West End riverside works

The Department of Resources (the department) has undertaken works along Riverside Drive at West End, which installed an engineered clay cover (cap) over land containing contaminated material from historic coal tar processing activities in the area.

The engineered clay cover is in a section of open recreational space, located between Riverside Drive and the Brisbane River, where a now demolished Brisbane City Council dog off-leash area was historically located.

The works were necessary to address potential health and safety risks associated with people and animals coming into direct contact with contaminated materials (such as asbestos, heavy metals, and semi-volatile organic compounds), and also to manage any environmental risks.

The completed work included:

Removal of the existing dog off-leash area and infrastructure (contact Brisbane City Council for alternate dog off-leash areas)
Vegetation management to support works being undertaken
Excavation and removal of contaminated material
Installation of engineered covering to isolate or prevent the spread of contamination
Installation of barrier fencing along a section of the Brisbane River
Revegetation of the work area with turf is currently underway with access restricted to grassed areas until November 2023.

Traffic changes

Traffic management of Riverside Drive has now been removed, with a new footpath adjacent to the Brisbane River in place.

Our role in the works

Where the work was completed is on Unallocated State Land (USL). The Department of Resources is responsible for managing the USL contamination on behalf of Queensland Government, in accordance with the Environmental Protection Act 1994.

Health information

Queensland Health advises there has been no notification of any enquiries, complaints or identified health issues in relation to the site. However, anyone with concerns on potential or alleged health impacts for domestic pets or other animals should discuss their concerns with a veterinarian in the first instance.

Contact

For any enquiries in relation to the dog off-leash area, phone Brisbane City Council on 07 3403 8888.

For further information on the project, contact the Resources community Infoline on 13 71 07 or email resources.info@resources.qld.gov.au

Last updated: 12 September 2023
Last reviewed: 12 September 2023