River improvement trusts are separate from councils and other governments. They protect and improve rivers. This work can include, remediation, disaster preparation or recovery, revegetation and more.
Each of the 11 trusts in Queensland set and steer their own activity for the benefit of the community and environment. Contact them directly for more information.
Trusts are statutory bodies constituted under the River Improvement Trust Act 1940. They can raise funds, enter land, occupy land, enter into contracts and carry out works.
The State Council of River Trusts Queensland (State Council) is an incorporated association acting as the trusts’ peak body.
The trust operates across the Burdekin Shire. The two major river systems in the RIT area that connect to the Great Barrier Reef Lagoon are the Burdekin and Haughton Rivers.
The trust invests in flood mitigation measures such as the removal of debris from water courses and drainage lines before wet season events. Annual work of the trust include:
The trust operates in the Cairns Local Government Area. The area has three major river systems and two drainage basins which fall within the Mulgrave-Russell catchment:
Barron River
Mulgrave River
Russell River
Trinity Inlet Basin
Northern Beaches Basin.
Due to the high rainfall, the trust’s ongoing works aim to prevent and repair damage caused by frequent flooding events. The trust has conducted works at over 600 sites.
The trust’s ground works aim to improve the water quality in the inner Great Barrier Reef lagoon by reducing bank erosion and the movement of downstream sediment. This contributes to the Commonwealth and State Governments’ Great Barrier Reef protection targets.
The trust operates in part of the Cassowary Coast Regional Council area. There is more than 120 kilometres of coastline including four major river catchments that connect to the Great Barrier Reef lagoon:
Johnstone River catchment
Tully River catchment
Murray River catchment
Liverpool Creek catchment.
The RIT area includes the rainforests of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area and extensive floodplains and wetland systems. Due to the tropical climate and high rainfall, the area experiences major flooding most years.
The trust's key objectives and priorities, as listed in the Cassowary Coast Improvement Trust Strategic Plan 2025-2029 are:
To be a lead agency in river management
To raise awareness of riverine management issues
To undertake projects which improve the health of stream banks, waterways and riparian lands and the health of downstream waterways and inner lagoon of the Great Barrier Reef to meet the objectives of the Reef 2050 Plan.
To ensure decision-making regarding allocation of Trust funds is based on contemporary best-practice guidelines and management plans.
The trust invests in flood mitigation measures including:
The trust operates within the Whitsunday Local Government Area (formerly the Bowen Shire). The trust area has one major river system and one smaller creek that flow directly into the Coral Sea:
Don River
Euri Creek.
The trust's works include:
weed control programs
rock revetment work
flood mitigation measures
riverbank restoration
revegetation of riverbank works.
The trust conducts significant works along the lower reaches of the Don River to reduce bank erosion and improve the quality of water in the inner Great Barrier Reef lagoon.
The trust operates within the Hinchinbrook Shire. It prioritises maintaining and improving the integrity of designated rivers and streams, balancing flood resilience, sediment control, and environmental conservation to protect community infrastructure and agricultural interests.
The Herbert River catchment at over 10,000 km2 makes it the largest in the Wet Tropics region and the longest coastal river in North Queensland. The river’s substantial historic shifts and mobility across the lower floodplain present unique management challenges, with legacy wetlands, flood channels and tributaries, and groundwater flows creating a river system unlike any other connected to the Great Barrier Reef lagoon.
Key objectives include:
Strengthen flood protection infrastructure, including proactive maintenance of the Halifax township levee to safeguard community assets.
Implement strategic vegetation monitoring and management to prevent sand island blockages, ensuring unimpeded stream flows and reducing flood risks.
Engage leading flood and sediment modelling experts to evaluate and prioritise targeted river remediation strategies for this ever changing system.
Enhance bank stability and restore riparian zones to improve stream health, mitigate erosion, support biodiversity, and prevent sediment loss into Great Barrier Reef lagoon.
Forge collaborative partnerships with landholders and Council to develop preventative flood and erosion control measures. The Trust owns and maintains two major floodgates intended to reduce the unpredictable nature of significant flood events.
Work closely with the Herbert River Catchment Landcare Group to conserve and enhance local wetlands, contributing to regional biodiversity and natural flood mitigation.
Proactively engage with all levels of government to develop a comprehensive coastal and climate hazard protection plan for communities along the Herbert River and its distributaries.
The trust operates within the Ipswich Local Government Area. It carries out major projects to manage flood risk and improve water quality and security. The trust supports research into riparian vegetation effects on instream sediment and water quality.
With the assistance of various stakeholders, the trust:
supports research and policy development to improve water quality and security
identifies and repairs erosion and flood damage
implements flood mitigation and prevention projects
improves water quality and ecosystems with projects to improve riparian health.
The trust operates within the southern part of the Southern Downs Local Government Area (formerly Stanthorpe Shire). It carries out works that aim to improve the flow of water in the Severn River and Pikes Creek catchments to improve the riverine environments.
The trust operates in the northern section of the Southern Darling Downs Local Government Area (formerly the Warwick Shire). It aims to protect and enhance the function and health of the riverine systems of the Upper Condamine catchment area.
The trust operates within part of the Whitsunday Regional Local Government area around two major river systems, the Proserpine River and O’Connell River (northern side). These rivers and several creeks discharge directly into the Coral Sea.
The trust carries out works that aim to improve the flow of water in the rivers and tributaries. This includes:
construction and maintenance of a levee system
erosion control, flood mitigation
enhancing riverine environmental values.
Review of river improvement trusts
In 2024, the former Department of Regional Development, Manufacturing and Water, now the Department of Local Government, Water and Volunteers (the department), completed a review of the functions and operations of the trusts. The department consulted with relevant stakeholders and reviewed published documents to investigate 4 key areas:
environmental outcomes achieved
delivery of trust activities
accountability and transparency to stakeholders
value of trust activities to the community.
The review found the trusts continue to deliver valuable outcomes for Queensland communities. It made 19 recommendations to address the key findings. These focus on:
reviewing policy and legislation
reducing administrative workload
streamlining processes and increasing productivity.
The department is implementing the recommendations in consultation with the trusts and the State Council.
Summary of key findings and recommendations
Trusts play a crucial role in addressing local environmental needs. They deliver projects to improve water quality and safeguard our waterways, native habitats, people, land and infrastructure. They also take the lead on environmental and asset protection projects on behalf of Landholders.
Stakeholders and community members agree the trusts are vital to their communities.
While trusts demonstrate delivery of effective environmental outcomes, the following opportunities for improvement were identified:
clarifying the role of trusts
investigating additional and long-term funding options
tweaking project planning processes and improving measurement of outcomes.
The following recommendations were made:
The department to review the River Improvement Trust Act 1940 to clarify and simplify the trusts’ objectives.
Trusts to run competitive tender processes for engineering design and construction projects. Processes should be consistent with the Queensland procurement policy. Project designs should consider a range of options and be developed consistent with current guidelines. For example:
the Queensland River Rehabilitation Management Guidelines
the Soil conservation guidelines for Queensland.
Trusts to include a statement in their operational plans detailing major projects and intended outcomes.
Trust members are passionate representatives of their communities and this help make the trusts successful. Members focus on stakeholder engagement to achieve desired outcomes, rather than rely on statutory powers provided by the RIT Act. However, trusts consider powers under the RIT Act essential to achieving this collaborative approach.
While trusts demonstrate efficiency in their activities, the following opportunities for improvement were identified:
review process for recruitment and project approval
review statutory powers.
The following recommendations were made:
The department to review statutory powers granted to trusts in RIT Act. This review should aim to identify which powers are essential for trusts to effectively carry out their work. It should also assess whether any modifications are necessary to:
reduce legislative overlaps
align with modern legislative standards
ensure adequate protection for individuals affected by the use of these powers.
The department to develop an education pack specifically designed for new trust members. This should provide comprehensive information on trust powers, obligations and approval processes. It should be regularly updated to reflect any changes or developments in relevant legislation and guidelines.
The department to investigate amending the RIT Act so that trusts nominate new members to the Minister for appointment. This is consistent with the process for Category 2 water authorities.
Trusts find the annual and financial reporting processes expensive, time consuming and excessive as small organisations with limited funding. This has resulted in poor compliance with reporting obligations. Although barriers exist, some simple changes can be made to improve the trusts’ accountability and transparency.
The following areas were identified as opportunities for improvement:
planning
reporting
stakeholder consultation.
The following recommendations were made:
The State Council, in consultation with the department, to develop standard templates for individual trust strategic and operational plans. The templates are to:
clearly link individual projects to the RIT Act objectives
be consistent with the Department of the Premier and Cabinet agency planning requirements
include clear and measurable standardised performance indicators and targets
clearly describe projects to be undertaken, their purpose, how they link to the strategic plan and the expected outcomes.
Trusts to update their strategic and operational plans using the standard templates and provide these to the department for review and monitoring.
The department to publish individual trust strategic plans, operational plans and consultation strategies on its website to enhance transparency and accessibility of information.
The department to revise the annual report template, following the completion of strategic plan and operational plan templates, so they:
clearly link to operational plans
include details of projects undertaken
highlight outcomes and any deviations from the operational plan.
The department to explore legislative amendments and other options to ensure trust compliance with:
the Financial Accountability Act 2009
RIT Act
other relevant state legislation
relevant policies.
The department to investigate criteria for exemption from Auditor-General audit requirements. The department to work with individual trusts that wish to be considered for exemption by the Auditor-General.
The department, in consultation with Queensland Treasury, to provide additional guidance to trusts on asset recognition and management.
Trusts to develop a consultation strategy and provide a copy to the department. The strategy should:
identify key stakeholders
outline when and how stakeholders will be consulted during the development of strategic and operational plans and individual projects.
The State Council to develop a website to promote trusts, showcase trust initiatives and engage with the public.
Local communities value the projects and outcomes delivered by trusts even though they are on a small scale. Trusts operate with low overhead costs and work to maximise outcomes with the limited funds available to them. Members volunteer considerable time to leading projects and are devoted to achieving best outcomes for their communities. The scale of their activities is restricted by access to funding and funding security. With escalating project costs under current economic conditions, and funding for trusts not increasing, these financial pressures are growing.
Additional funding and long-term funding security would allow trusts to invest in projects more efficiently through improved forward planning for investment in long-term projects.
The following recommendations were made:
The department to review state grant funding to SCRTQ to see if opportunities exist to increase the amount of future funding, request ongoing funding, and bring forward the timing of the funding agreement.
The State Council to review funding allocation process, noting funding is not available to trusts if they do not meet statutory reporting requirements, as well as identifying opportunities to bring forward funding for individual trust projects.
The department to undertake further review, in context of Recommendation 1, investigating whether trusts, should they wish to, could operate under different institutional arrangements, similar to the pathways offered to Category 2 water authorities.
The department to assess progress on implementation of this review’s recommendations and identify any necessary follow-up actions within four years of completing this review.
For more information or for a copy of an area map for a particular river improvement trust, contact the department at StatutoryAuthorities@rdmw.qld.gov.au
