ACFA Australian Cane Farmers Association : Interest sparked for Hell’s Gate

The Feasibility Study will consolidate and expand on existing research and analysis to determine the feasibility of the proposed Hell's Gate Dam. This will be based on the development of large scale irrigated agriculture, sugar, ethanol and electricity generation and options for Townsville urban water security and supply.

Townsville Enterprise Director - Policy and Investment, Michael McMillan, said the Hell's Gate Dam project on the Upper Burdekin River would provide opportunities to significantly increase the agricultural production of the North and improve water security for Townsville North Queensland.

'The Hell's Gate Dam could provide an unprecedented regional development opportunity to establish up to 100,000 hectares of irrigated agricultural land - more than the Burdekin at 70,000 hectares,' Mr McMillan said.

'The study will examine the potential for a new agricultural district to be established and whether sugar, or potentially other crops, could be grown and what infrastructure would be required to make the project viable.

'The Dam could also provide long-term water security for Townsville and the surrounding region'.

The proposed Hell's Gate Dam could provide a significant boost to North Queensland's economy through doubling its agricultural output and helping to solve Townsville's water security challenges to allow its population and industrial base to expand.

The Feasibility Study is being conducted through a partnership between Federal, State and Local Governments in collaboration with industry, and has received $2.2 million from the Commonwealth Government's National Water Infrastructure Development Fund.

Advertising for the EOI process began Thursday December 8, with qualified firms invited to submit their interest in the study by 5pm January 18 2017.

EOI Guidelines are available from the Townsville Enterprise website.

The EOI process is two staged, with the the second stage a Request for Tender from the shortlisted companies which progressed through the EOI process.