Port Hinchinbrook Community Update – March 2025

We are hearing from the community that there is a strong concern about the ongoing debris and timeline for the clearing and dredging efforts.

What We Have Done:

• Maritime Safety Queensland (MSQ) visited the PH channel on Monday, 3 March, and placed temporary yellow directional markers on the sunken ramp
• A bathymetric survey of the entire channel has been arranged this week.
• The initial emergency dredging works, amounting to 990t, have been completed.
• The dredged material and site setup remain on-site and will be cleared by the end of the month.

What We Are Doing:

• Houseboats and pontoons are scheduled for removal this week by a salvage company arranged by the assets owners
• Quotations for larger debris clearing in the One-Mile Creek channel post-flood are being reviewed. The debris removal will address:
  • Natural Debris: Fallen trees, branches, logs, and shifted boulders
  • Man-Made Debris: Discarded rubbish (plastics, ropes, fishing gear), sunken vessels, construction materials, and navigational hazards (e.g., broken buoys).
  • Hazardous Debris: Any objects that pose a collision risk, such as driftwood, barrels, or other floating debris.
• Council is currently in discussions with Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science, and Innovation (DESTSI) and in the process of applying for a temporary authority to conduct further emergency dredging in response to the flood’s impact on the area. Discussions around funding are also underway.
• The Community Relief Fund grant is approved as a capped fund available to the Cassowary Coast Regional Council to support recovery of this exceptional disaster event.

We are committed to keeping the community updated as we progress with these efforts. Council will continue to advocate and collaborate with all levels of government to ensure the timely resolution of the issues impacting the community.