Water Connections Tour 2023

Day 4 started off with a visit to the Gladstone Sewage Treatment Plant which has undergone significant work to harvest energy as part of the Gladstone Region 2035 vision. The solids handling facility, including anaerobic digester and dewatering, underwent augmentation to include Biogas in 2018 and Council has partnered with Australian Gas Infrastructure Group to completely decarbonise the natural gas that is distributed. We then met with the Deputy Mayor, Councillors and staff from Gladstone Regional Council, discussing the need for more funding to flow to local governments to ensure they can deliver essential services.

Thanks also to the Gladstone Area Water Board for showing us the soon-to-launch Aquaculture Gladstone multi-species hatchery at Lake Awoonga which forms part of the Lake Awoonga Recreation Strategy. We were also treated to a walk underneath the dam spillway to see some amazing views of the lake.

We continued to Childers for a site tour of the sparkling new Gregory River Water Treatment Plant and the Childers Sewage Treatment Plant which is currently experiencing encroachment from residential development with the associated odour issues. Thanks to Narelle D’Amico and Bundaberg Regional Council staff for showing us around.