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Along Queens Beach South, the rocks lining the foreshore do more than separate the beach from the land behind it. They help protect an established waterfront where pedestrian paths, stormwater outlets and public infrastructure sit close to a shoreline continually reshaped by tides and waves.
City of Moreton Bay is planning a substantial upgrade between Humpybong Creek and Grant Street, combining approximately 250 metres of replacement seawall with two new rock groynes and up to 5,000 cubic metres of additional beach sand.
The proposed works address a problem that cannot be solved by rebuilding the seawall alone. Protecting the land behind it is one challenge; keeping sufficient sand along the beach is another.
Why Replace the Rocks is Only Part of the Answer
Council describes the existing informal rock seawall as being in poor condition. Its proposed replacement would use large protective rocks, known as rock armour, topped by a concrete crest wall.
The rocks would help absorb and resist wave action, while the concrete structure would form the upper edge of the seawall.
But sand does not remain stationary in front of coastal defences. Waves and currents gradually redistribute it along the shoreline, sometimes leaving sections of beach more exposed than others.
That movement helps explain the two proposed groynes, which would extend from the shoreline beside major stormwater outlets. Their purpose is to help retain replenished sand within the project area, reducing the need for repeated beach maintenance.
The proposed sand replenishment would add material to the beach itself, providing a wider buffer in front of the seawall. The groynes would help manage that sand, although neither measure would eliminate natural coastal movement or the possibility of future maintenance.
Together, the structures are intended to manage the shoreline rather than simply reinforce its edge.
A Coastal Challenge Recognised Years Ago
Queens Beach South has long been identified in Redcliffe’s shoreline management planning.
The Redcliffe Shoreline Erosion Management Plan recommended a seawall combined with beach nourishment for this section of coast. Earlier assessments also considered the potential effects of erosion on established foreshore assets, including the bikeway and Norfolk pines.
Those findings provide historical context rather than a new assessment of current conditions. The latest published project concept develops the combined approach into a more detailed proposal.
Stormwater is another important consideration. Two major drainage outlets carry runoff from the surrounding urban area towards the beach, making their relationship with the proposed groynes particularly significant.
Council expects the groynes to help retain sand and improve the performance of those outlets. The publicly available project description, however, does not quantify the expected improvement or establish how frequently future sand replenishment might be required.
READ: Major Seawall Renewal Begins Along Redcliffe Foreshore
Keeping the Foreshore Accessible
The project is also intended to improve how people reach and use the waterfront.
A beach maintenance access ramp is proposed near Steven Street, together with a new beach-access stairway. The published design illustrations also show a widened shared pathway behind the seawall.
Two existing concrete seawalls would remain unchanged under the proposal, concentrating the replacement works on the informal rock-armour section.
Council’s published timeline records concept design as completed in 2023 and lists detailed design and statutory approvals against June 2024. It does not clearly establish whether all necessary approvals have been obtained.
Construction is currently scheduled for early to late 2028. A confirmed construction budget and contract award have not been established from the published project information.
READ: Coastal Protection Project Planned at Woody Point
For Queens Beach South, the proposed upgrade is as much about the sand in front of the seawall as the rocks behind it. How those elements work together will shape the future of this familiar Redcliffe foreshore.
Published 9-Nov-2026
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