Opinion: Capricornia businessman determined to get Fitzroy Gap dam off ground

MEET the man who’s determined to convince politicians to build a giant ‘ocean’ in Queensland. He’s even sunk thousands of his own dollars into advertising his vision.

Businessman Dominic Doblo’s Fitzroy Gap dam would dwarf the Snowy Mountains Scheme.

THANK God for the maniacs – those political fringe dwellers who rampage about every election, trying to funnel energy towards a cause they’re obsessed with.

In the seat of Capricornia based around Rockhampton, Dominic Doblo grasps democracy by the throat whenever he sees a poll looming, determined to convince politicians to build a giant ‘ocean’ outside Rockhampton. Dominic isn’t some wild-eyed fanatic but a hugely successful businessman whose fruit shop collapsed in the face of competition from Coles and Woolworths.

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He remade himself as a landscaper and ran for mayor (unsuccessfully) at the last election on a one-policy-platform – the Fitzroy Gap dam.

The Gap dam is a bold plan which, nearly a century ago, sprang from the mind of the John Bradfield who designed Brisbane’s Story Bridge.

Planned for 140km from the mouth of the Fitzroy River, the dam would dwarf the Snowy Mountains Scheme. Doblo has even enlisted the support of central Queensland cattle king Sir Graham McCamley.

Few politicians will put their name to it, saying it doesn’t stack up financially, but most have a good word for Doblo for “having a go.’’

Doblo, to widespread admiration, bought 60 seconds of prime WIN Television advertising time last State of Origin night to outline his visions.

Thousands of dollars of his own money has also gone into posters and print advertisements.

“We used to have big dreams in Australia, and we used to have people who could make them happen,’’ he says.

Originally published as Opinion: Capricornia businessman determined to get Fitzroy Gap dam off ground