Origin Energy & Hewitt Cattle Company: partnership delivers beneficial use of water As the upstream operator of Australia Pacific LNG, Origin understands how important water resources are to the communities where it operates. That is why Origin seeks to protect water resources in the natural environment, responsibly manages water consumption and makes water available for other users near its coal seam gas (CSG) operations in Queensland’s Surat and Bowen basins. To produce natural gas, Origin extracts water and gas from underground coal seams. The gas is bonded to the coal seams by water pressure, so a well is drilled to extract enough water to reduce the pressure and allow the gas to flow. This gas is supplied to Australian customers and also converted to LNG for export. At home, Australia Pacific LNG continues to be a significant contributor to the Australian east coast gas market, supplying approximately 30 per cent of annual demand. The Coal Seam Gas Water Management Policy 2012 sets out the Queensland Government’s framework for the management of CSG water. The objective of the policy is “To encourage the beneficial use of CSG water in a way that protects the environment and maximises its productive use as a valuable resource” (Queensland [...]

Rockhampton Regional Council: improving water quality Rockhampton Regional Council is responsive to the fact the Fitzroy River estuary is a vitally important waterway supporting an abundance of aquatic wildlife and provides significant recreational value to the local community. Historically, all of the effluent from Rockhampton’s three Sewage Treatment Plants (STP) was discharged to the Fitzroy River estuary. Implementation of the STP Strategy for Rockhampton over recent years has delivered a significant reduction in nitrogen released to the Fitzroy River estuary. The STP Strategy included the upgrading of the South Rockhampton STP through the installation of a new aeration system and dedicated anoxic zones to improve nitrogen removal. This upgrade work and the construction of a new pipeline enabled the ageing West Rockhampton STP to be decommissioned and its sewage inflow directed to the upgraded South Rockhampton STP. The completion of other renewal and upgrade works at the nearby North Rockhampton STP have also improved the performance of this STP. In addition to the upgrades mentioned, work is ongoing to complete the establishment of recycled water schemes and improved biosolids management at the North Rockhampton and South Rockhampton STPs. 90% reduction in ammonia released from South Rockhampton STP to estuary; Up to ~1,000 kg reduction in total Nitrogen released to the estuary each week [...]

FBA: a growing movement towards regenerative agriculture Central Queensland’s natural resource management champion, Fitzroy Basin Association (FBA) works to support landholders to implement more sustainable practices that consider the triple bottom line – people, profit and the planet. With the agricultural industry subject to ongoing market and climate volatility, landholders are increasingly interested in alternative farming practices. Regenerative agriculture focuses on rebuilding, restoring and regenerating farming landscapes. Through improving soil microbiology, enhancing biodiversity on a broader scale, reducing chemical use for cleaner air and water, valuing social capital, respecting natural process, landholders ultimately produce more nutrient-dense food. FBA embarked on a peer-to-peer mentoring program off the back of two 2018 RegenAG Biofertiliser workshops. The workshops were delivered by regenerative agriculture expert, Kym Kruse from RegenAg®. The enthusiastic response to the events (and the underlying principles of regenerative agriculture) indicated a high demand locally for the natural and holistic way of farming. Facilitated by FBA’s Regional Landcare Agricultural Facilitator (RALF), Vicki Horstman and Kym Kruse, the peer-to-peer program quickly attracted participants. The project aimed to equip participants with the skills, tools and connections to succeed, and step away from traditional project delivery models. To this Kym said, “What we want to see is [...]