This project rehabilitated severely eroded streambanks along Logan Creek following extreme rainfall and flooding in the 2021–22 severe weather season. The collapse of streambanks had caused loss of valuable riparian vegetation and was adversely impacting aquatic habitat and water quality downstream. Funded jointly by the Queensland and Australian Governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA), the project aimed to stabilise riparian areas, restore ecological function and improve catchment resilience to future flood events.

For this ReVert Landscape Rehabilitation project Verterra was engaged to rehabilitate a large, actively eroding gully system adjacent to the Bowen River in North Queensland. Delivered in partnership with Alluvium through the Landscape Restoration Partnership, this project represents Australia’s first gully rehabilitation initiative registered under the ENVOMARK Reef Credit Methodology - establishing a benchmark for large-scale sediment reduction projects designed to improve water quality flowing to the Great Barrier Reef.

With the population of the Caboolture River catchment expected to increase by over 100,000 people in the next 20–25 years, Unitywater faced a growing challenge: how to sustainably manage the effluent produced by the South Caboolture Sewage Treatment Plant (STP). Although effluent is A-grade and suitable for a range of non-potable uses, without intervention, the increased nutrient loading could threaten the health of the Caboolture River and downstream waterways. 

To address this, Unitywater launched the Wamuran Irrigation Scheme (WIS)—a circular economy initiative to beneficially reuse treated effluent in agriculture. Verterra was appointed to provide deep expertise in agronomy, irrigation, land capability, and environmental planning to help guide the project’s success. 

Northern Australia is considered a high-potential region for expanding irrigated agriculture due to the availability of rainfall and relatively undeveloped land. However, increasing land under irrigation can elevate the risk of sediment, nutrient, and pesticide runoff—particularly into sensitive waterways that feed into the Great Barrier Reef.  In this case study, Verterra demonstrates how a thorough understanding of environmental risk is the first step to designing irrigation schemes with minimal off-site impact.

As wind energy projects increasingly seek locations that reduce public resistance to visual and noise impacts, forested areas have emerged as preferred sites for development. However, constructing access roads and transmission corridors through these landscapes introduces potential risks to land condition, erosion rates, and future land use, particularly for forestry and agriculture. This case study looks at how these risks can be assessed and managed effectively.

Verterra is providing an ongoing operational service for managing beneficial reuse of 37,000t/year of biosolids, including transport logistics, crop nutrition, data management and regulatory compliance.

Verterra’s largest project to date, providing a novel solution to water quality improvement that combines grazing improvement with ecosystem service market opportunities such as carbon farming and reef credits administered through 3rd parties.

CYT engaged Verterra to prepare a Harvest Plan for Running Creek, a property owned by the Lama Lama Land Trust.

Yintjingga Aboriginal Corporation (Lama Lama Land Trust) completed the first stage of a timber harvesting contract with Cape York Timbers in 2016.  Verterra undertook a desktop review followed by a field inspection and evaluation of harvesting undertaken in 2016/17.

Objectives of this project include delivery of a South Yaamba Reef Water Quality Precinct Plan to provide support to the South Yaamba area and to selected landholders in the broader Fitzroy Food Bowl who are progressing irrigation developments on their land to achieve reef water quality outcomes (reduce sediment, pesticide, and nutrient export).

As part of the Rookwood Weir water release tendering process, Verterra worked closely with 10 landholders to prepare Agriculture Development plans and Business plans to assist landholders evaluate their development options and enable them to bid for new water allocations.

Innovative Design and operational delivery over two phases of alluvial gully rehabilitation at th Mt Wickham property, 38km WNW of Collinsville aimed at erosion control, and water quality improvements from significant reduction of fine sediment loss to regional waterways that directly impact the Great Barrier Reef Lagoon with ecosystem stresses, including to inshore reef and seagrass beds.

This project actively engaged graziers and landowners in the Bowen, Bogie, and Broken River Catchments to contribute to design land condition, pasture cover and productivity solutions to stem erosion and subsequent sediment run-off into local waterways.

Verterra engaged with 60 horticultural growers (macadamia, avocado, sweet potato) in the Burnett-Mary Horticultural region, providing growers with detailed farm mapping (EM), soil analysis and agronomic advice designed to promote best outcomes in nutrient management and soil health for increased farm productivity.

Sunwater and Qld Department of Natural Resources are faced with numerous proposals for irrigation development. Variation in the basis for economic, agronomic and yield assumptions between regions renders meaningful comparison of relative crop competitiveness in each region impossible.

Synergies Economic Consulting was engaged by Sunwater to provide advice on the economics of crop options for the proposed new irrigation development at Rookwood Weir. Verterra was requested to support Synergies by providing agronomic advice on crop suitability for the range of soils within thin Rookwood Weir irrigation zone, the range in expected crop productivities, and projected crop water demand.

For over 20 years various cotton growing trials have been undertaken in the Far North and North West of Queensland. Multiple proponents have contemplated the development of a cotton gin to increase the production efficiency of cotton cropping in the region.

Verterra developed the Grazing Land Management (GLM) Reef Credit Methodology in collaboration with AgriProve and GreenCollar. The Method allows farmers to generate Reef Credits and generate an alternative income stream by improving grazing practices and reducing fine sediment runoff, a critical step in protecting the Great Barrier Reef.