Reibel’s Bank – Cyclone Debbie 2017

The Don River at Bowen is probably the most unstable river in North Queensland because of high flood flow velocities and the huge volume of sand that continues to be mobilised each time there is a flood.

On 28-30th March 2017, heavy rainfall over the Don River catchment during Cyclone Debbie produced moderate flood levels in the Don River that breached the natural levees in the lower Don, the worst breakout being a 520m section of Reibel’s Bank. 

Reibel’s bank had embayment works with vegetation and heavy rock protection on the face of the lower bank. This work was part of extensive stabilisation works done over below the Bruce Highway following the disastrous flood in 1980.

What has caused this failure now is the much higher bed levels than when the stabilisation works were completed over 25 years ago. The same rainfall event is producing higher flood levels against the natural levees.

The flood damage from this river breakout has been the coverage of extensive areas of horticultural farmland with silt and sand from the riverbed with loss of crops and the use of that land until restoration can be carried out.

Over 500m of the breakout in the levee needed to be reconstructed with clay fill and faced with armour rock above what was left of the existing embayment works. The restoration works now had to relate to much higher river bed levels and flood levels in the area of the entrance to the 1946 Mouth.

The works were urgently required before the next wet season. If they were not completed, it was thought that the first minor flood flow would discharge out through the breach again rather than flow to the northern 1946 Mouth or the Old Mouth at Queens Beach. 

The project was funded through disaster relief funding at a cost of $920,000.00 (inc GST). 

2017 – Damage to farm land adjacent Reibel’s bank.

2017 – Damage to farm land adjacent Reibel’s bank.

Mid-construction – Laying geofabric down over clay barrier.

Mid-construction – Placement of rock down embankment and into toe.

2024 – Site regrowth progress.