Funding injection for more flood recovery work in Boodjamulla National Park

Ongoing efforts to repair and rejuvenate Boodjamulla National Park following flooding in March 2023 have been boosted with a $3.5 million investment through Commonwealth-state Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).

Situated on Aboriginal land in Burke Shire, north-west Queensland, Boodjamulla National Park was temporarily closed due to the floodwaters of last year, which caused extensive damage to visitor facilities and critical park infrastructure.

The significant weather event dumped more than 1.3 metres of rain in the region – almost 15 times the median rainfall for the entire month of March – including 553mm between 8-9 March, 

Floodwaters rose to 30 metres in the gorge itself, and the Gregory River rose to a record-breaking 18 metres at Riversleigh, resulting in severe flooding across Burke and Carpentaria Shires.

Subsiding floodwaters revealed major impacts to the park's structures, trails and roads, and large amounts of riparian vegetation was stripped from the banks of creeks and rivers.

Since then recovery works have been undertaken by Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service and the Waanyi People through the Boodjamulla Cooperative Management Council.

Ecosystem health checks have also been a focus, particularly the habitats of the purple-crowned fairywren and threatened Gulf snapping turtle.

In August 2023, southern sections of the park were reopened to the public, including the Miyumba camping area and Riversleigh D Site, part of the Australian Fossil Mammal Sites World Heritage Area. 

This new $3.5 million investment by the Australian and Queensland Governments through the DRFA will help repair camping areas, walking tracks and trails, the Lawn Hill Gorge Visitor Centre, and ranger residences.

It will also fund fire and pest management activities to aid the recovery of impacted riparian areas, and reconstruction works on damaged roads leading to and within the national park.

Following the completion of these works, further sections of the park are expected to reopen to the public in 2025.

For more information on flood recovery in Boodjamulla National Park visit the Queensland Government's Parks and Forests website.