Luscombe Weir removal & river restoration
- Project typeEnvironment
- Contractor nameAbyss Demolition
- Completion date30 December 2025
Luscombe Weir was demolished in December 2025.
The weir was built in the Albert River in 1951 to provide drinking water for Beenleigh. This water supply stopped in the mid-1960s due to water quality problems. The structure had been redundant for more than 60 years.
Removal of the weir is part of Our Natural City Strategy 2032 and will help to:
- support healthy habitats for plants and animals in the river
- protect and improve nature corridors
- restore the river's natural flow
- reconnect the upper and lower reaches of the river
- improve the river's ecosystems
- allow native fish to move freely along the river.
Deconstruction details
The concrete structure (measuring 4 metres in height and 35.6 metres in length) was removed using earthmoving equipment from the Gold Coast side of the river. Large and small rocks were placed to stabilise the riverbank and native grass seeds were planted along the top of the bank.
Demolition was originally planned for November 2024. However, ongoing wet weather resulted in river and site conditions that limited safe access. The works were rescheduled to October 2025. All activity was also timed to avoid the platypus breeding season.
Project benefits
Rivers naturally flow from inland areas through floodplains and estuaries to the ocean. The weir disrupted this natural flow, reduced water quality, damaged ecosystems and prevented native fish from migrating.
The Albert River is popular for recreation, including kayaking, fishing, picnics and exploring. Removing the weir will help return the river to a more natural state, improve water flow and support native fish, over time.
Native fish species that will benefit from this project are:
- sea mullet (Mugil cephalus)
- empire gudgeon (Hypseleotris compressa)
- Cox’s gudgeon (Gobiomorphus coxii)
- long-finned eel (Anguilla reinhardtii)
- Australian bass (Macquaria novemaculeata)
- flathead gudgeon (Philypnodon grandiceps)
- pacific blue-eye (Pseudomugil signifer).
Monitoring of the Albert River
Ongoing monitoring of the Albert River after the weir’s removal is an important part of this project. It will help show the environmental improvements gained from restoring fish passage.
We will continue to record which fish species are present and track changes in native migratory species such as:
- Australian bass
- Mary River cod
- barramundi
- threadfin salmon.
We will also assess the health and movement of fish populations using scientific research methods such as electrofishing and environmental DNA sampling (eDNA).
This information will support wider biodiversity assessments and guide the long‑term management of local waterways.
What is electrofishing and eDNA?
Electrofishing is a scientific technique using controlled electric currents in water to temporarily stun fish. Researchers can net, collect and study them then release them unharmed.
eDNA is genetic material that plants, animals and other organisms leave behind in their environment — in water, soil or sediment. By analysing small samples of river water, scientists can detect which species are present without needing to see or capture them.
This project was jointly funded by the City of Gold Coast and Logan City Council.