Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC) is continuing efforts to gain external funding support for the $266.1 million Cressbrook Dam Safety Improvement Project (CDSIP).
Last month, TRC applied for $97 million in funding from round three of the Australian Government's Disaster Ready Fund 2025-26. Additionally, Council has this week provided a revised budget submission to the Queensland State Government for consideration of the project's inclusion in their 2025/26 State Budget to be handed down next month.
Toowoomba Region Mayor Geoff McDonald said securing funding for the project was critical for the Region and remains a key focus of Council.
"Earlier this year, Council submitted both 2025/26 Federal and State Budget Submissions advocating for government support for the $266.1 million project, it remains our top infrastructure funding priority.
"Following on from this, we've again written to the Queensland Treasurer and Queensland Minister for Water with a revised Budget submission detailing a request for a staged approach to CDSIP funding over multiple years.
"Despite careful financial planning, Council can't carry the cost of the Cressbrook Dam project alone without postponing other major infrastructure developments and potentially reassessing the scope and quality of delivering essential local government services.
"Based on the current project budget of $266.1 million, the additional cost to ratepayers from the Cressbrook Dam Safety Improvement Project remains at a present value of approximately $135 per year for every rateable property year-on-year without external funding support.
"Toowoomba Region ratepayers should not have to bear the full cost of this project, which ultimately protects landholders outside the Toowoomba Region.
"Our Council needs fair, timely, and united funding from the State and Federal Governments to deliver the services and facilities to our growing communities deserve and demand," Mayor McDonald said.
The outcome of Council's $97 million funding application for round three of the Australian Government's Disaster Ready Fund 2025-26 will be determined later this year. The Queensland State Government is expected to hand down its 2025/26 Budget on Tuesday, 24 June, 2025.
