About the Gulf water plan

The Gulf water plan supports the water needs of several urban and regional centres including Mount Isa, Georgetown, Richmond, Croydon, Hughenden, Burketown, Normanton, Karumba, Julia Creek and Cloncurry.

Right now, the main uses for water in the water plan area are the small-scale irrigation industry, mining activity in the Mount Isa area and urban use. Other water uses with a social, economic, or cultural value include recreational and commercial fisheries in the Gulf of Carpentaria and a growing tourism industry.

The Gulf water plan aims to support water-related cultural values of First Nations peoples in the plan area and to help them achieve their social and economic aspirations.

The water plan ensures any development of new water infrastructure is done in an ecologically sustainable way. This protects the important environmental processes, ecological needs (for plants and animals) and heritage values that exist in the area.

The Gulf water plan area is a major part of the North West Minerals Province. It’s known for the production of copper, cobalt and vanadium. There’s potential for further expansion of mining these and other rare earth minerals.