The response to the wet season at each of the two Strathmore work sites is clear to see.
Strathmore work responds well to wet season
Strathmore Station near the Bowen River rodeo grounds is LDC’s fourth large-scale gully. The remediated site has responded well following the wet season.
Gully works consist of two sites within the Strathmore Station boundary, and are referred to as the Northern zone (gully reshaping) and Southern zone (bund and chute). The gullies are on a small eastern tributary which joins Red Hill creek about 2km upstream from its confluence with the Bowen River.
The design was led by engineering firms Verterra and Alluvium Consulting. They managed the works which were carried out by local companies Pattle Contractors and Beauchamps Excavating.
This link provides an overview of the works carried out.
How the site held up after the wet in January 2021:
- The rock chute and bund were completed, and hay and ameliorants were spread over the heavy scaled areas. The remediation site is responding well with vegetation germinating in scalded areas.
- Minor maintenance was carried out in April including earthworks to rilling areas, and reseeding.
- The site has been fenced and will not be grazed.
- There was an historical dump site located to the west of the airstrip. Potholing was carried out to define the extent and soil samples were taken for contaminants. There was no contaminant of concern found however the extent of rubbish was larger than originally allowed for. A report of the finding has been provided to the local government authority, Whitsunday Regional Council (WRC), for their review. Work was carried out to the end of the airstrip.
- It is expected final remediation works will occur when WRC decides how to deal with the historical waste site.
The gully has been stabilised and good grass is growing across the entire site.