Purpose <p>Fine sediment exported from land runoff has a significant impact on the Great Barrier Reef (GBR). The Burdekin River is the largest contributor to GBR fine sediment yields with gully erosion being the largest source. The Australian and Queensland governments have invested hundreds of millions of dollars into gully remediation, however, the effectiveness of remediation in reducing sediment yields is not well quantified at site scales.</p> Materials and methods <p>A before-after-treatment-control experiment was undertaken on four pairs of gullies in the Burdekin River catchment to detect and quantify the effects of remediation on vegetation, suspended sediment concentration and fine sediment yield over a period of three to eight years. The remediation included gully reshaping, engineered hydraulic structures and revegetation, supported by grazing management.</p> Results <p>Fine sediment yields were reduced at three of the four sites by between 84% and 98%. Vegetation cover and biomass improved at two sites, while runoff did not measurably decline at any site. Fine sediment yields measured by hydrological monitoring were 23–85% higher than those estimated by terrain analysis using airborne lidar. The estimated cost effectiveness of reductions in mean-annual sediment yield ranged from AUD $384 t⁻¹ to $3,900 t⁻¹.</p> Conclusions <p>Over the study period, the remediation approaches were highly effective at reducing fine sediment concentrations and yields, were ineffective at reducing runoff and had variable responses for in-gully vegetation. On-going maintenance will be required at all sites to ensure that reductions in sediment yield persist. Hydrological monitoring provided more accurate estimates of sediment yield than terrain analysis. Further research is needed on the effectiveness of cheaper remediation approaches, with an aim to identify more cost-effective erosion control solutions.</p>