About the Project
About the proposed Pioneer-Burdekin Pumped Hydro Project
The Queensland Hydro proposed Pioneer-Burdekin Pumped Hydro Project involves the construction of two reservoirs in Dalrymple Heights, and a third reservoir in Netherdale. A total of 937 hectares of land, or 2,315 acres, will be impacted by the three reservoirs. To put that into perspective, that's a whopping 1,753 football fields. The town of of Netherdale will be completely wiped as well as countless farms, properties and homes.
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The reservoirs will not be spaces for recreational use and the water in the reservoirs will be undrinkable and can not be used for any other purpose. The reservoirs will be highly restricted areas with no access for the public. Each day, during the day, the water from the bottom reservoir will be pumped up the mountain to the two upper reservoirs, leaving the bottom reservoir mostly empty of water and showing a wet dirty wasteland. Then, at night, water from the top two reservoirs will be released down the mountain, powering huge generators, and filling up the bottom reservoir. This process will happen each and every day, over and over again.
Map provided by Queensland Hydro of the proposed Pioneer-Burdekin Pumped Hydro Project
It is known that pumped hydro projects have a dramatic negative impact on water quality including high amounts of turbidity, changes to oxygen levels, changes to the acidity, and the potential to cause cross catchment pollution and contamination. Queensland Hydro have stated that a constant flow of water will be released from the lower reservoir into Cattle Creek, which flows directly into the Pioneer River. Additionally, during flooding events, floodwater from above the lower reservoir will flow into and through the reservoir into Cattle Creek, which could potentially see hundreds and thousands of litres of polluted water flow downstream into Cattle Creek and the Pioneer River.
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The proposed project will have many negative impacts on the pristine environment that Eungella and the Pioneer Vally is famous for. To read more about the potential negative impacts on the environment, click here to go to our Environmental Impact updates.
About Save Eungella
After the shock announcement on the 28th of September 2022 where the Queensland Government headlined a $12 billion project quoting “the world’s biggest pumped hydro”, locals and landowners expressed their concerns about the impact the proposed pumped hydro project would have on the environment and the community.
Save Eungella is a Not-For-Profit community organisation founded in October 2022 with the support of over 80 local community residents. Formerly known as "NO Hydro Save Netherdale/Eungella/Mt Dalrymple", Save Eungella is dedicated to stopping the proposed Pioneer-Burdekin Pumped Hydro Project.