Jobs hope a step closer with water plan progress for Fitzroy

An ambitious plan to create jobs and prosperity in the Fitzroy region has taken another step forward after pastoralists and traditional owners informally agreed on a set of principles to apply within any development proposal.

The agreements — mostly surrounding water use from the Fitzroy River — was reached at a two-day forum in Fitzroy Crossing last week, attended by stakeholders including pastoralists, traditional owners, green groups and State and Federal government representatives.

“It’s the start of working together on potential development opportunities,” according to industry stakeholder group chairman Alastair Shields.

“This is the first time we have had such a strong representation of Aboriginal people with pastoralists and potential developers, etc in the same room.

“There has always been the understanding that WA election commitments mean there will be no dams on the Fitzroy, but now for the first time we all have a better understanding and are on the same page over what ‘no dams’ means.

“The converse of that is traditional owners are making it clear they are happy to consider development proposals that involve using both surface water and ground water, including potential off-stream storage of water harvested during wet season high flows. Naturally, any such proposals would need to go through rigorous approval processes, including environmental assessment where required.”

Mr Shields said discussions over specifics on how development might happen, marked major progress.

He said the State Government had started consulting on its Fitzroy election commitments more broadly and he suspected the next steps would be the formation of a draft water management plan, taking these considerations into account.

A water management plan for the Fitzroy is part of the election commitments by the McGowan Government, which also include creation of a Fitzroy national park, and ensuring the Fitzroy River and its tributaries are not dammed.

Proposed developments include Hancock Agriculture, which wants 325gigalitres, and GoGo Station which wants 50GL, both to grow fodder crops.