More water for Qld’s Tablelands region as project exceeds expectations

13 March 2024

The Mareeba Dimbulah Water Efficiency project is delivering 11,500 megalitres (ML) of water savings per year to Queensland’s Tablelands region. The saving is over 25% more than what was predicted.

The Australian and Queensland governments jointly funded the $32.4 million project, which has exceeded the original expectation of saving 8,306 ML of water. This means more water will go back to farmers in the Tablelands region to help boost agricultural production, which will increase by an estimated $20 million annually.

The extra water savings is in addition to the project enhancing water delivery to more than 17,000 hectares of Far North Queensland farmland. The Tablelands region is one of Queensland’s major food bowls and produces lots of Australia’s most popular fresh produce such as:

  • avocados
  • citrus
  • legumes
  • macadamias
  • mangoes.

The water saving is a result of improved and new water infrastructure constructed as part of the water efficiency project. Better control and regulation of water delivery, as well as minimising overflow losses will also contribute to the savings. The efficiency project included:

  • replacement of 14 km of pipeline
  • installation of 125 automated control gates in irrigation channels
  • upgrade of 157 water offtakes which provide points of access to the water.

The new water savings will be made available to purchase as water allocations in mid-2024. The sale of water is managed by the Queensland Government.

An automated overflow flume gate which was constructed as part of the Mareeba Dimbulah Water Efficiency project.
An automated overflow flume gate which was constructed as part of the Mareeba Dimbulah Water Efficiency project.

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