Whitsunday unallocated water release

Current status

We have released unallocated water in the Whitsunday water plan area to land owners and prescribed entities.

Applications are now open until 5pm on 29 May 2026.

In response to a recent expression of interest process, we have released 26,800 megalitres (ML) of general reserve unallocated water for any purpose within subcatchments B, C, D and E of the Whitsunday water plan. The water available as 'water products' is surface water from watercourses and drainage features (defined as overland flow water) and groundwater in various locations within the plan area.

Water products available

Water products have been created based on the demands for new water from the recent expression of interest process. Detailed information on the water products available is in the terms of sale (PDF, 1.56MB), and are summarised below.

There is 7,800 megalitres of unallocated water available from:

  • Subcatchment B – Kelsey Creek and Lethebrook
    • watercourse water (with a passing flow condition)
    • overland flow water
    • groundwater (limited by locations and volumes)
  • Subcatchment C – Thompson Creek
    • watercourse water (with a passing flow condition)
    • overland flow water.

There is 19,000 megalitres of unallocated water available from:

  • Subcatchment D – Andromache River
    • watercourse water (with a passing flow condition)
    • overland flow water
  • Subcatchment E – O’Connell River
    • watercourse water (with a passing flow condition)
    • overland flow water.

How to apply

  1. Review the terms of sale (PDF, 1.56MB).
  2. Fill out the application form (within the terms of sale document).
  3. Return the form with all supporting documentation to uaw.north@dlgwv.qld.gov.au.

The terms of sale document includes:

  • application form
  • eligibility criteria
  • water products including maps where these are located (digital files are available by request by emailing uaw.north@dlgwv.qld.gov.au)
  • price for water
  • sample licence conditions
  • evaluation criteria.

Applications will be assessed in the order that they are received, and we encourage you to make your application as early as possible. No applications will be progressed once the water products offered are exhausted.

If your application is successful, you will be offered a draft water licence with conditions and payment options for the full purchase price.

Who can apply

An application can be made by an owner of land within the Whitsunday water plan area or a prescribed entity. An owner of land is defined as:

  • the registered proprietor of land under the Water Act 2000
    or
  • the registered licensee, sublessee or licensee of land under the Land Act 1994.

The definition of a prescribed entity is stated under section 104 of the Water Act 2000.

An agent can act on behalf of an owner of land or a prescribed entity.

Price and payment options

The release will be via a fixed price process. A fixed price process is based on a price per megalitre of water being offered for each water product as stated in the terms of sale. The non-negotiable fixed price for all water products in this release will be $190 per megalitre.

Payment options include:

  • pay in full—applicable if works capable of taking the water are already installed
  • pay a non-refundable deposit of 25%—applicable if works capable of taking the water are not yet installed. You will have a maximum of 3 years to install the works and pay the remaining 75% of the full purchase price.

Applicants with works already installed may request to pay the non-refundable deposit instead of the full payment upfront. The full purchase price must be paid before the expiry date on the water licence (i.e. within 3 years).

Note: No water can be taken under a water licence until the full purchase price is paid.

Further information

Watercourse determinations

To determine whether you can apply for a watercourse or overland flow product, you will need to know if the proposed location of take is a watercourse or drainage feature.

The watercourse identification map will help you to search for your property, the location of take and to identify the water feature(s) at that location. It will help you distinguish between:

  • watercourse water—from features mapped as a 'watercourse'
  • overland flow—from features mapped as a 'drainage feature'.

If the watercourse identification map does not specify if the feature is a watercourse or drainage feature, you will need to request a watercourse determination from us as soon as possible. This can be requested at any time by contacting WaterServicesNorth@dlgwv.qld.gov.au.

Additional approvals

Some applications may require additional approvals.

Taking or interfering with water

In addition to requiring a water licence to take water, you may be required to obtain development approval for the works that take water:

  • construction of new overland flow storages
  • construction of a new groundwater bore depending on its distance from neighbouring properties, existing bores or any watercourses.

Read more about development assessment for water-related operational works.

Vegetation management approvals

Waterway barrier work approvals

  • If you are proposing to construct a dam on a drainage feature, you may trigger an approval under the waterway barrier works legislation.
  • The Department of Primary Industries is responsible for waterway barrier works information, advice, and approval requirements. Recent updates have been made to the accepted development requirements.
  • Phone 13 25 23 or email planningassessment@dpi.qld.gov.au.

General approvals advice

Note: Your application will be deemed non-conforming and you may lose your position in the assessment queue if:

  • you cannot submit evidence that you have land currently available without remnant vegetation where you intend to irrigate
    or
  • the location you are intending to take water from is not defined as a watercourse or drainage feature.