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Proposed Traveston dam Site. Credit: patrickmccully/ flickr

By Rich Bowden:

Not content with running a highly effective anti-dam campaign that helped to ensure the conservation of the Mary River Valley, the Save the Mary River Coordinating Group is now looking to work with other conservation and farmer groups for the region’s future.

The group was instrumental over a number of years in presenting the folly of the Queensland Government’s construction of a dam at Traveston Crossing, their campaign culminating a fortnight ago in the announcement by federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett that he had decided against the building of the project.

Though the minister’s full findings are yet to be released, in a preliminary announcement he cited environmental reasons as the cause of the rejection; a key point of the Coordinating Group’s arguments.

However president of the Save the Mary River Coordinating Group, Glenda Pickersgill said in a statement that the group was now looking to work with other groups for the future of the Mary River.

“We want the community to know that Save the Mary River Coordinating Group continues to do our utmost to represent our members and to fight for a healthy Mary River, and vibrant Mary Valley communities supported by continuation of farming and food production in the region,” she said.

Ms Pickersgill said the group was unsure of the Queensland Government’s next move on resolving southeast Queensland’s water crisis but wanted to make sure the community was better involved in decision-making.

“We know there is a lot of uncertainty in the community at the moment and people want answers. Unfortunately certainty appears a little way off. As far as we can tell, the Queensland Government is still working out what they will do. For example, we don’t have certainty about what support we will get to rebuild. We are doing the best we can to create an opportunity for the Mary Valley communities to be heard and to influence this process,” she added.

Expensive Options

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh, still reeling from Minister Garrett’s decision not to proceed with her Government’s

Qld Premier Anna Bligh. Credit: David Jackmanson/flickr

proposed dam, has said that alternatives need to be found to supply water which will prove to be more expensive.

“We’ve indicated from day one that if the Traveston Crossing dam is not approved then we will simply have to get water from other sources,” she said to reporters prior to the minister’s decision.

“That will involve more desalination plants and that will involve more costs for water.”

The Government has announced more stringent water conservation measures from next month in the wake of Minister Garrett’s decision with planned water targets being revised down.