Australia Weather News

Bribie Island's northern tip is crumbling in the wake of successive cyclones, causing a community group to raise concerns about the survival of wildlife.

The Pumicestone Passage Catchment Management Body (PPCMB) said it had discovered an echidna, reptiles and marsupial rodents on a small section of land cut off from the main island during ex-Tropical Cyclone Seth in 2022. 

Group member Jen Kettleton-Butler said the isolated section of land was now about 40 by 400 metres and had suffered continued erosion during swells and ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred.

She said animals stuck on it were at risk of losing their habitat as erosion continued.

"Their home is getting smaller and smaller and if we don't act, they're going to be lost," she said.

Ms Kettleton-Butler said group members discovered the animals while investigating Bribie Island due to concerns about the impact of the island's erosion on properties it protects on south-east Queensland's mainland. 

She said PPCMB had contacted Queensland's environment department and conservationists Robert and Bindi Irwin, asking for the stranded animals to be rescued.

An environment department spokesperson said they were not aware of any evidence of increased impacts on the survival or welfare of animals on Bribie Island that would warrant any form of intervention.

They said the animals were used to the coastal environment.

"These animal populations are adapted to a highly dynamic coastal environment with rapid and unpredictable changes," the spokesperson said.

Potential for erosion within days

Associate Professor Javier Leon, a coastal erosion expert from the University of the Sunshine Coast, said further erosion on Bribie Island could be rapid.

"If the wildlife is of value, it should be relocated, because erosion could happen quickly," Dr Leon said.

The Bureau of Meteorology is predicting a south-to-south-easterly swell will hit the region from Thursday night, which Dr Leon said could cause "considerable erosion" over the weekend.

Dr Leon said saltwater inundation would gradually kill vegetation and freshwater sources on the island, degrading the remaining habitat.

"Unfortunately, that wildlife has nowhere to go. So if they're not relocated, we could be seeing a tragedy happening there," he said.

Wildlife part of review

Queensland's Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie said the government would investigate wildlife concerns as part of its broader review into erosion and ocean breakthrough impacts on Bribie Island.

The review, which is underway and involves community consultation, aims to provide immediate and longer-term responses to mitigate erosion and reduce its impacts. 

In a statement, Mr Bleijie's office said he had requested coastal engineers "immediately" investigate the impacts on the island's wildlife.