About the Georgina and Diamantina water plan area

The Georgina and Diamantina water plan meets the water needs of several urban and regional centres including Birdsville, Camooweal, Dajarra, Duchess and Urandangi. Town water supply is primarily sourced from groundwater bores, some of which are free-flowing artesian bores managed under the Great Artesian Basin and other regional aquifers (GABORA) water plan.

Currently, the main uses for water in the water plan area are agriculture (stock grazing), mining and town water supply. Other water uses include those for social, economic or cultural values.

The plan needs to cater for water-related cultural values of First Nations peoples in the water plan area to help them achieve their social, economic and spiritual aspirations.

It makes sure any development of new water infrastructure is done in an ecologically sustainable way. This protects the important environmental processes, ecological needs (for plants and animals) and heritage values that exist in the area.

Part of the plan area is in the North West Minerals Province known for its production of copper, cobalt and vanadium. There is potential for further expansion of mining these and other rare earth minerals.

The water plan area

The Georgina and Diamantina water plan area covers approximately 266,000km² in the central far west Queensland and includes the catchments of the Georgina, Diamantina and Hay rivers.

The water plan borders the Cooper Creek and Gulf water plan areas.

Map of the Georgina and Diamantina water plan area (PDF, 3MB)