- 200+ new cod hotels across SEQ waterways supporting native fish populations, including the critically endangered Mary River cod
- New mural unveiled for Somerset allowing locals and visitors a glimpse into the region’s unique native aquatic species
- Delivered through Resilient Rivers SEQ’s $40 million waterway rehabilitation program
More than 200 purpose-built ‘cod hotels’ will create new homes for native fish across South East Queensland’s waterways as part of a major effort to restore critical habitat and improve the health of waterways across the region.
‘Cod hotels’ are underwater structures made from recycled hollow logs and natural timber materials, designed to mimic the sheltered environments native fish rely on for breeding, feeding and protection.
The first cod hotels are now being installed in the Mid and Upper Brisbane River in the Somerset region, supporting aquatic species including Mary River cod and freshwater turtles. Submerged beneath riverbanks and rock shelves, the structures will create refuge areas and improve habitat conditions within local waterways.
Additional habitat structures will also be installed alongside the cod hotels. These structures are areas of logs, root balls and woody debris along the riverbank designed to provide habitat in addition to helping stabilise the bank and improve connectivity along the waterway.
Fish projects are also underway across the region, including a new $1.1 million fishway at Gould Adams Park, a fish barrier prioritisation study in the Scenic Rim, remediation works in Hilliards Creek to improve fish passage and aquatic habitat and the release of tens of thousands of native cod fingerlings into the Bremer River in Ipswich.
They complement a landmark investment in the region’s first $1.2 million eDNA monitoring program for native species including platypus, rakali, freshwater turtles, lungfish, frogs, and endangered Mary River cod to support future conservation efforts.
Together, these projects are restoring aquatic habitat, supporting native fish populations and improving water quality by reducing sediment and nutrients entering local waterways. They will also help communities better manage waterways across the region into the future.
The Somerset Fish Habitat Revitalisation project is part of the $40 million Resilient Rivers SEQ commitment with $10 million each from the Australian Government, Queensland Government, Council of Mayors (SEQ) and Seqwater.
Resilient Rivers SEQ is one of 29 commitments being delivered through the SEQ City Deal, a partnership between the Australian Government, Queensland Government and Council of Mayors (SEQ), aiming to improve the accessibility, prosperity and liveability of the region.
The investment will help prevent more than 16,000 tonnes of sediment entering waterways each year, restore more than 115 hectares of habitat and support vulnerable species including platypus and the endangered Australian lungfish.
The project will also provide insights into the region’s unique waterways and native aquatic species for Somerset’s residents and visitors, transforming a disused water tank into a vibrant mural. Brisbane artist Jordan Bruce from The Brightsiders delivered the mural at Twin Bridges Reserve in Fernvale, highlighting the importance of protecting threatened species.
