“Toondahra” is located south of Mundubbera in the Burnett River catchment. Operated as a partnership, part owners Kim & Melissa Iland, runs a beef breeding operation focused on building a profitable and sustainable business. As part of this commitment, they developed a Property Management Plan with the Burnett Catchment Care Association (BCCA) which identified significant erosion issues on the property, particularly around their dams. These problems had been further intensified by significant rainfall events earlier in 2026.

Through BCCA’s ‘Sustainable Landscapes across the Inland Burnett’ project, the Ilands received a site visit from Soil Conservation Expert, John Day.   Together, John and Kim inspected the erosion site around the dam and surrounding catchment to better understand the factors contributing to the land degradation.

During the assessment, Kim reflected that he thought he “would have lost the dame twice” following recent heavy rainfall events.  While the dam itself remained intact, the by-wash had experienced significant erosion.  Following the site visit, John developed a site-specific erosion rehabilitation field plan outlining practical actions to improve land condition and address the erosion issue.

A critical consideration in designing effective remediation works is understanding the amount of water moving through the gully during major rainfall events, known as peak flow. Local knowledge plays an important role in this process, and Kim’s observations during flood events provided valuable insight into flow behaviour and water volumes.

Several factors influence peak flow calculations, including catchment size, land slope, land type, vegetation cover, and soil composition. For this site, the estimated peak flow during a 1-in-50-year rainfall event is 5.6 m per second – equivalent to enough water to fill more than two standard backyard swimming pools every minute. This information helps determine the most suitable and durable rehabilitation methods for the site.

The site-specific erosion rehabilitation field plan was developed with consideration of the machinery and resources available to the Ilands.

Recommended rehabilitation options included:
– enlarging the dam;
– extending the by-wash with diversion banks;
– installing log lines to slow and safely direct water down the slope; and
– seeding and fencing the area to improve vegetation cover and manage stock access.

The field guide provides a cost-effective strategy designed to deliver long-term stability and resilience. John also provided Kim with a copy of ‘Gully Erosion – Options for Prevention and Rehabilitation’, which explains the rehabilitation methods discussed during the site visit and outlined in the field plan.

The Ilands are highly motivated to implement the recommended works and improve the condition of the site, demonstrating a strong commitment to the long-term productivity and sustainability of “Toondahra”.