Head - Department of National Parks, Recreation, Sport and Racing

Historically, the regions benefited from a state government
decision to create Burnett Water Pty Ltd (now part of Sun
Water) in 2001. This meant that early in this decade the Wide
Bay Burnett area benefited from two construction projects,
namely Paradise Dam and Kirar Weir. Paradise Dam supplies
water to the Bundaberg Region. As a result of this dam being
completed in late 2005, there are opportunities for recreational
activities to be associated with the dam and these are outlined
in Appendix 1.
The challenges for the region in regard to the potable water
supply are that a number of existing industries, namely
horticulture including citrus, macadamia, peanuts, mangoes
and sugar cane, use large quantities of water. Additionally, with
new mining ventures being considered in the hinterland (around
Monto for instance), pressure for commercial water
requirements will be competing with population growth on the
coast and associated growth in tourism ventures.
It has been indicated during the preparation of this plan that in
view of the above growth plans for both domestic and industrial
water usage, the region may need to identify potential solutions
to potable water constraints.
Two potential projects to manage on-going potable water
supply could be:
� It is proposed in the longer term, to increase the capacity of
the Borumba Dam to 350,000 mega litres by 2025; 39
� Should the proposed Traveston Crossing Dam be approved,
the region should work with the Department of Infrastructure
and Planning to identify options for water transfer to areas
outside of SEQ that have limited access to potable water. 40
Capacity and other issues relevant to the supply of potable
water to the Bundaberg and Fraser Coast regions are
canvassed in Appendix 1 and 2.
5 .3 .2 Improving Electricity Supply to the
Regions
Stakeholders noted that with Hervey Bay City’s population
growing at 5% on average per annum, there is pressure on
provision of power. Should some of the mining rights be
developed within the area over the next few years, more
pressure on electricity supply will become apparent. The State
government has identified and commenced work on a number
of new initiatives for the area, namely:
� The Isis Central Mill Co-generation Plant was completed in
2006 and is currently producing enough “green” energy to
power 7,000 households annually;
� The Maryborough-Hervey Bay electricity supply has been
boosted by the reinforcement of a new switching station at
Aramara;
� There has also been the building of a 275 kV substation in
the Woocoo Shire to assist in managing electricity for the
rapidly growing Hervey Bay/Wide Bay region; and
� It will be important that the project committed to rebuild the
66 kV power line network between Childers and Gayndah is
undertaken and completed on time in mid-2010.
The report notes that these initiatives are supported by the
WBBRP 2007-202641 and that the Department of Infrastructure
and Planning (DIP) recognises the critical nature of this utility to
the region. Energy will also be considered as part of the
Infrastructure Audit by DIP for the region.
5 .3 .3 Improving the Supply of
Telecommunications Services
It is understood that both regions have unreliable supplies of
telecommunications services, including: the supply of mobile
phone coverage; the supply of broadband internet connections;
and the supply of landline services. The WBBRP 2007-2026 is
supportive of the communities having access to modern
information and communications technology. 42
It is noted that issues relevant to the supply of
telecommunications services to the Bundaberg and Fraser
Coast regions are federal issues and as such projects are not
canvassed in this TOP. It is, however, recommended that steps
be taken to improve the reliability of the supply of
telecommunications services to the regions, not least to ensure
safety and convenience.
In regional and rural locations where there are national parks,
consideration could be given to safety priority vs. maintaining a
wilderness experience in “isolation” from everyday living.
However, commercial operators do need to be able to be in
contact with their head offices in regard to passenger wellbeing
and managing successful operational activities to the
satisfaction of customers.
5 .3 .4 Introducing Effective Waste
Management Systems
Wide Bay Water Authority is due to construct both a
wastewater transport system and a modern bioreactor
treatment plant to meet the needs of Hervey Bay’s growing
population. 43
Generally, however, the regions have good processes for
managing waste water and avoiding flows into the coastal
bays. As planned marinas are developed however, there may
be a need for more waste disposal stations which are
connected to sewage treatment plants.
For example, the recently approved (by the State Government)
Urangan Boat Harbour Development will expand the Hervey
Bay harbour, provide an additional 500 berth marina and will
enable significant upgrading of the road and car park
infrastructure to provide a pleasant boulevard with public
boardwalks. As part of the development, processes will need to
be in place for the management of waste water from the marina
(and also fuel/oil runoff from additional car parks) to avoid
contamination into the Great Sandy Strait.
The report notes that waste management initiatives are
supported through the WBBRP 2007-2026. 44
39 SEQ Water Supply Projects, Queensland Water Commission, Factsheet 10, 3 September 2007
40 Identified as a current threat “SEQ’s development and express wish to capture and pipe water out of the WBB region”, Strategic Regional Plan 2007-2010, Wide Bay
Burnett Area Consultative Committee, Page 9
41 Specifically policy framework principle Section 7.5 of the regional plan supports these actions
42 Policy framework actions 7.61 a, c, e and f.
43 Projects Queensland 2007 Issue 26, Queensland Government 2007, project 277, page 55
44 Policy framework action 7.4.1
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5 Tourism and support
infrastructure opportunities