Media Release

KAP Leader and Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter together with Advance Cairns Board Member Stewart Smith and CEO Mark Matthews have today voiced joint support for the development of Nullinga Dam to secure Cairns’ water supply and enhance irrigation and agricultural opportunities on the Atherton Tablelands.

The joint public support culminates a week of lobbying where Mr Katter together with Queensland State Member for Mount Isa Rob Katter and State Member for Dalrymple Shane Knuth wrote to Prime Minister and Cabinet urging the Government to fund the development whilst Advance Cairns conducted a series of meetings with Government officials including the Minster for Agriculture’s Water Infrastructure Roundtable in Canberra.

“I believe we can get 40,000mgl / annually out of Nullinga Dam. Nullinga will supply 20,000 mgl per year to Cairns, leaving 20,000 mgl per year for allocation to irrigation in the Mareeba / Dimbulah area.

“It is the start of opening the gate of the mightiest resource in this Nation – the Mitchell River- with 23 million mega litres run off each year. By comparison the Murray-Darling only has 22 million mega litres which supplies 60% of Australia’s agriculture production. This is the potential that Australia has and Nullinga is the first step in unlocking this potential,” Mr Katter said.

Mark Matthews, CEO of Advance Cairns, which aims to enhance economic development of the broader North Queensland region, has pointed to the wider economic benefits of the project in addition to securing the Cairns region’s water supply.

“The existing water supply sources are not adequate for our future water security and the situation has the potential to limit the economic potential for Cairns and the wider regions.

“The Nullinga Dam project has the potential to provide for agriculture and urban water supply as well as a number of other catalytic projects around its construction,” Mr Matthews said.

The site of Nullinga Dam, South West of Walkamin on the Walsh River – which runs into the Mitchell River, is in Mr Katter’s electorate of Kennedy and has the potential to increase agricultural opportunities for the region.

It is estimated there is the potential for 30,000 hectares of farming land in the Mareeba/Dimbulah irrigation area that could be created with the development of Nullinga Dam.

It is estimated the population of Cairns could reach 550,000 by 2050 and Nullinga Dam would support the population growth of the region.

With the expected population growth, Nullinga Dam is also being touted as an increased power source from the Barron Falls Hydro Electricity scheme.

The region’s population growth cannot be met by the existing water infrastructure. Nullinga provides water security for future prosperity and development and expands the exiting irrigation area on the Tablelands.

PHOTO: Mr Katter, Mr Mark Matthews, CEO of Advance Cairns, and Stewart Smith, Board Member of Advance Cairns.