The hum of insects blends with the breeze whispering through the treetops, and the lapping water.

It is peaceful, but a sense of anticipation grows as Brad Crosbie approaches and opens a cage on a bank of the Burnett River.

"Sometimes, you can just push on the ground a little bit, just to see how close they are to emerging," says Mr Crosbie, general manager of Bundaberg-based WYLD Projects.

The turtle eggs were relocated to these cages.  (ABC Wide Bay: Grace Whiteside)

"That ground just collapsed, so now we're looking at a critically endangered hatchling that's been underground for six months — it's super cool."

Finding and relocating white-throated snapping turtle eggs is a key element of the work of not-for-profit WYLD (Where Youth Live Dreams) Projects.

The turtle's scientific name is Elseya albagula. It is known as milbi in Taribelang Bunda language.

The milbi emerge from their nests in the evenings and at night.  (ABC Wide Bay: Grace Whiteside)

The group found 187 clutches this season, and, while 93 had already been destroyed, the remaining 94 were relocated to cages.

In previous years, only 60 to 70 were able to be protected.

Mr Crosbie said this season had been "extraordinary".

"We've never had this amount of clutches before in the last nine years."

He said an explosion of dragonflies and cicadas signalled a strong laying season, as mothers primarily nesting during rain events. 

"We've only worked this out in the last couple of years that they [dragonflies and cicadas] were indicators of big rain," Mr Crosbie said.

It takes the hatchlings 15 to 20 years to mature to adulthood. (Supplied: Burnett Mary Regional Group)

Also unique to this season was mothers laying eggs outside of wet weather.

"The turtle lays in rain events, and, most of the time, usually only one to two days after a rain event," Mr Crosbie said.

"But this year, those turtles laid when there was no rain, and they laid for five or six days consecutively.

"That's never ever happened in the history of the species, so I don't know why, apart from I suppose there was enough moisture in the ground."