Summary

The construction of Rookwood Weir on the Fitzroy River is expected to deliver up to 72,000 ML of water, with approximately half allocated to agricultural use. These new water supplies are in addition to existing storages at the Fitzroy River Barrage and Eden Bann Weir, as well as allocations of supplemented water. However, the system is complex due to three separate water ownership structures – Queensland Government, Sunwater, and Rockhampton Regional Council – with limited transparency around private water sales and no formal or informal networks among irrigators to advance their interests.

Currently, there is limited potential for efficient management as the irrigation sector develops in the Lower Fitzroy, primarily because there is no unified group representing irrigator interests. Additionally, the ability to transfer water to its highest-value use through market transactions is constrained by the fragmented ownership and underdeveloped market structures.

Strong water governance arrangements are required the to ensure water use is effective, efficient, and inclusive. This research addressed three core challenges:

• Lack of irrigator involvement in system management decisions.  This was addressed by working with landholders to form a relevant network or organisation to engage with key system management issues.
• Limited coordination among the three entities (potentially four, including the Gladstone Area Water Board). Solutions explored included improved coordination, complementary systems, or the establishment of a single operating system.
• Underdeveloped water trading mechanisms, which were addressed by identifying deficiencies in market information, platform access and consistencies between ownership structures.

Expected outcomes

The focus of this project was to identify the processes needed to improve cooperation and coordination between among stakeholders in the developing irrigation sector, with the goal of enhancing the efficiency of water allocations and use in the region. The project delivered the following impacts:

• Development of common interests and approaches to key management and policy issues among irrigators. A key objective was to support the development of an irrigators’ network and foster consistency and alignment in irrigator priorities.
• Changes to governance arrangements among water entities, moving toward a more cooperative framework. This could take various forms, from better alignment of parallel management systems to the creation of a new pooled entity. Regardless of the mechanism, the intended outcome was an improved governance structure that emphasises cooperation and commonality.
• Improved water allocation processes and increased efficiency water use. This involved exploring more sophisticated water market mechanisms than those currently in place. Key outcomes included better utilisation of water, increased transfer of water to higher-value crops, and users, and improved access to water for new investors and market entrants.

Impacts were measured using baseline metrics collected during initial engagement on irrigator sector involvement, coordination, and water utilisation. These metrics were reassessed and quantified in the final progress report.