As good as New(ry) – Victorian pipeline project wraps up

20 February 2024

Delivering water infrastructure that’s good for the community, farmers and the environment – the Newry pipeline project has officially wrapped up.

The new pipeline can distribute up to 52 swimming pools of water each day (130 megalitres). At 17.25km long, with an additional 5km of customer connection pipelines, the new network replaces the old channel, which is more than 100 years old.

Automating outlets, reconnection works and decommissioning has also taken place as part of the project.

On the ground, some farmers will benefit through saving up to an estimated 90 minutes a day thanks to the increase in speed that they will be able to access water.

By replacing the old system, this will contribute to 7,200 megalitres of water savings, that was previously lost due to leakage and evaporation.

Harmful nutrients will also be stopped from entering nearby streams and the Gippsland Lakes. This project is a great example of not only supporting the community, but the environment as well.

Some of the other key benefits from the project include:

  • improving farm productivity
  • helping businesses to be more climate resilient
  • allowing farms to adopt best-practice water use
  • encouraging further investment in on-farm efficiencies
  • reducing farm run-off.
Aerial view of pipeline construction.
Aerial view during construction. Credit: Southern Rural Water.

The $39.8 million Newry pipeline project is part of the $62.6 million Macalister Irrigation District Modernisation, Phase 2, project. This is one piece of wider works across the Gippsland region to increase water availability and reliability. This will allow the Gippsland area to increase agricultural production and provide a boost to their local economy.  

The Macalister Irrigation District Modernisation Phase 2 project is funded through our National Water Grid Fund. The Victorian Government and Southern Rural Water also provided funding support.

Read more about the Macalister Irrigation District Modernisation Phase 2 | National Water Grid Authority project.