Do they still dredge the Brisbane River?
Matthew Barrera
Updated on May 14, 2026
Yet the Lord Mayor hailed the decision to halt dredging as 'a significant victory for Queensland'. He said that for 100 years, the Brisbane River had been 'treated as a sewer and a mine'. 'No other capital cities in the world allow ugly dredgers into the heart of their city to mine their river', he claimed.
When did dredging stop in the Brisbane River?
River dredging in the lower and middle reaches stopped during the late 1990s, thus increasing potential flood levels in the river. By this stage, the tidal reach extended to College's Crossing, over 80 km upstream from the river's mouth.Do they dredge the Brisbane River?
From 1862 the Brisbane River has been dredged for navigation purposes. The river served as an important carriageway between Brisbane and Ipswich before a railway linking the towns was built in 1875. By the late 1920s, water quality in the river had significantly deteriorated.Why do they dredge the Brisbane River?
DredgingIn the 1860s, work began to dredge the river mouth to allow big ships through to the city and beyond. The river bed was just 1.5 metres deep, and it was possible to walk from one side to the other.
Can you eat fish from the Brisbane River?
Fish and seafood from the Brisbane River is considered safe to eat, even if microbial contamination of the waterway is detected, as long as it is properly cleaned and cooked.Brisbane River remains 'no-go zone' with tonnes of debris under the surface | ABC News
Is there crocodiles in the Brisbane River?
For people in north Queensland, crocodiles aren't just some unsightly nuisance, like the ibises which irritate the residents of Brisbane. Crocodiles are single-minded man-eaters that inhabit every river, creek, dam, and even the stormwater drains, of tropical Queensland.Is there sharks in the Brisbane River?
"Bull sharks have been in the Brisbane River since before European settlement, they're a natural part of the Brisbane River." Bull sharks give birth to live pups and are found throughout the Brisbane and Bremer rivers.Is Brisbane sinking?
Thousands of subsidence investigations have taken place across Brisbane in recent years. The majority of these have resulted from mining subsidence and issues arising from the development of the Airport Link Tunnel, which opened in 2012.Is it illegal to swim in the Brisbane River?
Considering that the river runs through the centre of Brisbane, there are plenty of stunning photos that can be captured and sort of makes up for the fact that you can't swim in the river's waters.Is the Brisbane River healthy?
Looking at the river's water quality in 2018Nitrogen and phosphorus levels are above the water quality guidelines set by the Queensland government in almost all tests. In the lower Brisbane River catchment towards the port, nitrogen is above the maximum level in more than 60 per cent of 99 tests.