Scaling Next Generation Water Markets in Northern Australia

Project locations: Mareeba

Project partners: Civic Ledger Pty Ltd ; Inclusive Growth Pty Ltd ; Mareeba District Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association Inc ;

Project summary and impacts

This project is advancing the design of next generation water markets in northern Australia by exploring how digital innovation, market governance and institutional design can work together to improve water security, social equity and investor confidence. Building on the earlier Improving Water Markets and Trading through New Digital Technologies project, the research examines how transparent, grower-led water markets can better support sustainable agricultural development in emerging irrigation regions.

At the centre of the project is the transition of the Mareeba-Dimbulah Water Supply Scheme (MDWSS) in Far North Queensland to Civic Ledger’s blockchain-enabled Water Ledger platform, establishing the scheme as a strategic research test-bed for northern Australia. This real-world implementation enables continuous water accounting and more transparent water trading, while providing a practical framework to test how modern digital infrastructure can improve market participation, liquidity, price transparency and trust in water markets.

The project also investigates the broader governance settings required to support effective and equitable water markets, including how market design can improve grower participation, strengthen confidence for investors and ensure fairer access to water resources. By analysing platform adoption, trading performance, user sentiment, financial outcomes and opportunities for further application, the project is helping reshape how water markets are designed and governed in northern Australia, with lessons that may be applicable nationally and internationally.

Additional information:

https://www.fintechaustralia.org.au/community-news/crcna-and-civic-ledger-scaling-next-generation-water-markets-in-northern-australia 

https://itwire.com/it-industry-news/market/crcna,-civic-ledger-scaling-next-generation-water-markets-in-northern-australia

https://medium.com/civic-ledger/crcna-and-civic-ledger-scaling-next-generation-water-markets-in-northern-australia-f6131657b968

h2oglobalnews.com/crcna-and-civic-ledger-scaling-next-generation-water-markets-in-northern-australia/