Three Rivers Irrigation Project Initial Advice Statement June 2015 TRIP Initial Advice Statement: Stanbroke TRIP Initial Advice Statement: Stanbroke TABLE OF CONTENTS GLOSSARY ..................................................................................................................................... I EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................................. III 1. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................... 1 1.1. Background ....................................................................................................................... 1 1.1.1. Purpose and Scope of the Initial Advice Statement ................................................. 1 2. THE PROPONENT.................................................................................................................... 3 2.1. Stanbroke Pty Ltd .............................................................................................................. 3 3. THE NATURE OF THE PROPOSAL ............................................................................................. 4 3.1. Scope of the Project .......................................................................................................... 4 3.1.1. Water Extraction ....................................................................................................... 4 3.1.2. Offstream Storages ................................................................................................... 4 3.1.3. Cropping Area and Water Management .................................................................. 7 3.1.4. Ginnery ..................................................................................................................... 7 3.1.5. Cotton Sale and Export ............................................................................................. 7 3.1.6. Cotton Seed .............................................................................................................. 7 3.2. Land Use ............................................................................................................................ 7 3.3. Project Need, Justification, and Alternatives Considered ................................................. 8 3.3.1. Relationship to Government Policies and Strategies ............................................... 8 3.3.2. Project Feasibility ...................................................................................................... 8 3.3.3. Alternatives ............................................................................................................. 11 3.3.4. Objectives and Key Benefits ................................................................................... 12 3.4. The Project to be declared .............................................................................................. 12 3.5. External Infrastructure Requirements ............................................................................ 13 3.6. Timeframes for the Project ............................................................................................. 13 3.7. Construction and Operational Processes ........................................................................ 14 3.8. Workforce Requirements during Construction and Operation ...................................... 14 3.9. Economic Indicators ........................................................................................................ 15 3.10. Project Financing ............................................................................................................. 16 4. LOCATION OF KEY PROJECT ELEMENTS ................................................................................. 17 4.1. Location ........................................................................................................................... 17 4.2. Tenure ............................................................................................................................. 19 5. DESCRIPTION OF THE EXISTING ENVIRONMENT .................................................................... 21 5.1. Natural Environment....................................................................................................... 21 5.1.1. Land ........................................................................................................................ 21 5.1.2. Water ...................................................................................................................... 21 5.1.3. Air and Emissions .................................................................................................... 24 5.1.4. Ecosystems .............................................................................................................. 24 5.1.5. Flora and Fauna Species ......................................................................................... 30 5.2. Social and Economic Environment .................................................................................. 36 5.2.1. Economic and Demographic Characterisation ....................................................... 36 5.2.2. Accommodation and Housing ................................................................................. 37 5.2.3. Social and Recreational Services ............................................................................. 37 5.2.4. Cultural Heritage ..................................................................................................... 38 TRIP Initial Advice Statement: Stanbroke 5.3. Built Environment ........................................................................................................... 38 5.3.1. Infrastructure .......................................................................................................... 38 5.3.2. Traffic and Transport .............................................................................................. 39 5.4. Land Use and Tenures ..................................................................................................... 39 5.4.1. Key Local and Regional Land Uses .......................................................................... 39 5.4.2. Key Local and Regional Tenures ............................................................................. 39 5.4.3. Native Title .............................................................................................................. 39 5.5. Planning Instruments, Government Policies ................................................................... 39 5.5.1. Commonwealth ...................................................................................................... 40 5.5.2. State ........................................................................................................................ 40 5.5.3. The Queensland Plan .............................................................................................. 44 5.5.4. Regional .................................................................................................................. 44 6. POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF THE PROJECT .................................................................................. 45 6.1. Natural Environment....................................................................................................... 45 6.1.1. Land ........................................................................................................................ 45 6.1.2. Water ...................................................................................................................... 45 6.1.3. Air and Emissions .................................................................................................... 45 6.1.4. Ecosystems .............................................................................................................. 45 6.1.5. Flora and Fauna ...................................................................................................... 47 6.2. Amenity ........................................................................................................................... 47 6.3. Social Environment ......................................................................................................... 48 6.3.1. Economic and Demographic Characterisation ....................................................... 48 6.3.2. Accommodation and Housing ................................................................................. 48 6.3.3. Social and Recreational Services ............................................................................. 48 6.3.4. Cultural Heritage ..................................................................................................... 49 6.4. Economic Effects ............................................................................................................. 49 6.4.1. Local ........................................................................................................................ 49 6.4.2. State ........................................................................................................................ 50 6.4.3. National................................................................................................................... 50 6.5. Built Environment ........................................................................................................... 50 6.5.1. Infrastructure .........................................................................................................