When BMP Extension Officer, Stephanie Ruiz, first spotted concrete erosion mats at the Rotary FNQ Field Days in Mareeba, she saw something the banana industry hadn’t tried before, a product well-proven in civil construction, never tested on tropical banana farms.  

That observation sparked a trial documented across multiple Banana Best Practice Fund grant projects. This wet season delivered the first real verdict, and the results are promising. 

Will Darveniza of Darveniza’s Tropical Fruit farm in South Johnstone was one of three growers who saw an opportunity to be involved in the trial. Darveniza’s Tropical Fruit grows papayas, bananas, passionfruit and sugarcane alongside a cattle enterprise, and is recognised for its regenerative approach using the certified Ecoganic system to reduce chemical reliance and protect the Great Barrier Reef’s natural waterways. 

For Will, the mats solved two persistent problems: a low-lying picking route where soft ground caused vehicles to drift off the road and into drains, worsening erosion; and a drainage crossing where water was sheeting down the main gravel road during heavy rain. Concrete mats were installed to harden the roadway and build a causeway, concentrating flow to one controlled point. 

 “We have been growing bananas up here for about 20 years and this part of the farm has always been one of the wettest and most trafficked parts. It is a low spot that sits right in the middle of the farm and has a main picking route through it.” 

“I would reform the headlands and drains in the dry season and during the wet season vehicles would end up driving in the drains to stay out of the ruts.” said Will. “The concrete mats changed that. Here we are in June and the road is completely fine – that wouldn’t have been the case in previous wet seasons.  

“It’s definitely been a worthwhile investment. Better than spending $10,000 on rock and having it wash away in a year or two.” 

After more than 2,500 mm of rain across the Johnstone Catchment this wet season, the mats held firm. 

BMP Coordinator Amelia Foster says the innovation story matters as much as the results.  

“Stephanie saw something at a field day and asked whether it could work for banana growers. That cross-industry thinking is exactly how we find new tools, and now we have real tropical evidence that it works.” 

Concrete mats are still being trialled across multiple farms, with growers testing different applications and conditions – including how the mats perform under high flow events. The BMP team will continue sharing results as they come in. Follow us on Facebook for updates. 

The Banana Best Management Practice Project (2023–2026) is funded through the Queensland Government’s Queensland Reef Water Quality Program and delivered by the Australian Banana Growers’ Council in partnership with growers.