ATTENDING THE INTERNATIONAL RIVERS SYMPOSIUM ON BEHALF OF THE BURDEKIN

24th International Rivers Symposium 27-30 Sept | The University of Queensland, St Lucia Campus

NQCC Committee Member and volunteer John Connell was invited to attend the 24th International Rivers Symposium, held in Brisbane in late September. This was an invaluable opportunity to introduce an international audience to some of the issues affecting the Burdekin River and to highlight NQCC's role in advocating for an integrated management approach.

Below is John's account of the event...

Media Release: 23 August 2021

The Burdekin River belongs to all of us

North Queensland Conservation Council (NQCC) is on a mission to ensure that the Burdekin River can continue to support North Queenslanders for generations to come.

Shifting from pioneering to mature and efficient water use

Below is an article published in the Townsville Bulletin on Wednesday 16 December, 2020.

Burdekin Mayor, Lyn McLaughlin

Mayor Lyn McLaughlin calls for impact assessment of Burdekin catchment damming

Mikayla Mayoh

A North Queensland mayor has called for an independent body to review the potential impacts of damming the Burdekin River catchment.

Turbid water below Burdekin Falls Dam (NQCC field trip, June 2020)

As more information comes to light from feasibility studies into the construction of Hells Gates Dam, it becomes ever clearer that this proposal is not only economically unfeasible but also a significant risk to the health of the Burdekin River and Great Barrier Reef Marine Park - particularly when considered alongside other projects proposed for the river system.

LATEST UPDATES: Burdekin Regional Assessment announced in joint media release (17 May 2023).

Campaign Summary

The Burdekin Basin supports a range of landscapes and communities, and activities such as agriculture, fishing and recreation. 

Numerous dam proposals along the Burdekin could threaten the long-term health of the river, as well as the Ramsar wetlands of Bowling Green Bay and the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area.

Urannah Dam, Hells Gates Dam, Big Rocks Weir and the expansion of the Burdekin Falls Dam could together contribute to:

• increased turbidity (dirtiness) of the Burdekin River
• rising water tables (and associated threats to agricultural production) in the Lower Burdekin
• the erosion of Cape Bowling Green due to sediment starvation, and
• increased nutrient flows to the Great Barrier Reef.

We have listed some useful resources on this page.

We aim to raise awareness of the risks associated with multiple, large-scale dam proposals and work with policy-makers, stakeholders and North Queensland communities to ensure the best outcomes for people, industry and the environment. We are working to prevent the Burdekin River from becoming the next Murray-Darling and advocating for an integrated management approach. 

Other Resources

• This document was prepared by Dr Eric Wolanski and John Connell, and provides a summary of some of the environmental issues facing the Burdekin Basin, with a focus on the erosion of Cape Bowling Green.
• Check out the Productivity Commission webinar (02/03/2021) on National Water Reform 2020 here.
• Read our submission on the National Water Reform draft report here.
• Read our latest submissions on the Burdekin Falls Dam Raising Project and the Urannah Dam Project here. 
• The Terms of Reference for the Environmental Impact Statement for Big Rocks Weir have been released, as of July 2021.