Project Description:
Rookwood Weir is a mass concrete structure with fixed crest spillway, stilling basin, left and right abutments, low flow outlet, and dedicated fish and turtle passage solutions. Situated on the Fitzroy River, 66km south-west of Rockhampton, the completed weir will rise 16.2m above the riverbed and have a full supply volume of 74,325 megalitres. Rookwood Weir is a $367 million water infrastructure project being delivered under an Alliance partnership between Sunwater, GHD, Acciona and McCosker Contracting. Once completed, Rookwood Weir will drive new economic and employment opportunities for the agricultural industry and the community of Central Queensland.
Key Achievement:
Rookwood is the first weir in Australia and New Zealand to achieve an IS Rating under v1.2. As a first, the Project Team was challenged to interpret and apply the rating tool to this unique asset class situated in regional Queensland. Undertaking this voluntary rating has proved a positive learning experience for Alliance partners and sent a necessary signal to industry on the importance of prioritising infrastructure sustainability.
Highlights:
- Habitat Connectivity: - The construction of an innovative fish lock with multiple entry and exit levels will allow for increased fish passage as head- and tail-waters fluctuate on the Fitzroy River. Also, Rookwood's dedicated turtle passage has been specifically designed to cater for the movement patterns of the Fitzroy River Turtle and White-throated Snapping Turtle, allowing for safe, 24/7 navigation of the waterway barrier.
- Energy and Carbon Savings: - 300,000m3 of excavation volumes have been saved by optimising the weir crest length and batter slope design, and 4,427 tonnes of cement have been saved through the Project achieving 63% SCM against a base case of 50% for structural concrete.
- Local Jobs and Training: - 160+ Central Queensland jobs have been created, and a further 176 positions filled by Queenslanders from around the state. Critically, 25 Queensland apprentices and trainees have been employed, bolstering the region's key skills shortages, and more than $120 million has been invested with local suppliers in the construction of the weir.
Acknowledgements:
The Alliance acknowledges the Darumbal People, Traditional Custodians of the land on which Rookwood Weir is located, and pays respect to Elders past, present and emerging. In July 2022, a Rookwood team member and proud Darumbal man, Willie Hayden, commissioned Aboriginal artist Rainman Boland to represent Willie's connection to the Rookwood Weir Project and to express his connection to and importance of the land. The unique piece of art depicts a crocodile, kangaroo and python living and surviving off the waterway between the Dawson and the Fitzroy River near Rockhampton in Central Queensland. The river system is depicted by white circles, dots and lines that flow across the land connecting animals, people and spirits. The symbols of people sitting represent the different clans and tribes who live off the river while the bright orange lines represent the dreaming tracks and song lines which connect them all. The bush turkey nest represents one of the totems of the tribes and clans that lived by the river, including the Darumbal and Ghangalu peoples.
Acknowledgements:
The Alliance also acknowledges the supportive communities surrounding Rookwood Weir and the key roles they play in welcoming and working with the workforce to minimise the inconvenience of construction activities on their day-to-day activities.
Testimonial:
The Rookwood Weir project will ensure a secure future for water in Central Queensland, supporting farmers and agriculture, and also town water supplies. Queensland Minister for Water Glenn Butcher said the project is a game-changer for the region, and has encourages local growers to put their hand up for water to help expand and improve their businesses, or transition to high-value crops. “Building the weir is delivering good, secure jobs and economic benefits for Central Queensland right now – while the water it captures will provide more of the same for future generations,” he said.
