafulli government releases first part of Bribie Island breakthrough review report