The Paradise Dam Improvement Project will be jointly funded by the Queensland and Federal Governments, following a $600 million funding commitment from the Federal Government in the Budget under the National Water Grid Fund, with the project set to expand irrigated agriculture in the region and secure Bundaberg’s water supply.
Originally built in 2005, Paradise Dam experienced unanticipated damage during the 2011 and 2013 floods and an Independent Commission of Inquiry report from 2020 confirmed structural and stability issues. The dam wall was lowered due to these structural concerns.
Sunwater is completing the new engineering design and detailed work, supported by geotechnical activities.
Early works to commence this financial year include planning, design and upgrades of existing roads, investigations into suitable aggregate and other construction materials and planning the mobilisation and establishment at the construction site.
Enabling works for the project are expected to start in 2023, including local road upgrades, with major works at the dam expected to commence in 2024.
Queensland Minister for Water, Glenn Butcher, said the federal funding, which matched the state budget funding of $600 million, will return the dam to its original height of 67.6m, as part of significant safety improvement works.
“This massive $1.2 billion Paradise Dam Improvement Project will restore the dam to its full 300GL capacity and will provide a safe, reliable and secure water supply to local agricultural, industrial and urban communities,” Mr Butcher said.
“This is a vote of confidence for the farmers and the thriving agricultural sector in the Bundaberg and Burnett region,” he said.
“But more than that, this project will now continue, full steam ahead, giving more than 250 people good, solid jobs during the construction phase and offering long-term economic benefits to the community.”
Federal Water Minister, Tanya Plibersek, said allocating $600 million in the Federal Budget was very important to the Bundaberg community.
“Federal Labor promised this $600 million before the election in May and I’m proud to be part of a Government delivering for Queensland communities,” Ms Plibersek said.
“Bundaberg is one of the nation’s most important food bowls and we know a rebuilt Paradise Dam will provide local growers with certainty into the future.”
Minister Butcher said four contracts have already been awarded for works on the project.
“This is one of the largest construction projects in the history of this region and it will ensure water security for the farmers, industry, and the broader community is safeguarded for decades to come,” Mr Butcher said.
“This project is already supporting dozens of good, local jobs.”
