Bribie Island breakthrough
Our work to protect Golden Beach and Diamond Head foreshores are outlined in the Bribie Island breakthrough action plan which has been in place since 2014.
Queensland Government Bribie Island erosion and breakthrough review
Bribie Island is part of a National Park, and Pumicestone Passage lies within the Moreton Bay Marine Park, both managed by the State Government.
The Queensland Government is responsible for managing and monitoring Bribie Island. Sunshine Coast Council offers support to the Queensland Government as needed.
Council welcomes the State Government’s recent announcement of an independent review of the Bribie Island breakthrough led by coastal engineering experts RPS and International Coastal Management. We also welcome the State Government’s strong focus on consultation with the local community to ensure your concerns are heard.
Bribie Island erosion and breakthrough review
The Queensland Government is leading the Bribie Island erosion and breakthrough review because they manage Bribie Island. Please refer to their website for more information.
Publication of Part 1 - Desktop review was announced on 4 June 2025 and can be viewed here Bribie Island erosion and breakthrough review | State Development, Infrastructure and Planning
View Sunshine Coast Council’s submission to the Bribie Island erosion and breakthrough review [205.4KB].
Other ways we are continuing to support the review:
- being part of the technical review process providing background information
- providing findings of the Golden Beach Coastal Hazard Adaptation Project to the review including feedback provided by the community about the values of the area
- contributing vital local knowledge and being on hand to offer more support if it’s needed.
Port of Brisbane's Channel Enhancement Project
The Port of Brisbane’s proposed Channel Enhancement Project draft terms of reference for the Project’s Environment Impact Statement were open for feedback until May 26, 2025.
The Queensland Coordinator General invited comment on whether the draft terms of reference covers all the matters Port of Brisbane Pty Ltd must address when preparing the environmental impact statement.
The proposed project involves dredging approximately 96.5 million cubic metres of material to widen, deepen, and realign the existing shipping channel to increase the safety and efficiency of the port. The project also involves the beneficial reuse and disposal of the dredged material.
Our actions focus on protecting Golden Beach foreshore. As well as the important community areas like roads, parks, and playgrounds.
The Queensland Government is responsible for the management and monitoring of Bribie Island as it is a national park. We offer support to the Queensland Government as needed.
Guided by this plan (PDF, 11.72MB), we have been preparing for a breakthrough at Bribie Island since 2014. Our actions to date include:
- sand renourishment - annual dredging of the Pumicestone Passage to renourish the sand along Golden Beach
- monitoring - regular monitoring of the area through beach surveys along Golden Beach. This provides a long term and reliable source of data, used as a base for decisions
- infrastructure upgrades - replacing the degraded geotextile bag groynes with rock structures at Oxley Street, Leichardt Street, Wills Avenue and Jellicoe Street. These rock structures:
- help to keep more sand in place
- limit the channel moving further west
- give the structures a longer life.
We have also upgraded some degraded seawalls along the foreshore. Please visit the Golden Beach foreshore works page for more information on these seawall projects.
Coastal hazard adaptation strategy
This action plan also aligns with the coastal hazard adaptation strategy (CHAS), which aims to better understand and plan for current and future impacts of coastal hazards and identify innovative management options to make our coastal areas and communities more resilient.
It lists the key hazards at coastal locations across the Sunshine Coast and the adaptation response.
For the Pumicestone Passage and Golden Beach, this includes:
- a focus on maintenance and upgrade of groynes and seawall infrastructure
- reviewing planning controls
- encouraging resilient homes
- drainage investigations
- beach nourishment and coordination of risk mitigation at Fraser Park.
Due to the breakthrough, water level monitoring has shown increases equivalent to the predicted 2041 conditions (pre Bribie Island breakthrough). The CHAS outlines our response, and the actions above are already underway.
See page 98 to 109 of part A of the coastal hazard adaptation strategy for more information on Golden Beach management options.
Coastal Hazard Adaptation Precinct Planning (CHAPP) investigations
Council is currently undertaking Coastal Hazard Adaptation Precinct Planning (CHAPP) investigations at Golden Beach and Caloundra (Bulcock Beach).
The investigations are looking at different ways to make our public places stronger and more resilient against changes caused by coastal hazards and flooding.
Further information can be found on Council's CHAPP webpage.
Subpages
Breakthroughs at Bribie Island have created a very dynamic and fast changing environment in the Pumicestone Passage.
Regular monitoring of the area through beach surveys along Golden Beach to provide a long term and reliable source of data is used as a base for decisions.
Find out where to from here.
Find out what actions you can take.
Find out which agencies are responsible for the island, Pumicestone Passage and foreshore.