Woorim Beach on Bribie Island is receiving 175,000 cubic metres of sand to rebuild its eroded shoreline and strengthen coastal protection for nearby homes, businesses and public spaces ahead of summer.
Read: Woorim Beach Accessibility Upgrade Opens Up More of the Coast
The restoration covers 2.7 kilometres between Eighth Avenue and Lowry Street, where recent severe weather, including Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, has narrowed the beach, damaged dunes and exposed vegetation roots. Work is underway, with completion targeted before the December school holidays, depending on weather and sea conditions.
Sand dredged from an approved offshore location is being pumped into shallow water using a technique called rainbowing. The high-pressure discharge creates an arc of sand and seawater, which waves and tides gradually redistribute towards the beach and dunes.
Beach access continues during sand works
Woorim Beach remains open throughout the restoration, although small sections will close temporarily during sand pumping. Operations may run 24 hours a day, with exclusion zones monitored by council staff during daylight hours and affected sections closed in the evenings.
Surf Life Saving Queensland will continue patrolling flagged swimming areas, generally from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., extending from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. during school holidays, subject to conditions.
Accessible facilities will remain available, including beach matting at Access Point 12 beside Bluey and Jean Piva Park, free beach mobility equipment and the recently opened Changing Places facility. Some shark-control drumlines may be temporarily relocated to accommodate the works.
Storm damage exposes Woorim’s natural defences
Woorim’s dunes form a natural barrier between the ocean and nearby residential areas, roads, shops and public facilities. They also support coastal vegetation and wildlife habitats.
Erosion has reduced the beach’s width and damaged vegetation that helps hold the dunes together, leaving parts of the shoreline more exposed to further severe weather.
City of Moreton Bay Mayor Peter Flannery said recent storms had weakened the beach’s natural protection, making restoration necessary before the coming storm season. He described the work as part of council’s longer-term approach to managing coastal erosion.
According to Council, the project has received $4.39 million through the Coastline Rehabilitation Grant Program, jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments under disaster recovery arrangements.
Decades of work to keep sand on the shoreline
Woorim has relied on sand replenishment since the 1980s, when offshore dredging was used to replace sand lost through natural coastal processes.
In late 2019, council began trialling a land-based alternative. A pumping station near Benalong Street collected sand accumulating at the southern end of the beach and transferred it north through a two-kilometre pipeline towards Fifth Avenue.
The trial continued until 2023, with mixed results. Council’s assessment found the system successfully maintained the beach and front dune between First and Fifth Avenues, but erosion slightly increased near Benalong Street.
Modelling suggested that continued pumping could cause further beach recession near and south of the pumping station. In 2024, council announced plans to decommission the trial infrastructure and return to offshore dredging as its preferred method of replenishment.
Coastal engineering consultancy BMT subsequently examined the trial and modelled alternative approaches to managing Woorim’s shoreline.
Its assessment, published in June 2025, found that replenishment at five-year intervals offered better coastal protection than three-yearly nourishment or continued backpassing under the conditions studied. The evaluation also identified the importance of regular beach surveys to monitor changes and guide future work.
Offshore dredging returns as coastal strategy
The current restoration follows the approach council identified in 2024, when another offshore nourishment campaign was already being planned for the second half of 2026.
Council’s coastal hazard planning recognises that Woorim remains exposed to erosion and requires ongoing management to protect the developed shoreline and natural environment.
Read: Bribie Island Dredging Works Done, Coast Guard Returns Home
Beach nourishment replaces lost sand but does not prevent waves, tides and storms from reshaping the coast. Continued monitoring and future restoration remain part of the approach to maintaining Woorim’s beaches and dunes.
Residents and visitors can check the Woorim Beach Nourishment Project webpage for updated information about temporary closures, beach access and construction arrangements.
Published 29-Oct-2026
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