Queensland has taken a significant step towards progressing new water storage infrastructure in the Burnett region, with regulatory changes designed to accelerate planning and site investigations for the proposed Barlil and Cooranga weirs.
A recent amendment to the State Development and Public Works Organisation Regulation 2020 will allow the Coordinator-General to fast-track both projects under the State Development and Public Works Organisation Act 1971. The change is intended to remove procedural barriers and support Sunwater’s early-stage investigations, which are critical to determining the feasibility, scope and impacts of the proposed weirs.
The move follows a $29.7 million funding commitment to plan and design the two projects as part of Queensland’s broader Watertight Water Security Plan.
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What the proposed weirs would deliver
The Barlil and Cooranga weirs are being progressed to improve water reliability for irrigators across the South Burnett and North Burnett regions, where water security underpins agricultural productivity and regional economic stability.
Barlil Weir is proposed on Barambah Creek near Murgon and would provide storage capacity of around 1,500 megalitres. Cooranga Weir, planned for the Boyne River downstream of Boondooma Dam, would store approximately 2,500 megalitres.
Together, the projects are intended to increase water availability during dry periods, reduce exposure to climate variability and support future growth in agricultural production.
Accelerating site investigations
The regulatory amendment enables the Coordinator-General to assist Sunwater by facilitating access to land and coordinating approvals needed to undertake detailed site investigations. These early works are a prerequisite for informed decisions on design, cost and environmental impacts.
Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Jarrod Bleijie said the change would support delivery timeframes. “This decision fast tracks site investigations for the Barlil and Cooranga weirs, supporting Sunwater to meet project delivery timeframes and boosting water security for the Burnett region,” Bleijie said.
According to Coordinator-General Gerard Coggan, investigation works over the next 12 months will include identifying potential infrastructure locations, land valuations, aerial and ground surveys, geotechnical investigations and hydrological, ecological and cultural heritage studies.
Water security as a foundation for regional economies
For regional communities, water storage infrastructure plays a central role in economic resilience, particularly in drought-prone catchments. Minister for Local Government and Water Ann Leahy said the projects are aimed at meeting the growing needs of producers while strengthening the state’s capacity to manage climate extremes.
“The Barlil and Cooranga weirs will improve the reliability of water supply in the South Burnett and North Burnett regions, supporting water security, agriculture and jobs,” Leahy said.
Minister for Finance, Trade, Employment and Training Ros Bates said improved water supply would provide greater certainty for local communities, linking water security to broader social and economic outcomes.
Next steps and broader implications
While the projects remain in the planning and investigation phase, the regulatory changes signal a clear intent to prioritise water infrastructure development as part of Queensland’s long-term resilience strategy.
For the water sector, the Burnett weirs illustrate the growing emphasis on early regulatory intervention to streamline planning processes, reduce delivery risk and provide greater certainty around future water availability.
As climate pressures intensify across regional Australia, similar approaches to enabling infrastructure planning are likely to play an increasingly important role in securing water supplies for agriculture, communities and regional economies.