The $367.2 million Rookwood Weir project is continuing to deliver good jobs and better services in Central Queensland, as project staff clock up one million hours of work.
Queensland Water Minister Glenn Butcher said workers from the region are the driving force behind the landmark infrastructure project, which will deliver long-term water security.
"The Palaszczuk Government is serious about water infrastructure in Queensland and this project – which will be the biggest weir built since World War II – is clear evidence of that," he said.
"We currently have more than 350 people working on-site to build the weir that will capture water from the Fitzroy River for irrigation, industrial and urban use," he said.
"This is the biggest workforce for the project since construction started in late 2020 and includes 160 Central Queenslanders and more than 170 people from other parts of the state.
"There are also 16 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander positions and 25 apprentices and trainees, who have been given the opportunity to work and learn on a large-scale, transformative infrastructure project.
"It is pleasing to see so many Central Queenslanders performing critical roles on an initiative that will benefit their region for generations.
"When fully operational, Rookwood Weir is expected to create a further 300 jobs within the agriculture industry."
Rockhampton MP Barry O'Rourke said the project had passed two significant milestones that highlighted the flow-on benefits it was providing to the community.
"More than one million hours have been worked on the weir and completed supporting projects, such as the Riverslea Bridge construction, and Thirsty Creek Road and Capricorn Highway upgrades," he said.
"Additionally, $100 million from the project has now been spent with suppliers and contractors in Central Queensland, delivering a significant boost to economic growth in the region.
"This government is committed to good jobs, better services and a great lifestyle for all Queenslanders and Rookwood Weir is providing just that."
Sunwater CEO Glenn Stockton paid tribute to a Rookwood Weir workforce that has faced difficult conditions over the past six months.
"Working in a such a large and reliable river catchment was always going to present challenges and the site has experienced flooding three times," he said.
"However, the project team is making great progress with daytime concrete production starting this week to support night operations that have being ongoing since September last year.
"At the end of July, we had poured 35,000m3 of the required total of 130,000m3 and we are aiming to increase daily production in the coming weeks and months.
"The first water from Rookwood Weir is on track to be available in 2023, following the full commissioning of the infrastructure."
A second tender for water from the weir will be held before the end of 2022 for smaller lots of less than 500 megalitres.
This follows the successful completion of the first stage of the tender process in December 2020, which provided 30,000 megalitres of water for agricultural and non-urban use.
Rookwood Weir is jointly funded by the Queensland and Australian governments, delivered in partnership with Sunwater.
