Charters Towers Mayor Frank Beveridge has welcomed the news that Queensland's Coordinator-General has declared the $60m Big Rocks Weir proposal a coordinated project.
According to Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development Steven Miles, the proposal to boost water supply in the Charters Towers region will now undergo a full environmental impact assessment process
"The Queensland Government supports progressing investigations into the construction of a 10,000 megalitre weir as proposed at Big Rocks on the Burdekin River, about 26 kilometres north of Charters Towers," Mr Miles said. "(It) would augment urban water supply, support local agriculture, create jobs and improve water security for the Charters Towers region."
The Charters Towers Regional Council estimates the project would create 172 full-time equivalent jobs during construction.
Related: Big Rocks top priority for Towers
The declaration means the Coordinator-General will now prepare draft terms of reference for an environmental impact statement, and Cr Beveridge said he hoped they wouldn't be too restrictive.
"It's really wonderful that we've moved ahead and this project is getting the state government recognition it deserves," he said. "It should take a lot of the to and fro out of the state government arena."
He was hopeful that the EIS could be done by the end of the year, so that the weir could be built the following year.
"Everything with Big Rocks is done through the lens of wet seasons," he said. "In those terms we'd like the final sign-off to be at the end of this year."
Mr Miles said the draft terms of reference would be released for public comment so the community can have their say on what the EIS must address.
"The community will also be invited to make submissions on the draft EIS that will be prepared after the terms of reference have been finalised."
Minister for Water Glenn Butcher said the Palaszczuk government had committed $3 million for the Charters Towers Regional Council to conduct environmental and other regulatory approvals, geotechnical assessments, detailed weir design, and water product and pricing definition.
"The proposed Big Rocks Weir project could improve water supply in Charters Towers, boost North Queensland's economy and create jobs for the north of our state," Mr Butcher said.
The Big Rocks Weir is one of three water infrastructure projects in the broader Burdekin Catchment declared as coordinated projects and currently undergoing assessment.
Others are the proposed raising of the Burdekin Falls Dam wall, declared a coordinated project in July 2020, and the proposed Urannah Project, declared in May 2020, which includes a dam, hydro-electricity scheme and water pipeline network 80 kilometres west of Mackay.
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Sally Gall
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
