Toowoomba Region Mayor Geoff McDonald has long maintained that until you stand at the Cressbrook Dam wall, you can't see it, you can't feel it, you can't touch it, and you can't fully appreciate the scale of the Cressbrook Dam Safety Improvement Project (CDSIP).
"This project is a huge undertaking. To have Federal Senator Corinne Mulholland on site with us is incredibly valuable, and we hope she leaves today with an even greater appreciation of the CDSIP," Mayor McDonald said.
"When the Deputy Mayor and I visited Canberra, we put the call out to all Federal MPs, Ministers and senior advisors to visit the CDSIP site so we could show them the real-world challenges and complexities involved in delivering this project.
"Senator Mulholland took us up on that offer, and we can't thank her enough for taking the time to be the first Federal Senator to tour the site with us."
Queensland Senator Corinne Mulholland said visiting the CDSIP site has given her a much clearer understanding of the sheer size, scale, and complexity of the project.
"It's genuinely impressive to see Toowoomba Regional Council taking such a forward-looking approach, reshaping budgets, and priorities to invest in resilience, that's the kind of leadership that helps keep communities safe for generations.
"Having worked in disaster planning and response, I know firsthand how critical it is to take a proactive approach to disaster preparedness, especially in this area where the memories of Grantham and the Toowoomba floods remain so raw for so many locals.
"The site visit provided me with a valuable insight into this project. I commend Council for their careful planning and have asked to be briefed on the outcome of these investigations to look at how we can plan for the long-term safety and resilience of the Toowoomba region and downstream communities," Senator Mulholland said.
Mayor McDonald reiterated Council's strong position that all levels of government must work together to ensure the long-term safety and reliability of the region's water supply.
"We're extremely grateful to the Queensland Government for its recent $54 million funding commitment towards the CDSIP.
"If the Federal Government were to join in and match, or surpass, the State's contribution, it would demonstrate all levels of government working together to safeguard the future of this strategically vital asset.
"A Federal funding commitment would be a powerful signal of support for the growth and future of the Toowoomba Region, a place where ambition meets opportunity.
