What’s happening?
Healthy Land & Water has begun restoring Fig Tree Creek within Lex Semple Park in Yeppoon.
The project will reshape a degraded section of the creek into a healthier natural corridor. Local native vegetation will be planted across the banks, creek bed and a new floodplain area.
The work is being delivered through Healthy Land & Water’s Water by Design initiative, with support from Livingstone Shire Council.
It forms part of an Australian Government-funded regional program that also includes a separate waterway project in Mackay.
On-ground work is underway and will continue over the coming months, with completion planned for April 2027.
Why it matters?
Restoring Fig Tree Creek will improve local water quality while creating connected habitat for mammals, birds and aquatic species.
The project will also strengthen the surrounding woodland and help wildlife move more freely through Lex Semple Park.
Healthy Land & Water CEO Julie McLellan said urban waterways provide major benefits for wildlife and nearby communities.
“Urban waterways punch well above their weight. They support native wildlife, improve water quality, and give communities a genuine connection to nature right on their doorstep,” Ms McLellan said.
“Through our Water by Design initiative and the Living Waterways co-design model, we’re working with the communities of Yeppoon and Mackay to convert these degraded channels into something people can be proud of.
“Investing in our urban waterways is one of the most cost-effective and multi-beneficial things we can do for both the environment and the communities that rely on it.”
Local Impact
Both banks of Fig Tree Creek will be recontoured and replanted with native species suited to the local environment.
The creek bed will also be rehabilitated, while a low-lying floodplain area will be planted with native paperbark trees. Together, these works will create layered and connected habitat throughout the park.
The woodland beside the creek will receive targeted weed removal and further native planting. This will improve habitat condition and support wildlife movement across the area.
Rock piles, habitat logs, feed trees and smart nesting boxes will provide added shelter and food for native animals.
Information signs will also explain the site’s ecological values and help residents understand the restoration work.
By the numbers
- Around 100 metres of Fig Tree Creek will be re-naturalised within Lex Semple Park.
- The Australian Government has provided $1 million for the Yeppoon and Mackay projects through its Urban Rivers and Catchments Program.
- Nearly half of nationally listed threatened animals and one-quarter of threatened plants, occur within Australia’s urban areas.
Zoom In
The Yeppoon project was shaped through Healthy Land & Water’s Living Waterways co-design model.
The approach brought planners, landscape architects, engineers and local residents together during the design process.
A community workshop has already been completed, with Yeppoon residents helping shape the scope and character of the work.
“Our Living Waterways program is about rethinking the way we manage water in our urban areas. We work with communities, not just for them,” Ms McLellan said.
“The people of Yeppoon and Mackay already know and value these places.
“Our job is to work alongside them to restore the natural processes that make these waterways function, and to give the community the tools and ownership to protect them long into the future.”
Zoom Out
The project is funded through the Australian Government’s Urban Rivers and Catchments Program.
The program supports the restoration of urban waterways for native plants, animals and local communities. It also seeks to improve environmental resilience as the climate warms.
A companion project at Woodlands District Park in Mackay will restore a drainage channel flowing into McCreadys Creek. Mackay Regional Council and Reef Catchments are supporting those works.
Ms McLellan said cooperation between governments, councils, environmental groups and residents set the projects apart.
“The breadth of collaboration behind these projects sets them apart. Australian Government investment in urban waterways creates opportunities that go well beyond the on-ground works,” she said.
“NRM organisations and local governments, all contributing to restoring these waterways, and inviting the communities of Yeppoon and Mackay to become part of their local creek’s legacy.”
What To Look For Next?
Work at Lex Semple Park will continue over the coming months, followed by a community planting day.
The planting day will allow residents to help establish native vegetation and support the future care of Fig Tree Creek.
By April 2027, the project is expected to deliver measurable improvements in habitat condition and water quality.
These improvements should support native mammals, birds and aquatic fauna while creating a healthier creek for the Yeppoon community.
