Sunwater addresses outrage as Paradise Dam restoration faces delays

Sunwater has come under fire after refusing to set a timeframe for restoring Paradise Dam’s 300,000ML capacity, with frustrated growers demanding urgent action to fast-track construction.

Paradise Dam questions have been left unanswered as Sunwater refuse to announce a timeframe for the dam wall to be restored.

Backlash continues over Paradise Dam as SunWater fails to commit to a timeline for restoring its 300,000ML capacity.

Addressing about 50 local producers and agricultural industry professionals at the Bundaberg Ag Forum 2025 earlier this month, Sunwater’s general manager for customer and stakeholder relations, Cameron Milliner, said uncertainty around federal environmental approvals was delaying a firm timeline.

“There are two different pathways a project like this can go down: the first pathway is a full environmental impact statement, the second pathway recognises we are not increasing the area of inundation,” Mr Milliner said.
He added that discussions had begun with the Commonwealth, but SunWater did not yet know which approval process would be required.

Preparation for the construction of the new Paradise Dam wall has begun following the formation of the project’s design and construction alliance.

“We know there are two species of national environmental significance in the river: the white-throated snapping turtle and the lungfish.”
He acknowledged growers’ concerns.

“We understand the desire for our customers to be able to get on and plan their business.”

Bundaberg Ag-Food and Fibre Alliance executive director Dale Holliss stressed the urgency of completing the dam wall.
“All irrigators would like the time frame to be shorter than what it could potentially be,” Mr Holliss said.
He also mentioned plans to collaborate with SunWater.

Growers are also seeking access to 100,000 megalitres of unsold water rights from the dam.
The current dam wall, with a capacity of 170,000 megalitres, has been spilling since January 1, 2020.

Questions also remain about the project’s estimated $4.4 billion cost, as SunWater investigates the construction site’s geology and the complexities of maintaining two dam walls within one water body.

Queensland Water Minister Ann Leahy said a comprehensive cost estimate would be developed progressively as part of the detailed business case, which SunWater expected to provide to the government in late 2025.
“In addition, a cost and risk peer review will be undertaken by a separate independent consultant in early 2025 to provide further rigour to the current cost estimate,” she said.
Ms Leahy emphasised it was “a complex, multi-year project” and noted that her department was “working closely with SunWater to ensure it is delivered as efficiently as possible, to the appropriate technical standards and provides value for money for Queenslanders”.

Queensland Water Minister Ann Leahy addresses growers’ concerns about Paradise Dam’s future at the Bundaberg Ag Forum 2025.

At the forum, producers questioned Mr Milliner about the dam wall’s completion date, how SunWater planned to avoid issues from the previous build, and the potential costs for local residents.

A SunWater spokesperson said building a new Paradise Dam wall was a complex, multi-year project being delivered in a dynamic river system.
“SunWater is committed to delivering the project in an efficient and effective way, and it is important we get it right,” they said.
“We must make sure we balance the need for quick delivery with the challenges of ensuring we are designing and constructing the right asset.”

They said SunWater was working to secure environmental approvals required for the construction of a new dam wall immediately downstream of the existing structure.
“We are liaising directly with state and federal agencies and are getting on with early works in order to quickly proceed to major construction once all approvals are received.”

“We are committed to keeping the Queensland government and community informed about this important project that will underpin future water security in the Bundaberg region.”

Originally published as Sunwater addresses outrage as Paradise Dam restoration faces delays