In September 2015, a nearshore landslide occurred at the popular tourist location of Inskip Point. Initially reported as a ‘sinkhole’ in the beach, Queensland Parks and Wildlife engaged EDG Principal Ian Shipway to attend site to provide emergency risk management advice.
Following the establishment of a temporary buffer zone and the EDG was engaged to investigate the mechanism of the event, prepare a detailed report and provide long term risk management guidance for QPWS. The study concluded that the event was a ‘breach flow slide’, similar to a number of past similar events that have occurred along the Inskip Point peninsula. There are a number of particular conditions that must be evident for a breach flow slide to occur, and understanding those conditions was fundamental to providing effective and practical risk management advice for the area.
QPWS has implemented many of the risk management options for the site and is considering its position on a number of other options.
Diagrammatic cross section through breach flow slides at Inskip Point. Not to scale and with minor vertical exaggeration to demonstrate mechanisms. 
Oblique aerial image of the 26 September 2015 instability event. Image source: abc.net.au 
View across the rear of the instability event looking west on the afternoon of 27 September 2013
