Tamborine Mountain and Springbrook groundwater

The Tamborine Mountain and Springbrook communities have raised concerns about local water security. We are working with those communities to better understand their current and future water needs as well as to better understand how their groundwater aquifers function.

Moratorium

A moratorium notice (PDF, 136.1KB) has been in place since 5 March 2020. Covering the Tamborine Mountain and Springbrook areas, it prevents the construction of new underground water works (bores) for commercial use.

On 19 February 2024, the moratorium was extended without change. Community access to essential water supplies, including exemptions for household supply, small-scale irrigation and town water supply still apply.

Read the moratorium notice (PDF, 136.1KB) for details, including exemptions.

Check whether your property is covered by the moratorium notice on the Queensland Globe or view our map of the moratorium areas (PDF, 472.8KB) within the Gold Coast and Logan Basin water plan areas.

The department continues to work with the Scenic Rim Regional Council, Gold Coast City Council and researchers from Queensland University of Technology to support the ongoing monitoring and assessment of potential impacts to surface and groundwater resources in the moratorium areas. This scientific research is providing the department with a better understanding of the underground water resource to address water security risks in the areas.

Water plan reviews

The department is currently reviewing and replacing the Gold Coast and Logan Basin water plans to ensure current and emerging issues in the plan areas are addressed. Groundwater take is currently not managed under these water plans. As part of the reviews, we will be considering the future management of underground water resources and will be engaging with interested community members.

Report your water use

The department has been collecting information about water use from groundwater users since 2020. The notice (PDF, 31.0KB) requiring information was published on Friday 1 May 2020.

This information is valuable in helping to improve our understanding of groundwater use and needs in Tamborine Mountain and Springbrook.

If you use groundwater for anything other than stock and domestic purposes, you should report your use monthly, within 10 business days after the end of the month.

The information collected will not be used for compliance actions.

Report your water use data.

More information

If you have issues downloading any of these documents or would like a copy sent to you, please email SouthRegionGW@rdmw.qld.gov.au.

Visit our website to find out more about water management in the Logan and Gold Coast areas.