One of Queensland’s Healthiest Catchments
Baffle Creek is regarded as one of the healthiest river catchments on Queensland’s east coast. Much of the catchment remains largely intact, with river flows, wetlands and estuary systems that have disappeared from many other river systems across south-east Queensland. The area supports important freshwater and estuarine ecosystems and has long been recognised as regionally significant for biodiversity and water quality.
The Threat
In early 2008, the Wilderness Society received nearly 100 leaked government documents revealing plans for a proposed dam on Baffle Creek. The proposal aimed to divert water to Gladstone and surrounding industrial development. The leaked documents included environmental assessments, proposed dam locations and evidence of anticipated community opposition. Campaigners warned that damming the creek would threaten one of the last largely free-flowing river systems remaining along the Queensland coast.
The Campaign
After receiving the leaked documents in late February 2008, the Wilderness Society moved rapidly to expose the proposal publicly. The campaign generated widespread local and state media attention and mobilised strong community opposition. Campaigners worked closely with residents and local organisations across the Baffle Creek catchment. Glenn Walker and Rupert Quinlan played leading roles in the campaign, working alongside local communities over a two-year period. The Wilderness Society also collaborated with groups including Friends of the Baffle Basin, Conservation Queensland and the Wide Bay Burnett Conservation Council. In April 2008, the Wilderness Society lodged a Freedom of Information request to uncover the extent of government planning connected to the dam proposal.
The Proposal Defeated
In March 2008, Premier Anna Bligh publicly ruled out construction of a dam on Baffle Creek. Although Freedom of Information documents later confirmed significant planning work had already been undertaken, the proposal was ultimately abandoned. The campaign became known for the speed at which community mobilisation and public pressure shut down the project.
Legacy
The Baffle Creek campaign demonstrated how quickly organised communities and environmental groups could respond to emerging threats to free-flowing rivers. It also reinforced the importance of transparency, local activism and rapid-response campaigning in protecting Queensland’s remaining healthy river systems. As Glenn Walker later reflected:
“At some stage the Queensland government proposed a dam on the Baffle Creek, which is one of the last free-flowing rivers on the Queensland coast. And we responded really quickly. […] We helped mobilise the community, and got a whole bunch of local media stories up—which then led to state-wide stories. And within a matter of months, the dam proposal was dead. It was a lightning-fast campaign to kill a dam on a really important river.”