The Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association says new possibilities for east coast agriculture opened up today with the launch of water sales for the $17 million Swan Valley Irrigation Scheme that will service farms at Swansea, Cranbrook and Coombend.
Tasmanian Irrigation today opened the market for entitlements to 2000 megalitres of water to be pumped from winter flows in the Swan River to a dam at Cranbrook and fed via a pipeline distribution network to farms.
“At last, we can release the potential of farms that have been restricted by the lack of reliability of water, beautiful country yet hampered too often by near drought conditions,” TFGA president Wayne Johnston said today.
The Swan Valley scheme forms part of the second tranche of five TI projects for which the Australian Government is giving $60 million, the Tasmanian Government and farmers each about $30 million.
TI chief executive Chris Oldfield launched the water sales today at the Swansea Town Hall. Entitlements are available to owners or occupiers of land in those districts. The sales close on March 31.
“For the project to proceed, the scheme has to be fully subscribed. I am optimistic that will happen,” Mr Johnston said.
TFGA president Wayne Johnston
