Emergency dredging works on the Pumicestone Passage have entered their next phase, with channel deepening operations now underway between the tidal entrance and the northern section of the waterway.
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The works, which are expected to take approximately eight weeks to complete, form part of a broader restoration program at Bribie Island that earlier this year successfully closed two breakthroughs on the island.
With those closures completed, the current phase shifts focus to the Passage itself, where the channel deepening is intended to improve water circulation, water quality, and navigational access throughout the system.
What the works involve
The dredging campaign is focused on deepening the channel between the tidal entrance and the northern section of the Pumicestone Passage. To support the operation, a pipeline will be temporarily sunk across the tidal entrance for the duration of the works.
The location of the dredger will limit vessel access between the northern and southern sections of the Passage during the campaign. Updates on access restrictions are available through Maritime Safety Queensland’s Notices to Mariners.
Beach nourishment works are continuing alongside the dredging, with sand being pumped along a two-kilometre stretch of Bribie Island’s coastline to create an erosion buffer and strengthen coastal resilience.
Impact on the waterway and local services
Once complete, the dredging is expected to improve water circulation, water quality, and navigational access throughout the Pumicestone Passage system. The Caloundra Coast Guard is among the services set to benefit directly — the organisation is expected to return to its permanent headquarters at Bulcock Beach once the works are finalised.
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Queensland’s Coordinator-General, Gerard Coggan, said early planning and investigations were already underway alongside the emergency works to progress longer-term solutions. The planning is aimed at progressing recommendations from the Bribie Island Erosion and Breakthrough Review, with the aim of providing lasting protection for local communities and the coastal and marine environments in the area.
Featured image credit: Fred Williams/Google Maps
Published 18-February-2026
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