Journal of Geoscience and Eco Agricultural Studies

Abstract

The Gold Coast is described as the Land of Five Rivers (Dangann Balun). This includes the Albert River, a major sub-catchment of the Logan River system. In December 2025, the removal of Luscombe Weir marked a significant milestone for river restoration in Queensland, restoring longitudinal connectivity along the Albert River and establishing it as one of the few rivers in the state without major barriers to aquatic fauna movement.

CS Environmental, in a consultancy role with the City of Gold Coast (CoGC), has worked closely with catchment planners to undertake a systematic, city-wide assessment and prioritisation of waterway barriers. Luscombe Weir was identified as the highest priority barrier for remediation due to its substantial ecological impact. Positioned low in the catchment, the weir disrupted lifecycle migrations for more than 50% of freshwater fish species (Moore & Potter, 2024) occurring in South East Queensland, contributing to the local extinction of iconic diadromous species, including jungle perch, upstream of the structure.

Despite these impacts, upstream reaches of the Albert River support some of the best conditioned instream and riparian habitats in the region. The catchment also provides habitat for the endangered Mary River cod, a species that relies on unimpeded longitudinal connectivity to locate breeding partners and access critical feeding and spawning habitats essential for long-term population persistence.

This paper outlines the ecological benefits of barrier removal, the collaborative approach undertaken by CoGC and Logan City Council to remediate key barriers and reinstate a free-flowing river system in South East Queensland, and the outcomes of the first post removal fish survey.