In April 2002, 23 Engineered Log Jams (ELJs) were built in a 2 km treatment reach of what was a degraded ephemeral sand-bed stream at Stockyard Creek, Wollombi NSW. Coupled with ~ 20 years of ongoing native revegetation this project aimed to increase the geomorphic diversity and ecological characteristics of this ephemeral stream. This paper assesses the geomorphic and ecological response to the re-introduction of wood by comparing treatment and control reaches. Since construction, the ELJs have experienced a 5 year period of low or no flow conditions as well as two major bed mobilising flood events occurring in June 2007 and February 2013. Four detailed topographic surveys of the study reach were completed during the 11 year study period and have been used to construct Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) of the in-channel bed topography. Differencing between successive DEMs and the development of longitudinal profiles for the study reach, indicate the ELJs have been successful in promoting the colonisation of riparian vegetation as well as increasing the geomorphic diversity of the bed topography. The treatment reach now exhibits near-permanent pools with considerable topographic variability contrasting significantly with the control reach. The control reach however also experienced topographic changes without the influence of ELJs due to the presence of a bedrock-confined meander, native re-vegetation and the natural recruitment of woody debris. Both control and treatment reaches are excellent examples of riparian rehabilitation using native species. This paper evaluates the effectiveness of utilising ELJs in an Australian sand-bed context and provides insights into how future design aspects for ELJs can be altered and designed within a local scale environment