BACK TO RESULTSLower Fitzroy Infrastructure Project - Rookwood Weir
PIPELINE
STATUS
Prospective pipeline
Credibly proposed
Announced
Under procurement
Preferred bidder announced
Recently closed
Prospective pipeline
Greenfield (construction) or brownfield (government asset divestment) projects needed or likely to occur within the next five years, but is not formally proposed by a state, territory or major local government.
Credibly proposed
The project or divestment is supported by a state, territory or major local government, is subject to studies or other processes (such as pre-feasibility or scoping studies or business case development), and is likely to proceed to formal announcement.
Announced
The project has a firm commitment and timeline from a state, territory or major local government, but has not yet entered the market.
Under procurement
The project or transaction is under procurement (such as a call for Expressions of Interest, requests for tender, or another offer to the market).
Preferred bidder announced
A preferred bidder has been selected and is in exclusive negotiations.
Recently closed
Projects that have progressed to contractual close remain on ANZIP for 12 months.
ANZIP is focused only on major infrastructure activity, above the following thresholds:
Australia
Construction projects: > AUD$300m
Investable greenfield & brownfield: > AUD$100m
New Zealand
All greenfield and brownfield projects and divestments: > NZD $100 million
Project scope
The Lower Fitzroy River Infrastructure Project (LFRIP) involves the provision of new water storage infrastructure on the Fitzroy to meet future water demands and improve water security. The reference project for the business case involves construction of a new weir at Rookwood, capable of supplying 76,000ML of water per annum.
The proposed Rookwood Weir site is located on the Fitzroy River, 66 kilometres south-west of Rockhampton. Other infrastructure required includes augmentation to and construction of access roads, low level bridges upstream at Riverslea and Foleyvale crossings and installation of culverts at Hanrahan Crossing downstream.
The project’s capital cost is estimated to be $352 million (with $29.3 million already expended) with a delivery period of four years and with operating costs of $55.2 million over 26 years.
Key Dates
July 2018: Queensland Government announced SunWater will develop and operate Rookwood Weir, commencing procurement.
October 2019: EOIs open for project
August 2020: McCosker Contracting and Lendlease Engineering named as preferred bidders to construct the project. ACCIONA will take over Lendlease Engineering's role when contracts are signed.
September 2020: The design and construct contract for the project is awarded by the the Queensland Government to an alliance between the client Sunwater, design proponents GHD, and construction proponents Acciona and McCosker.
October 2020: Early works expected to commence
April 2021: Major in-river construction expected to commence
2023: Construction expected to be completed
Procurement
The Queensland Government announced that a proponent had been confirmed for the project. SunWater will develop and operate Rookwood Weir, integrating the infrastructure into their existing network which includes Eden Bann Weir and Stanwell Pipeline.
Tenderers (ROI/EOI): Expressions of Interest for the project opened on 2 October 2019, and close on 29 October 2019. A tender process in early-2020, with the contract expected to be awarded by mid-2020.
Successful Tenderer: The project is being overseen by the Rookwood Weir Alliance, comprising Sunwater, GHD as the design propoent and McCosker Contracting and Lendlease Engineering/ACCIONA as construction proponent.
Funding
Federal Government
- $2 million was provided by the Commonwealth Government to the Queensland Government to prepare a business case for the LFRIP in May 2016.
- The 2019-20 Federal Budget allocated $9.6 million over five years to establish the North Queensland Water Infrastructure Authority. The Authority will support the development of water infrastructure, including Rookwood Weir.
Joint
The Queensland Government announced in February 2018 that it would fund half the capital and operating costs of the project if the Federal Government provided the remainder of the funding. In April 2018, the Federal Government confirmed it would fund $176 million of the project, meaning that the project's capital cost is now fully funded.
Queensland Government
The 2020-21 Queensland Budget allocated $115 million toward the project in FY2020-21.
Project History
January 2018: Building Queensland released the business case on behalf of SunWater and Gladstone Area Water Board.
September 2020: The design and construct contract for the project is awarded by the the Queensland Government to an alliance between the client Sunwater, design proponents GHD, and construction proponents Acciona and McCosker.
December 2020: Completion of the first stage of the water sales process - Rural Funds Management and Argyle Capital Partners were the successful tenderers.
Further Information
The Lower Fitzroy River Infrastructure Project (LFRIP) involves the provision of new water storage infrastructure on the Fitzroy to meet future water demands and improve water security for residential, industrial and agricultural users in Rockhampton, Gladstone and the Capricorn Coast.
The business case found that the demand required to achieve a Benefit-Cost Ratio (BCR) of one is 34,000ML from the Gladstone Area Water Board and Livingstone Shire Council and 23,200ML demand from the agricultural sector.
The project's business case was evaluated by Infrastructure Australia (IA) in June 2018, with IA finding the project had a BCR of 0.64. As such it has not been listed as a Priority Project on IA's Infrastructure Priority List and is instead listed as a near term (0-5 years) Priority Initiative.
Last reviewed: 02/02/2021
