Unlocking Agricultural Potential Through Water Security

Securing Water for Growth, Productivity and Regional Prosperity

Priority: Deliver the Big Rocks Weir to secure water, unlock agricultural growth and strengthen regional economic resilience.

Water security is one of the most significant opportunities to unlock economic growth in the Charters Towers Region.

Agriculture already makes a substantial contribution to the regional economy, supporting jobs, businesses, supply chains and export activity. Yet future growth remains constrained by access to reliable water.

The proposed Big Rocks Weir would provide the water certainty needed to support agricultural expansion, encourage private investment, improve drought resilience and strengthen the long-term productivity of the Region.

Water certainty gives producers, businesses and investors the confidence to plan, grow and invest for the future. It also provides the certainty needed to unlock private sector investment and support long-term agricultural expansion.

The Big Rocks Weir represents a transformational opportunity to unlock the region's agricultural potential.

Agriculture is a Cornerstone of the Regional Economy

Agriculture contributes around $156 million a year to the Region's $1.05 billion Gross Regional Product, 17.13 per cent, making it one of the Region’s largest economic drivers. It underpins local jobs, investment, supply chains and export activity.

However, future growth is constrained by access to reliable water. Reliable, secure supply would give producers the certainty to expand, diversify and lift productivity.

The Big Rocks Weir Project

The proposed weir sits around 30 kilometres north of Charters Towers on the Burdekin River, just south of the Big Bend camping area, on a site bounded by private property and not accessible to the public.

Preliminary design includes:

  • A 188-metre-long mass concrete weir.
  • A maximum wall height of 13.3 metres.
  • A 56-metre-long saddle dam, 4.4 metres high.
  • A dedicated fish passage for environmental and aquatic connectivity outcomes.
  • Storage capacity of approximately 10,000 megalitres (ML).
  • A maximum annual yield of up to 20,000 ML.
  • An impounded water body extending roughly 16 kilometres upstream at full supply level.
Unlocking Agricultural Growth

Reliable water would open the door to:

  • Expanded irrigated agriculture.
  • Higher agricultural production and productivity.
  • Diversification into higher-value crops.
  • Greater drought resilience and business certainty.
  • Increased private investment.
  • Enhanced food and fibre production.
  • New agribusiness and value-adding opportunities.
Driving Jobs and Economic Development

The benefits reach well beyond the farm gate. At peak construction, the project is expected to support around 172 direct full-time equivalent jobs, flowing through to:

  • Local contractors and suppliers.
  • Transport and logistics businesses.
  • Construction and civil works companies.
  • Professional and technical services.
  • Accommodation, hospitality and retail.

Once built, the Weir would keep delivering, through increased agricultural activity, private investment and stronger regional productivity.

Strengthening Regional Resilience

Secure water is fundamental to regional Queensland's future. The Big Rocks Weir would help the Region:

  • Better manage drought and climate variability.
  • Reduce reliance on seasonal rainfall.
  • Support long-term agricultural sustainability.
  • Improve confidence for business investment.
  • Strengthen regional economic resilience.
  • Create opportunity for future generations.
Advocacy Priority

The Big Rocks Weir is an investment in Queensland's agricultural future.

With agriculture already contributing approximately $156 million annually to the gross regional economy, the project would unlock new production opportunities, support diversification, attract private investment, strengthen drought resilience and generate significant economic benefits throughout North Queensland. By delivering long-term water security, the project would position the Charters Towers Region for sustained agricultural growth for decades to come.

 

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