Tamworth’s loss in water security could be Gunnedah’s gain, according to Gunnedah’s leading business advocacy organisation.
Gunnedah and District Chamber of Commerce joined representatives from across the region this month for the Upper Namoi Valley Water Symposium.
The event brought together landholders, business operators, irrigators, and policymakers. It offered an opportunity to explore issues and concerns, how different water interests could be affected, and to help design actions that will ensure ongoing water availability and sustainability.
It also provided state and federal government agencies developing water policy, the chance to hear community perspectives on the issues.
Chamber president CJ Baldry Adams described water as the foundation of our economy, communities and way of life in the Namoi region.
“With industries rooted in food and fibre, Gunnedah’s future prosperity depends on how we manage, value, and protect this lifeblood,” she said.
“Yet right now, we face a pivotal moment. The decisions being made today around water infrastructure—without robust local consultation—could reshape the direction of our region for generations.”
Ms Baldry Adams said the now-abandoned Dungowan Dam expansion plan had left a void and no alternative options were properly evaluated.
She said the Manning Valley pipeline is emerging as a preferred solution but its implications if this does not remain the preferred solution will be significant for Gunnedah and surrounding districts.
“The implications for the Namoi Valley must not be overlooked and be watched carefully as this discussion unfolds,” she said.
Lake Keepit – which supplies mainly agricultural irrigation to farms in the Gunnedah area – is among the water source options shortlisted in the Namoi Regional Water Strategy.
This strategy provides a roadmap to secure water for Tamworth over the next 20 to 40 years.
Part of this includes a $3 million Preliminary Business Case that is delving into building pipelines that would connect Tamworth to Keepit or Split Rock dams in the west and/or the Manning Valley in the east, as well as new water storages.
Options being considered include construction of a new pipeline and pump stations to transfer water from Manning River catchment to Chaffey Dam, including a weir on the Barnard River; construction of a new pipeline and pump stations to transfer water from Split Rock Dam to Calala Water Treatment Plant or construction of a new pipeline and pump stations to transfer water from Keepit Dam to Calala Water Treatment Plant.
If the pipeline projects proved unviable or did not get off the ground, Ms Baldry Adams said Gunnedah’s industry and economy could stand to benefit significantly from its more reliable water supply.
“Gunnedah is not just a water source. It is a solution in itself,” she said.
“If Tamworth’s access to water remains unreliable, Gunnedah becomes the obvious region of choice—for business investment, for families, and for future population growth. We are well-resourced, strategically positioned, and sustainably strong.
“But our voice must be loud, united, and informed.”
To achieve this, the chamber will form a Water Security Roundtable – bringing together farmers, businesses, industries, and communities to lead the charge on water, food and fibre security.
“Water security isn’t just an issue for boardrooms or parliament. It’s a topic for every dinner table in our region. Everyone needs to understand what’s at stake, and how policy decisions being made elsewhere may impact our future.
“As Mark Twain once said: ‘Whisky is for drinking. Water is for fighting over.'”
