Northern Australia Water Resource Assessment

We have delivered water resource assessments for three priority regions in northern Australia for the Australian Government. We worked with northern jurisdictions, research partners and communities to undertake these assessments over 2.5 years.

The Assessment focused on the:

• Fitzroy catchment, Western Australia
• Darwin catchments (Finniss, Adelaide, Mary, Wildman), Northern Territory)
• Mitchell catchment, Queensland.

Enlarge image

Much of northern Australia’s land and water resources have not been mapped in sufficient detail to provide for reliable resource allocation, mitigate investment or environmental risks, or build policy settings that can support decisions.

Much of northern Australia’s land and water resources have not been mapped in sufficient detail to provide for reliable resource allocation, mitigate investment or environmental risks, or build policy settings that can support decisions.

The project aimed to identify the potential to increase water-related development opportunities in northern Australia. The studies included:

• evaluating the soil and water resources
• identifying and evaluate water capture and storage options
• identifying and test the commercial viability of irrigated agriculture opportunities
• assessing potential environmental, social and economic impacts and risks of water resource and irrigation development.

This work is part of our engagement in delivery of the Australian Government's White Paper on Developing Northern Australia, for which one of the key initiatives is the development of northern Australia's water resources.

It builds on our previous success in delivering the Flinders and Gilbert Agricultural Resource Assessment, and a broader body of work contributing to the sustainable development of northern Australia.