Rangers from the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation witnessed a near-shore landslip that occurred at Inskip Point on 3 June 2024.
Inskip Point is a sandy body of land that has been built up by wind and waves. The peninsula is a highly dynamic environment where strong winds and waves naturally impact the sandy shoreline.
These events at Inskip Point are commonly called sinkholes, but technically they are known as near-shore landslips or landslides.
A near-shore landslip or landslide is a natural coastal event that cannot be predicted. They occur when a large body of sand moves quickly, forming an underwater scarp (or small cliff) that moves rapidly inshore as the sand debris moves out to sea.
Sand at Inskip Point is constantly being replenished. When cliffs collapse along the Cooloola coast, the sand is moved north by ocean currents and is deposited at Inskip Point and Fraser Island.
The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) prioritises the safety of staff and visitors to national parks and protected areas.
Following similar events near Inskip Point, QPWS introduced a buffer zone along the coastline with no camping or vehicles permitted in this zone. The section of beach remains open to pedestrians and day activities.
Camping area boundaries are maintained behind the vegetated foredune areas to reduce impacts on stabilising vegetation and reduce potential risk to campers.
