Additional funding committed for QLD Rookwood Weir project

Additional funding to expand the scope of the Rookwood Weir project in Queensland has been committed by the Australian and State Governments, with each investing $7.5 million. 

With the added funding, approximately 10,000 additional megalitres of water can be supplied to central Queensland. 

Sunwater, along with its construction partner, has identified an opportunity to increase the crest height of Rookwood Weir by 700mm, which will also increase the yield to 86,000 megalitres for water users. 

“This opportunity represents good value for money and will provide improved water security for the region and future customers, while boosting the local economy and creating more jobs in the central Queensland region. 

“With the construction phase now underway, the success of the first round of water sales tenders saw a strong market response, which bodes well for future growth in the local agricultural industry,” Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said. 

The Premier also said that Sunwater has received a strong response to the expression of interests for further tenders that will get underway in 2022, which means raising Rookwood Weir now “makes good sense”. 

“Water is critical for economic growth and this is especially important as we continue to recover from the impacts of the global COVID-19 pandemic. 

“Projects like Rookwood Weir will attract jobs to our regions and we will see more growth and more investment as a consequence,” the Premier said. 

Prior to the commitment of additional funding, the Australian and Queensland Governments have already committed $176 million each to deliver this vital water infrastructure. 

Scope of works of the Rookwood Weir project includes: 

• Construction of an uncontrolled concrete gravity weir on the Fitzroy River, downstream of the Mackenzie and Dawson river systems 
• Structural works on the right riverbank including the installation of intake screens, a low flow outlet and fishlock 
• Earth fill and concrete abutments 

“As well as providing a critical economic boost as we recover from the global pandemic, the project will increase water security and expand irrigated agricultural production in the Lower Fitzroy River region. 

“This is all about increasing water security to build greater resilience in our regions as we create more jobs and see continued growth in our agriculture sector, while supporting and investing in regional communities through drought, bushfires, floods and COVID-19,” Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said. 

The project is comprised of two main components, namely: 

• Construction of the weir itself 
• Enabling works that includes upgrading existing infrastructure to support the construction and operation of Rookwood Weir. This involves: 
• Upgrading and widening 16.2 kilometres of Thirsty Creek Road 
• Installing a new intersection on the Capricorn Highway and upgrading Second Street and Third Street through to the railway crossing at Gogango 
• Building a 21-metre-high, 260-metre-long bridge at Riverslea to replace the existing crossing and up to 300 metres of new road on the approaches to the bridge, connecting to the existing road 

“Raising Rookwook Weir means that the Foleyvale bridge and its approach roads will also be upgraded to accommodate the greater level of inundation. 

“This upgrade will add another 15 full time jobs on top of the 100 jobs already created for essential road and bridge upgrades, and the 200 jobs which will be created to build the weir itself. 

“At least 140 of those jobs will be sourced locally – a big win for the regional economy,” Minister for Water Glenn Butcher said. 

Rookwood Weir is due to be completed in 2023. 

The Rookwood Weir project is being delivered by Sunwater as the construction authority, operator and water marketer; GHD as designer; and McCosket Contracting and ACCIONA as constructors. 

Source: Queensland Government – Media Statements; Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development; Sunwater – Rookwood Weir Project