State reveals Mary Basin water plans, farmers’ new entitlements
Three years of work into how to sustainably manage the Mary Basin’s water supply has been revealed at last.
Gympie
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More than 70,485ML of water has been set aside to secure Gympie and Fraser Coast residents’ future needs as part of the state government’s sparkling new Mary Basin plan it says will ensure farmers’ needs are met too.
The plan, released by the state’s Department for Water on Friday, follows almost three years of work and consultations with stakeholders and farmers across the regions.
In its media release announcing the new plan, a department spokeswoman said it would better meet growers’ seasonal water needs and increase opportunities for water trading.
Farmers across the Gympie region raised concerns in April 2023 about their level of water entitlements under the proposed changes.
The new plan will allow for better environmental flow, and will allow for the support of more sustainable outcomes, including freshwater flows to the Ramsar-listed Great Sandy Strait.
The new plan also includes 7100ML of unallocated water for Indigenous reserve.
The department’s website says the new plan further helped those using it by “changing water entitlements to better meet seasonal water needs with more water trading opportunities”.
The new plan also removed the strategic water reserve “associated with the former Traveston dam proposal”.
The dam was torpedoed by the federal government in 2009 following immense public backlash and campaigns calling for it to be axed.
Water Minister Glenn Butcher said in the release he was eager for the region to flourish under the new plan.
“The Mary Basin is an important food bowl, and I look forward to seeing growers continue to yield award-winning produce,” Mr Butcher said.
“The LNP keep promising dams, but the Mary Basin water plan and others like it in South-East Queensland make it clear there’s not enough water to support another dam without stealing from existing users.”
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