The LGAQ, in partnership with member councils, was successful in securing $1.6 million from the Great Barrier Reef Foundation (GBRF) to deliver the pilot study for the Cleaner Road Runoff Project, specifically targeting the impact of sediment runoff from unsealed roads.
Traversed by more than 38,000 kilometres of unsealed roads, councils can play a pivotal role in mitigating sediment runoff through improved infrastructure design, maintenance and sediment management practices.
In collaboration with the GBRF, the LGAQ led this multi-stage study to:
The Cleaner Road Runoff Project was delivered in three stages between 2021 and 2025, culminating in a comprehensive understanding of how unsealed road infrastructure contributes to sedimentation in GBR catchments—and what practical steps can be taken to mitigate it.
The Cleaner Road Runoff Project was delivered in three key stages between 2021 and 2025, building a clear picture of how unsealed road network infrastructure contributes to sedimentation in GBR catchments and what practical steps councils can take to reduce its impact.
To support the successful delivery of the project, the LGAQ partnered with five Reef Catchment Councils, technical expertise through Strategic Environment and Engineering Consulting, Joseph Consulting and Griffith University, as well as support from the Great Barrier Reef Foundation and AECOM (through their $1 million in-kind partnerships for the Roads to Reef Initiative).
The study delivered a clear picture of how unsealed roads influence water quality and the broader catchment environment. Through fieldwork, modelling and collaboration with partner councils, the research provides a stronger evidence base for future investment and improved road management.
Additionally, a major boost to the project came through the ancillary GBRF program ‘Roads to Reef’ which provided a partnership opportunity with engineering firm AECOM. Starting in 2022, AECOM contributed up to $1 million in pro-bono support through GIS and hydrologic modelling.
These models aimed to:
Detailed reports of the findings of the study can be found on LGAQ’s dedicated member portal Congruent on the Cleaner Road Runoff page.
There are now several manuals and guides available for councils who wish to monitor their suspended sediment concentrations from their unsealed road network:
Additionally, South Cape York Catchment developed a Terrestrial LiDAR methodology that can also be leveraged to monitor road runoff.
Based on the work completed in the Cleaner Road Runoff Project, several resources are now available for councils to voluntarily utilise in support of their unsealed road maintenance practices:
The LGAQ and South Cape York Catchments worked collaboratively to develop Erosion Control for Unsealed Roads: A Practical Guide to Minimise Sediment Discharge, which outlines key opportunities for councils to implement remediation activities on their unsealed road drainage systems to help reduce the impact of suspended sediment runoff.
AECOM, through their partnership with the GBRF, has developed a series of maps based on hydrological modelling and extrapolation of potential risk of sediment runoff from unsealed road networks. These maps and the modelling tool are in their initial phases, with multiple refinements having been identified for when additional funding can be secured.
The Great Barrier Reef Cleaner Road Runoff project is funded by the partnership between the Australian Government’s Reef Trust and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation with support from Bundaberg Regional Council, Cassowary Coast Regional Council, Gladstone Regional Council, Isaac Regional Council, Whitsunday Regional Council, Griffith University, Institute of Public Works Australasia Queensland and the Northern Territory, and the Queensland Government.