Central Queensland has endured some of the most severe dry conditions the state has ever seen over the past decade.
Climate change is delivering extreme and increasingly frequent weather events, from flooding rains to prolonged droughts. The Queensland Government’s 2020 State of the Environment report revealed that 67 per cent of Queensland was drought declared from 2013 to 2020.
Queenslanders are always mindful that no matter how things are right now, they can change quickly, which drove the Queensland Government’s focus on resilient infrastructure that improves both drought and flood resilience.
Water has always been extremely critical for Central Queensland – a region home to some of the nation’s biggest cattle producers, heavy industry as well emerging renewables industries – all of which rely on a steady, reliable stream of water.
Gladstone is the major regional centre in the Boyne River Basin and is an area of economic significance at both a state and a national level due to its metals processing industries, power generation and port facilities, which all utilise water sourced from the Boyne River, more specifically Awoonga Dam.
For the past 15 years, the Gladstone Area Water Board (GAWB), and the Department of Water Manufacturing and Regional Development has undertaken multiple studies to evaluate options to mitigate the single-source water supply risk.
GAWB’s Strategic Water Plan 2004 (updated in 2013), identified several options to improve water security for Gladstone to meet increased demand, identifying the Fitzroy to Gladstone Pipeline as the preferred water source augmentation option.
Fast-forward to 2024, the $983 million Fitzroy to Gladstone Pipeline is already halfway to Gladstone, with 50 per cent of the pipeline installed – a major milestone in the construction progress.
The pipeline connecting the Lower Fitzroy River near Rockhampton to Yarwun near Gladstone is expected to drive fresh economic prosperity for future generations to not only live – but thrive.
The Fitzroy to Gladstone Pipeline is an assurance for long-term water security and economic development for the region. The pipeline is owned by GAWB with Principal Contractors, McConnell Dowell BMD Joint Venture (MBJV) driving the construction.
Minister for Water and Member for Gladstone, Glenn Butcher said, once completed, the Fitzroy to Gladstone Pipeline will leave a remarkable legacy for the region.
“There has been meticulous planning and preparation to get to this point in the project and it is thanks to the GAWB and MBJV teams for their commitment to safety and quality that we have now arrived smoothly and on time at the halfway mark,” Mr Butcher said.
“A total of 21 trainees have worked on the project, as part of GAWB’s dedication to upskilling the next generation. That’s more than 23,000 hours spent learning and upskilling locals,” he said.
GAWB is also delivering on its commitment to diversity and inclusion, with more than 86,000 hours worked by 90 women on the project, and more than 25,000 hours worked by First Nations Australians.
GAWB CEO, Daren Barlow said, it is fantastic that 50 per cent of the pipeline is now in the ground.
“In less than a year from the first pipes arriving in Gracemere we have laid more than 63km of pipeline.
“Once complete, the pipeline will have capacity to transport 30GL of water per annum to Gladstone, equivalent to 12,000 Olympic-sized pools,” Mr Barlow said.
“This is an important milestone for GAWB and I look forward to celebrating the completion of the pipeline installation later this year, weather and construction conditions permitting.
The $983 million project includes a 117km pipeline, an intake facility at Laurel Bank on the Fitzroy River, a water treatment plant and pumping station at Alton Downs and Reservoirs at Aldoga.
“Construction work at the Laurel Bank intake, Alton Downs water treatment plant and Aldoga Reservoirs are all progressing well, and we are on track for commissioning and operation of the pipeline in 2026,” Mr Barlow said.
“We are committed to keeping local communities informed about ongoing works and have recently hosted a series of community information sessions in Gracemere, Alton Downs and Yarwun.”
The Laurel Bank intake structure
On the Fitzroy River approximately 16km upstream of the Fitzroy Barrage in Rockhampton is the Laurel Bank intake structure.
Once completed, the project will consist of two main structures: a combined single concrete structure on the riverbank to house the intake facility and pump station and a separate control building.
The pump station and combined river intake will be a rectangular reinforced concrete structure, approximately 11m wide by 9.5m high and built into the riverbank (approximately 5m visible above the river level).
The structure will collect up to 100ML of water per day from the Fitzroy River and has been designed to avoid drawing fish
and other marine animals into the structure. Particles more than 2mm in size are separated out before the water passes through a finer filter to remove smaller particles. Once filtered, the water will be pumped approximately 3km via the Fitzroy to Gladstone Pipeline to the Alton Downs Water Treatment Plant (WTP).
The Alton Downs WTP
Processing up to 100ML of water a day, the Alton Downs WTP is a critical component of the Fitzroy to Gladstone Pipeline as it will treat, store and pump water from the Fitzroy River along the pipeline to two new 50ML reservoirs being constructed in Aldoga – approximately 20km from Gladstone. The WTP site is approximately 3km from the Laurel Bank intake structure and will comprise of several buildings and structures including an office, control building, clarifier, dewatering building, chemical dosing area, reservoirs and pump stations.
Aldoga Reservoirs
The pipeline is connected to the Aldoga Reservoirs, which will hold up to 100ML of water.
Located at the southern end of the pipeline corridor, water from the reservoirs will be gravity fed to GAWB’s existing water network – serving as a vital piece of infrastructure for the project. The design of the reservoirs consists of two similar 50ML concrete tanks, each 76m in diameter and 12m high.
The concrete structures will be cast in-situ with post-tensioned walls and floor. The reservoirs will have roofs that will be constructed with galvanised steel rafters supporting profiled steel sheeting.
Mr Barlow said the Fitzroy to Gladstone Pipeline will have lasting benefits in the Gladstone and Rockhampton regions not only for the future of water but also through the employment of a diverse local workforce.
“We are proud to be making significant progress in terms of diversity and inclusion, and trainees working on the project. In total there will be 10,000 hours of First Nations People’s workforce participation, creating 25 traineeships with more than 10,000 hours of training and upskilling to the delivery team,” Mr Barlow said.
“Furthermore, we are currently on track to meet our target of 40 per cent of construction costs to be spent locally and more than 400 workers have been engaged so far – that really is an enormously positive impact on our region.”
Featured image: Once complete, the Fitzroy to Gladstone Pipeline will have capacity to transport 30GL of water per annum to Gladstone. Image: GAWB.
