Approximately 100,000 cubic metres of sand is required to close the two breakthroughs created by Tropical Cyclone Alfred earlier this year.
Since the first breakthrough in 2022, a range of impacts to Pumicestone Passage have become evident, including the closure of the original Caloundra Bar.
Tidal levels have risen within the channel, with associated increases in water levels during high tides and storm events, and wave energy penetration has increased, causing ongoing shoreline erosion, sediment redistribution, and stress to seagrass and mangrove habit.
In a report prepared for Government by independent expert consultants has recommended the following measures:
Close the two smaller breakthroughs by filling the gaps with sand.
Construction of an inner sandbank inside the main, almost two kilometre long breakthrough to reduce wave energy entering the Passage.
Creating a temporary channel and maintaining it from the main breakthrough to the northern end of the passage.
The government said these measures aim to mitigate ongoing damage to foreshore assets and infrastructure (public and private) within Pumicestone Passage, improve water quality and navigational safety, and provide interim protection while longer-term strategies are developed and assessed.
The independent review will now consider longer-term solutions ahead of a final report later this year.
Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning, Jarrod Bleijie, said the funding was the first step in the Government’s commitment to protect residents at risk.
“We promised the Caloundra community we would get to work on this urgently, and that’s exactly what we’re doing,” Mr Bleijie said.
“The funding will be used to pump sand into the breakthroughs, close the most recent gaps, and create ‘sacrificial dunes’ to limit the impact of future erosion activity.
“Caloundra residents are rightly concerned about community impacts, and we are taking swift action to ensure they are protected.
“Without intervention, this remaining section of island may be lost entirely, potentially leading to significant further change in coastal processes and heightened infrastructure risk on the Passage foreshore.
“The experts have advised this work will likely take a minimum of five months from commencement, so I have asked my Department to urgently start procurement action so we can get this underway.”
Member for Caloundra Kendall Morton welcomed the swift action, particularly ahead of the next cyclone season.
