First National Real Estate McColms sets up fundraiser for Paradise Dam Community Group

A local business has added its voice to the chorus of those calling for the Paradise Dam spillway to be restored to its former height and is orchestrating a campaign to raise awareness of just how important it is to the region’s jobs and economy.

COMMUNITY AWARENESS: Principal of First National Real Estate McColms, Justin Mayberry has announced his company will host a dinner to raise funds for the Paradise Dam Community Awareness Group. Photo: Lee-Ann Wilson Photography.

A local business has added its voice to the chorus of those calling for Paradise Dam’s spillway to be restored to its former height.

First National Real Estate McColms principal Justin Mayberry has announced his company will host a fundraising dinner for the Paradise Dam Community Awareness Group next month.

A press release about the fundraising dinner outlined that First National Real Estate McColms believed there was a need to raise community awareness about the importance of Paradise Dam to the region.

It highlighted that while the spillway had been lowered for safety reasons, they wanted to help the community understand why “it is absolutely vital for the future of our region that the Queensland Government take all steps possible to ensure the dam wall is reinstated to its original height in the near future”.

“There are over 8000 jobs in this region which rely directly on Paradise Dam” Mr Mayberry said.

“And there would be tens of thousands of jobs which are indirectly affected by the future of Paradise Dam.

“When it came to our attention that many people in the Bundaberg community aren’t aware of the massive economic benefits of Paradise Dam to our region, we were motivated to do something to help raise awareness.”

This comes as some of the results from the post-tensioned anchor trials at Paradise Dam have been revealed by Sunwater.

A Sunwater spokespersons said Sunwater’s actions in relation to Paradise Dam have been about protecting both lives and livelihoods.

“Lowering the spillway has improved the safety of communities living downstream, but further work needs to be done to strengthen and stabilise the dam and ensure it meets current safety guidelines,” the spokesperson said.

“Post-tensioned anchor trials have been just one of several activities undertaken to help determine the scope of this work.

PARADISE: Sunwater has released information on the post-tensioned anchor trials conducted at Paradise Dam. Photo: Sunwater.

“Post-tensioned anchors are steel cables that can be installed vertically through the dam and into the bedrock to improve resistance to sliding and overturning from the force floodwaters place on the dam wall.”

The spokesperson said anchors were installed downstream of the dam at six locations selected to represent the varying ground conditions that are expected below the dam foundation.

“Four of six anchors tested without failure, meaning that anchors in these ground conditions could potentially work well,” the spokesperson said.

“The other two anchors were tested to failure and therefore any post-tensioned anchors used in these ground conditions would need an increased depth of anchor through the foundation material to perform as required.

“These test results have given Sunwater confidence that post-tensioned anchors can’t be the primary means for remediating Paradise Dam.”

Sunwater has released information on the post-tension anchor trials conducted at Paradise Dam. Photo: Sunwater.

The spokesperson said mass concrete buttressing (widening the base of the dam and increasing the wall thickness by mass concrete) was “the preferred approach to strengthen and stabilise the dam, regardless of the final spillway height”.

“Post-tensioned anchors are likely to be used in discrete locations where downstream buttressing isn’t practical,” the spokesperson said.

“The Queensland Government is expected to make a decision about the scope of work required for this remediation by the end of 2021, ensuring that both dam safety and water security objectives can be met.”

The fundraising dinner hosted by First National Real Estate McColms will be held at HSG, Branyan on September 25.

Tickets are $100 each, which will include a 2-course dinner featuring local produce and drinks, plus live entertainment.

“We would appreciate donations which could be auctioned at the Fundraiser Dinner which will be conducted by our resident Auctioneer, Dave Read,” Mr Mayberry said.

“Dave has been an auctioneer for more than 20 years.

“We are also looking for locals who would like to attend our fundraiser and participate in the auction to help us in our goal to raise $25,000 or more for our cause.

“Any donation, ticket sale or participation in the auction is greatly appreciated.”

For more information contact Justin Mayberry on 0421 220 117, or Tina McPherson on 0428 415 930.