Soil erosion

What is erosion?

Erosion is the process of soil being worn away by water, wind or human activity. While it’s a natural part of the landscape, erosion can accelerate due to poor groundcover, floods, stock pressure, or land use practices. This leads to loss of topsoil, reduced productivity, and damage to waterways.

Some types of erosion include:

• Riverbank erosion – Occurs along creeks, rivers and streams, often worsened by floods and lack of vegetation.
• Gully erosion – Forms when water scours channels into the land, often starting from a small disturbance like a track or bare patch.
• Surface erosion – Happens when wind or water removes topsoil from exposed paddocks, especially where groundcover is low.

Whatever the type of erosion, there are practical steps landholders can take to protect their land, improve resilience, and reduce long-term impacts. 

General erosion control tips

Protecting topsoil and minimising erosion starts with good land management.

Prevention is key. Maintaining groundcover above 70% and addressing small issues early is far easier and more cost-effective than repairing major erosion.

Quick tips:

• Maintain at least 70% groundcover (50% in semi-arid areas).
• Keep groundcover high near creeks and slopes.
• Rotate grazing to allow grass recovery.
• Plant windbreaks and native vegetation along creeks and roads.
• Protect existing bushland. Choose local native species.
• Cultivate along contour lines, not up slopes.
• Avoid cultivating steep slopes.
• Leave a vegetated strip (10–30 m) along waterways.
• Construct access roads along contours and avoid wet areas.
• Prevent concentrated runoff from roads or fencelines.

Important: Structural works like earthmoving, removing vegetation, or installing hard structures require permits. Always check with relevant authorities before starting any major works to contain or prevent erosion.