‘Positive’: Toowoomba council to explore cost of increasing capacity at Cressbrook Dam, Qld premier Steven Miles responds

Councillors will explore the cost of increasing the capacity of Cressbrook Dam as part of its advocacy for state government funding to help pay for a $270m upgrade of the asset. It’s a matter Premier Steven Miles has weighed in on.

UPDATE: The Toowoomba Regional Council will investigate the cost of increasing the capacity of its largest dam as part of a $270m upgrade project it is required to complete by next year.

Deputy mayor Rebecca Vonhoff won the support of enough colleagues at Tuesday’s ordinary meeting to revise its upcoming advocacy plan for the Cressbrook Dam Safety Improvement project, a mandatory upgrade of the asset’s spillways that must be finished by October 2025.

The changes to the plan, which will be presented to the state government in a bid to secure external funding to help pay for it, would explore the cost of raising the walls of Cressbrook to improve water security.

Councillor Rebecca Vonhoff. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Ms Vonhoff pushed for the motion on the basis the region wasn’t getting any extra water as part of the single-largest project in the amalgamated council’s history.

“I am not underestimating the complexities of this whatsoever,” she said.

“This just about getting some information, because if any of us were asked how much it would cost extra to get more water, we don’t know the answer.”

Ms Vonhoff said the combined engineering expertise within the newly-signed alliance on the project between the council, contractor Seymour Whyte and firm SMEC could deliver a feasibility and cost analysis.

It comes as Premier Steven Miles reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to working with the council on helping to fund the upgrades.

Speaking in Townsville on Tuesday, Mr Miles said he was also open to looking at building additional capacity at Cressbrook, pending a business case from the TRC.

Premier Steven Miles. Picture: Shae Beplate.

“We will work with Toowoomba Regional Council to ensure that they have growing water supply to ensure water security for their growing population,” he said.

“I understand Toowoomba Regional Council is currently completing a business case, or may have recently completed a business case, into building additional capacity at Cressbrook, and we look forward to seeing that business case.

“And of course, we’ll consider it in the context of our future budgets.”

The council is currently on the hook for the entire cost of the project, with mayor Geoff McDonald flagging rate rises and delays to other capital works were on the table.

Ms Vonhoff’s motion earnt pushback from councillors Carol Taylor and Kerry Shine, who argued the extra studies could jeopardise delivering the upgrade on time.

Lake Cressbrook. Picture: Kevin Farmer

“It could take years to understand the viability of raising the dam walls, cost a lot of money and impact the landholders (downstream),” Ms Taylor said.

“While this sounds amazing, it’s not workable and I can’t believe we’re at a point that we’re discussing this.”

In response to the criticisms, Ms Vonhoff said the council owed it to ratepayers to explore all avenues.

“The priority is upgrading the spillway because that’s what we are mandated to do, but surely we can walk and chew gum at the same time and get some information that we can use in our conversations with the state and federal government,” she told News Corp on Wednesday.

“We’ve got to have updated information when it comes to something as critical as water.”

Earlier: Government confirms support to help fund Cressbrook upgrade

The Toowoomba Regional Council has secured the support of the state government to help fund the mandatory $270m Cressbrook Dam safety upgrades, but questions remain over how much of the massive project Labor will contribute.

Queensland Minister for Water Glenn Butcher. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

Toowoomba deputy mayor Rebecca Vonhoff on Monday praised water minister Glenn Butcher’s public commitment to give financial support to the upgrade, which needs to be finished substantially by late-2025.

Mr Butcher’s announcement came as a response to a parliamentary question asked by Condamine MP Pat Weir, who queried about the council being required to submit a business case for the project.

In response, Mr Butcher made it clear the government would contribute to the cost of the project, pending that document.

“Consistent with Queensland Government practice, project proponents need to have a business case prepared to assist the government in making an informed investment decision,” he said in the response on December 8.

“The business case will outline council’s infrastructure solution and costs to carry out the dam safety works.

“The Queensland Government has made it clear to council that it will assist council with this project.”

Aerial photograph of Lake Cressbrook. Photo Kevin Farmer / The Chronicle Helicopter services courtesy of Heliwest Group

Ms Vonhoff called the public statement “super-positive”, but hoped the minister would be interested in expediting the process given the unique nature of the project and the looming completion date requirements.

“That’s super-positive, it’s very pleasing to hear it and I’m appreciative of Pat Weir for asking the question,” she said.

“It sounds to me like a commitment and the part that needs clarifying is what does that look like?

“A business case costs money and takes time (so) what I’d like the state to consider is, whether this project is par for the course and (whether) a par for the course business case is justified.

“If not, can they clarify what they want answered (by us) to justify their funding commitments?

“This isn’t a road or a new sports ground, this is a mandated, legislated upgrade of a spillway.”

Ms Vonhoff has also not given up on exploring ways to increase Cressbrook’s capacity as part of the spillway upgrade, with the deputy mayor planning to bring forward a motion at Tuesday’s meeting to make changes to the council’s advocacy plan for the dam.

While it has been argued the benefits of increasing Cressbrook’s dam walls would not outweigh the cost, Ms Vonhoff said the project’s current cost already put it in a different stratosphere to other infrastructure upgrades.

“We’re spending $270m already, so what would it cost to get more water? Those are important and sensible questions to ask,” she said.

“For the community, we need those questions answered and if I could put myself in the state and federal government’s shoes, they’d want to know this and we need to be able to tell them.

“We don’t know if it’s even possible but we have the council, SMEC and Seymour Whyte engineers on-hand to answer those questions.

“The time is right to ask the questions.”