Sustainability celebrated on $367M Rookwood Weir Project

The Infrastructure Sustainability Council has awarded the Rookwood Weir Project in Queensland with an “excellent” rating, celebrating the projects economic, social and environmental performance.

The $367 million project of the new weir on the Fitzroy River near Rockhampton includes wider works to upgrade existing infrastructure to support the construction and operation of the new weir.

Sustainability celebrated on $367M Rockwood Weir Project — Image courtesy of the Federal Government.

It’s expected to provide greater water security to help grow and diversify agriculture in the region. It will also support industrial growth in the Gladstone, Capricorn Coast and Rockhampton regions.

The project has been recognised for its innovative fishlock and turtle passage, both of which will help local river species safely navigate the weir with the flows of the Fitzroy River.

It has also achieved significant energy and carbon savings, with design elements reducing both the amount of cement required for construction and the volume of earth to be extracted.

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Federal Minister for the Environment and Water Tanya Plibersek praised the project’s rating.

“The Rookwood Weir project has prioritised sustainable design and its great news that this has been recognised. This is the first time that a weir in Australia or New Zealand has been certified for an Infrastructure Sustainability Rating,” Plibersek said.

“The weir will deliver essential water infrastructure for Central Queensland, allowing the local agricultural industry to grow and thrive.”

ISC Chief Executive Officer Ainsley Simpson commended Rookwood Weir for demonstrating leadership in sustainable infrastructure.

“Not only has the project made an effort to plan, design, construct, and maintain the weir with sustainability in mind, it has gone further in having its impact measured against a third-party rating scheme,” she said.

Construction activities at Rookwood Weir are on track to be completed in late 2023, which will be followed by a period of commissioning of the infrastructure. The project is being delivered by the Rookwood Alliance, which comprises Sunwater, construction partners ACCIONA, McCosker Contracting and design partner GHD.

The $367.2 million project is jointly funded by the Australian Government and the Queensland Government ($183.6 million each).