It is not yet decided whether a local resort will be allowed to transform into an industrial-level water bottling facility, but no one seems to want to take responsibility.
As anxious residents gathered this week to present to SDRC councillors about the impact a major water extraction facility at Cherrabah would have on the area, both the state government and the SDRC are looking at each other.
The SDRC, in a response to the Town & Country Journal on the matter, said that “Council would like to remind the community that water allocation matters fall under the responsibility of the Queensland government.”
Meanwhile, Minister for Water Ann Leahy, who is “aware of a development application” points to the assessment being done by the “Southern Downs Regional Council” and that issues around the development application should be addressed to the SDRC. Meanwhile, Minister Leahy also puts the blame on the original granting of a water license to Cherrabah in 2009 on “the Labor Beattie government” and the “Labor Blight government.”
None of these responses are likely to sooth opposing residents’ fears that a massive industrial site with heavy vehicle traffic could be approved on a rural resort with risky water security near their properties. The folks who made submissions against the development application will have a half hour to speak during an information session this week which, at the time of publication, was not yet known to be open to the public or not.
The Cherrabah water license is not the only water extraction application that the state government is being asked to look at twice. The ABC reported last week that a recent study found that commercial extraction of groundwater at an industrial level from a site in Springbrook in the Gold Coast hinterland has a “virtually unknown” impact on the ecosystem and threatens the region. The QUT investigation suggested that “urgent” aversion be taken.
After listening to residents, MP for the Southern Downs James Lister asked Minister Leahy for a reassessment of the original water license given questions over the resources. There has, as yet, been no promise of that given by Minister Leahy’s office.
It is understood that a condition on the water license strictly limits extraction from the shallow Colluvium aquifer to five ML per year. This aquifer is the same source used by nearby landholders, and the condition was specifically included to minimise potential impacts on existing groundwater bores. The remaining 91 ML of the extraction is permitted only from the deeper fractured rock aquifer of the Stanthorpe Adamellite, which is not used by the majority landowners in the area. However, The Guardian raised specific issues about the report that supported the Stanthorpe Ademellite plan in 2019 and 2020.
Meanwhile, Andrew O’Dea, Craig Dorrough and other residents were disappointed they were unable to speak to Minister Leahy when she visited the Southern Downs to open the Stanthorpe Show.
