Southern Downs Regional Council unveils next decade of water management, agriculture, and more

From drought management to sustainable agriculture and promoting clean energy, here’s how the council plans to tackle environmental concerns and what it means for Southern Downs ratepayers.

Storm King Dam at Stanthorpe has spilled over with 140mm received in the catchment in a 24 hour period. Southern Downs Mayor Vic Pennisi (pictured) said that the Stanthorpe dam had lived up to the legacy of its name.

Southern Downs Regional Council has unveiled its environmental sustainability strategy, revealing how the organisation plans to manage water and agricultural concerns across the next decade.

The 2021-31 proposal labelled valuing water, reducing the region’s footprint, valuing nature, and building economic resilience as the council’s four priority areas.

The strategy identified using the Southern Downs’ water systems such as dams, stream flows, and groundwater to safeguard the region against an unpredictable climate and rainfall totals.

SDRC’s accompanying action plan identified reducing the council’s potable water use through smart meters, encouraging businesses and residents to use recycled water where possible, and promoting water efficiency in agriculture through education and funding as goals for the next one to three years.

Longer-term goals included a water security strategy comprising “maintenance of environmental flows, housing and population growth projections, holistic water strategy, demand management, (and) opportunities for increasing water supplies and securing contingency sources”.

The report stated SDRC planned to tackle the region’s environmental footprint predominantly through shifting to cleaner energy options, such as promoting cleaner energy sources such as wind or solar power for residents and new infrastructure.

It also cited low-emission vehicles for council workers, building more electric vehicle charging stations, providing bike paths and alternative modes of transport to reduce residents’ reliance on cars, and promoting carbon-based farming as secondary goals.

The council’s plans under the “valuing nature” category were heavily focused on the conservation of endangered plant and animal species, along with pest and bushfire management.

SDRC stated it would work closely with emergency management and the region’s indigenous communities to “capture and incorporate traditional and cultural knowledge … and support improved biodiversity outcomes”.

These goals were closely linked to boosting the Southern Downs’ economy through eco-tourism and green infrastructure, particularly while “supporting local Aboriginal employment and tourism opportunities”.

The strategy also hinted at plans to develop a regional transport network by 2031, with potential transit corridors and heavy industry hubs alongside a “regional transport strategy encompassing road, air, and rail”.

The 2021-31 strategy and action plan was voted through at the council’s ordinary meeting last week, where it sparked some discussion between representatives about the language used throughout the document.

Councillor Marco Gliori voiced concerns the council had deliberately avoided terms such as “climate change” to avoid scaring ratepayers, and didn’t acknowledge the immediacy of the region’s environmental issues.

The action plan will be reviewed annually by the council, and Mayor Vic Pennisi said he believed the document could change “substantially” in that time.

No firm budget implications have been decided at this stage.