INFRASTRUCTURE TO FORGE OUR FUTURE CAIRNS TNQ REGIONAL PRIORITIES 2022-23
FOOD AND WATER SECURITY COUNCILS: CAIRNS, MAREEBA, ETHERIDGE, COOK, TABLELANDS STATE ELECTORATES: BARRON RIVER, CAIRNS, HILL, TRAEGER FEDERAL ELECTORATES: KENNEDY, LEICHHARDT
BRIEFING NOTE SUMMARY • The ability to meet increased demand for fresh Australian food from North Queensland is at risk due to the lack of a longterm water implementation strategy.
• To cater for growing demand for water, four significant water supply and infrastructure projects are considered essential enablers for the region: Lakeland Area Irrigation Scheme, Cairns Water Security – Stage 1 project, Etheridge Shire Agricultural and Irrigation Precinct Project, and North Johnstone River Diversion Scheme. • All four projects require bilateral commitment and shared investment to facilitate environmental approvals and to progress to construction stage. • A $7M investment is required to progress a North Johnstone River Diversion Scheme business case with completion of the business case by June 2022, to enable and inform a rewrite of the water resource plans for both the Barron and Wet Tropics catchments. • A $2M investment is needed to progress the Etheridge Agricultural and Irrigation Precinct implementation strategy which includes an Economic, Environmental, and Social Impact Assessment; farming land analysis; and synthesis of existing work on the Gilbert River to identify available and potential water supply with a view to obtaining pre-approval for the key components of the precinct.
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THE ISSUE Tropical North Queensland (TNQ) has seen sustained population growth during the past 30 years underpinned by the expansion of industries including agriculture, tourism, fisheries, education, health, and retail. Throughout 2020, agriculture has been a continuing success story for the region and vitally important in driving post-COVID-19 economic recovery. At the forefront of agricultural growth has been the Atherton Tablelands, driven by the Mareeba Dimbulah Water Supply Scheme (MDWSS) with rapid expansion in high-value crops such as avocados, bananas, berries, and sugarcane. Water is now 100% allocated1 and 80% used, with purchase prices rising more than three-fold since 2011, peaking at $4000/ML. To address high prices and supply issues on the Tablelands, short- and long-term action is urgently needed. The Queensland Government, via the Regional Water Assessment Program, is currently undertaking a $3M investigation into possible additional water supply and long-term water security across the broader Tablelands region. Sunwater is undertaking much-needed improvements in the MDWSS to provide efficiencies in the short term, but the scheme will also need supplementing with extra supply through the proposed North Johnstone River Diversion Scheme. In addition, agriculture in areas such as the Lakeland district near Cooktown and surrounding the Gilbert River in Etheridge Shire has the potential to expand rapidly through value crops such as bananas, grains, cotton, legumes, and watermelons. Water security has been a concern for a number of years and is now limiting supply in both regions. Agricultural exports are vital to TNQ with the industry sector output currently valued at $1.6B2, constrained mainly by factors such as irrigation and access to market. A landmark supply chain study titled Export 2030 – Fresh Food Fast3 was released in June 2020, which highlighted the potential to double high-value food exports
through Cairns Airport within a decade. Urban demand also continues to increase with Cairns’ population growth averaging 1.1% per annum. This, combined with a long-running history of attracting an estimated three million tourists visiting TNQ annually pre-COVID, means an effective and multi-faceted water supply strategy is required to ensure the growing needs of the region can be met. Addressing this urban need will also reduce the impact on agricultural water supply. In Cairns itself, modelling by the Cairns Regional Council shows that demand for water will outstrip supply within the next five years. As a result, the Cairns Water Security – Stage 1 project is an essential piece of infrastructure to secure urban water supply for Cairns well into the future. In summary, four significant water supply and infrastructure projects are considered essential enablers for water security and growth in the region: • Lakeland Irrigation Area Project • Cairns Water Security – Stage 1 project • Etheridge Shire Agricultural and Irrigation Precinct Project • North Johnstone River Diversion Scheme.
