Residents across the Whitsunday and Burdekin shires, alongside the Molongle Creek Boat Club (MCBC) and the wider Cape Upstart community, are calling on the State Government to honour a long-standing commitment to provide reliable all-tide access at Molongle Creek.
The Molongle Creek access channel is the only marine gateway to Cape Upstart, which is home to approximately 240 sea-access-only properties. The channel is a critical link to the mainland for residents, emergency services, visitors and fishers, with estimates showing between 15,000 and 20,000 vessels use it annually.
Despite its importance, locals say the channel no longer delivers the all-tide access promised during the 2016 state election and formalised in a 2021 handover to government.
“The lack of all-tide access severely restricts people’s access to their properties at Cape Upstart,” said Molongle Creek Boat Club Commodore Ken Betteridge.
Built by Volunteers, Handed to Government
The Molongle Creek Boat Club was formed in 1962 and spent decades developing and maintaining the facility through volunteer labour, private funding and club-owned machinery. In 2021, the club formally surrendered its lease and gifted all assets, valued at $2.84 million, to enable public funding and long-term government management.
In return, the State Government assumed responsibility for maintaining an all-tide access channel, boat ramps and supporting infrastructure.
However, long-time members say concerns raised during the design phase were ignored, particularly warnings that the chosen alignment would be vulnerable to flooding and sediment infill.
“Molongle Creek Boat Club’s lobbying secured funding for an all-tide channel, however, due to various government departments, the placement of the channel was restricted to where it is now,” Mr Betteridge said.
“The choice presented to us was a channel where it is – or was – or no channel at all.”
Within months of completion, wet-season flooding filled the channel with sediment, significantly reducing its depth. While temporary maintenance improved access in 2022 and 2023, a major wet season in 2024 again rendered the channel largely unusable. No maintenance funding has since been allocated.
Locals say vessels that once accessed the channel on a 1.7-metre tide now require tides of 2.4 metres or higher, eliminating reliable daylight access on many days.
“All-tide access?” one resident said. “It’s anything but.”
Safety Concerns Escalate
The deteriorating access has raised serious safety concerns, particularly during peak holiday periods and medical emergencies.
Residents have historically transported sick or injured people by boat to meet ambulances at Molongle Creek, but only when tides permit. When tides are out, emergency helicopter access is required.
“There have been quite a few medical incidences where the access to Molongle Creek was tidally available – if no tide, the emergency helicopter was luckily available,” Mr Betteridge said.
In another recent incident, two young boys were stung by Irukandji jellyfish at Kingfish Bay. Locals say the outcome could have been far worse had the tide been out.
Calls for Practical Solutions
The Molongle Creek Boat Club says solutions already exist, particularly the construction of a protective bund wall using rock or geotextile bags; a method proven at the site, where a small barrier has reduced sediment infill for more than 25 years.
“There are approximately 240 dwellings at Cape Upstart that use Molongle Creek as their main, and only access port – a 365 day all-tide access channel will definitely improve the safety of the whole community,” Mr Betteridge said.
“We need a bund wall sooner rather than later.”
Local State Member for Burdekin Dale Last said the former government failed to deliver on its election promise.
“Promises were made and expectations were built on those promises. Clearly those expectations were not met and, clearly, the promises made were broken,” Mr Last said.
Federal Member for Dawson Andrew Willcox described the facility as vital regional infrastructure and said a permanent engineering solution was required.
“In my assessment, a permanent infrastructure solution is required to address the siltation issues,” he said.
Maritime Safety Queensland confirmed the channel continues to be impacted by natural flood flows and said long-term management options are being developed in consultation with stakeholders.
Community Patience Wearing Thin
After more than six decades of volunteer stewardship and a multi-million-dollar asset handover, locals say the issue is no longer about future planning, but about honouring commitments already made.
As one MCBC member put it, “We carried this facility for decades. Now we’re asking the government to carry out its commitment.”
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