Beach Erosion

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In January 2025 construction of a sea wall and sand replenishment work was completed to address severe erosion at the northern end of Woodgate (Boat ramp/Theodolite Creek to Second Avenue) and damaged pathway replaced.

Unfortunately severe weather events, including Cyclone Alfred in 2025, has since eroded some of the replenished dunes exposing a section of the rock wall and, while these measures have served their purpose to reduce the risk of further dune and infrastructure loss, additional protective options are needed.

At information sessions held by Bundaberg Regional Council in April 2026, residents were provided with opportunity to discuss further protective options for the coastline.

Residents from Woodgate, Coonar and EIliott Heads contributed discussing hard and soft options:

– Take sand from Theodolite Creek to replenish dunes. This option allows for natural sand to be used eliminating the need to import sand from other regions and, will hopefully open up the creek.
– Scrape sand at the low tide mark to replenish the dunes.
– Do nothing and let nature take control.

Hard options, man-made structures that are more permanent, included:
– A rock wall built against the edge of the dune, such as those in Bargara.
– A series of groins along the beach. This was considered a poor option.
– Geothermal bags to form a barrier against the dunes.
– Breakwaters built in the water parallel to the beach designed to reduce the power of the waves.
– Additional artificial reefs built along the more affected sections of beach.

Any further work will be a continuation of the work carried out in 2024. Permits are in place to move sand from Theodolite Creek and it is hoped, that should consent be received in the next few months, that work will be carried out over the winter months.

Feedback from attendees at these sessions will be taken back to the planning team by the attending Engineer; any decisions made will be passed on to the community as we are informed.

The issue

In July 2022 under the North Queensland Natural Disaster Mitigation Program, $2 million in funding was granted to the Woodgate Beach Sand Nourishment project to address severe sand dune erosion at the northern end of Woodgate (Boat ramp/Theodolite Creek to Second Avenue).

Bundaberg Regional Council began the tender process for the project with construction on a 240 m buried sea (rock) wall and sand replenishment along a 700 m stretch of the foreshore set to start in March 2023. See Bundaberg Regional Council Woodgate Shoreline Erosion Management Plan

The project was halted in late March 2023 by the State Government, with the Dept of Environment & Science denying the Marine Park Permit required.

Action

Bundaberg Regional Council attempted to engage the relevant Departments, with little explanation for the reason for the delay on the Marine Park Permit, despite verbal approvals and having the approved Woodgate Shoreline Erosion Management Plan in place.

The WDRA, together with Bundaberg Regional Council and local State Government representatives lobbied to have the project started as soon as possible, with the risk of further erosion threatening property and infrastructure.

In August 2023, WDRA corresponded with the State Department of Premier & Cabinet and the Department of Environment & Science on behalf of the Woodgate community regarding concerns for property, safety and habitat, and rallied residents in September to bring attention to the issue.

In September 2023 Bundaberg Regional Council received advice that Queensland Parks & Wildlife Service had granted a Marine Park Permit but due to the delays and the approaching turtle nesting season, works would not commence until May 2024.

WDRA’s Woodgate Community Action Group raised funds to install several billboards highlighting the erosion along Woodgate Road and the Isis Highway.