Australian Institute of Project Management


Burnett River Dam

Burnett Water Pty Ltd, Macmahon Contractors, SMEC Australia, Hydro Tasmania, and Walter Construction
2006
Email the Support Office or call (02) 8288 8700 for media and project enquiries.

The Burnett River Dam Project was initiated by the Queensland Government in 2001 to address major water supply constraints and to assist the social and economic growth of the economically depressed Wide Bay-Burnett region. Construction of the Dam commenced in November 2003 and reached on time practical completion in November 2005, when it was officially opened by Premier Peter Beattie and named Paradise Dam.

Paradise Dam is Australia’s largest Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC) Dam and at the time was Queensland’s largest infrastructure project. The dam has created a 45 kilometre long reservoir with a surface area of 3,000 hectares and storage volume of 300,000 megalitres (over half the volume of Sydney Harbour). The $200 million project was constructed using an Alliance contract which included Burnett Water Pty Ltd, Macmahon Contractors, SMEC Australia, Hydro Tasmania, and Walter Construction.

At the time of construction the dam was:

  • The first high dam in Australia with dedicated upstream and downstream fishways for all migratory fish species and fish sizes;
  • The first lean mix RCC dam in Australia with an upstream PVC membrane providing a waterproof barrier;
  • The largest volume RCC dam in Australia;
  • The first major dam in Australia to be constructed under the stringent new water resources regime introduced by the Council of Australian Governments 1994.
  • The first major project in Australia to be delivered under a competitive alliance method.

The Alliance also undertook the construction of infrastructure upgrades associated with the dam including relocating 16 kilometres of roadway; a new 30 metre high, 350 metre long bridge at Mingo Crossing; route adjustments to telecommunications and power lines; and a variety of recreational facilities in several locations around the dam to benefit surrounding communities.The project also implemented a flora and fauna conservation strategy, including a revegetation management plan which saw the Alliance revegetate 227 ha of land and plant approximately 100,000 trees.



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