Charters Towers Regional Council to provide long-awaited update on Big Rocks Weir
After a couple of quiet years, things are heating up for a transformative water project near Charters Towers. See what’s happening.
Townsville
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After a quiet couple of years, the future of Charters Tower’s transformative Big Rocks Weir project is expected to become clearer this week.
Costing an estimated $90m to deliver, Big Rocks Weir (BRW) will be a 10,000 megalitre weir approximately 13.0 metres high and 188m long, built on the Burdekin River 24km upstream of the existing Charters Towers Weir.
Creating 172 full time equivalent jobs when construction begins in 2026, the project will feature conventional concrete construction with an associated fishway structure, saddle dam, and a stilling basin.
When completed, BRW will support 115 operational roles, while providing a guaranteed water supply for the Charters Towers region, and unlocking up to 5000ha of new irrigated agriculture to generate an additional $35m in revenue annually.
It promises to create opportunities to transition to high-value perennial crops such as table grapes, citrus, avocados and mangoes.
Led by Charters Towers Regional Council (CTRC), the project is jointly funded with commitments by the Queensland Government ($30m) and the Australian Government ($38m) through its National Water Grid Fund.
When approached for a project update, a CTRC spokeswoman said a report on the future of the Big Rocks Weir project would be considered by the council at its general meeting on June 19.
In October 2021, both levels of governments unlocked $6m in funding to fast-track pre-construction activities including geotechnical work, environmental analysis and approvals and the development of a market ready design.
The Department of State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning website lists the BRW as a co-ordinated project with its draft Environmental impact statement (EIS) being prepared by CTRC.
Water Minister Glenn Butcher said the state government was proud to have put $30m on the table, highlighting its commitment to water projects in North Queensland.
“The Australian Government has committed $30 million for the project – I expect to see that commitment flow once the project is construction ready,” Mr Butcher said.
“We will continue to work with Charters Towers Regional Council to move this project forward so that we can access this funding. I will always go in to bat for Queensland for these important projects.”
A Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water spokesman said the Australian Government remained committed to the Big Rocks Weir project.
“Through the 2024-25 Budget, (the government) retained its full $38 million funding commitment to the project under the National Water Grid Fund,” the spokesman said.
“The Australian Government continues to work closely with the Queensland Government to progress the project.”
Originally published as Charters Towers Regional Council to provide long-awaited update on Big Rocks Weir
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