Central Darling Shire Council has expressed its disappointment over the NSW Government’s decision to place the $130 million Wilcannia Weir replacement project on hold.
In a statement, Council Chairman, Bob Stewart said the community was “extremely disappointed” following NSW Water Minister Rose Jackson’s announcement that the development of a replacement weir will be paused.
“It is expected that there will be a community invitation to the Minister to visit Wilcannia and explain the decision and future actions,” said Chairman Stewart.
He said the community needed to fully understand the costings being quoted.
“We need to ensure that the weir project goes ahead. It has been needed for more than three decades for critical human water supply requirements.”
The NSW Government said the decision followed confirmation from the Australian Government that it was unable to commit further funding to the project at this time.Â
In 2024, Minister Jackson commissioned an Independent Review Panel to engage closely with the community regarding their preferred design.
While the Panel heard strong feedback, no conclusive recommendations were made about which option should be progressed.
The estimated cost of the community-supported weir design is more than $130 million.
There is also significant uncertainty about whether the design would receive all required approvals, the Government said in a statement.
“We remain committed to transparency and to keeping our community informed every step of the way,” said Minister Jackson.
“The NSW Government has an ongoing commitment to local employment as part of the project and to date has invested $4.63 million in the community through training programs, local procurement and cross-agency support.
“While the replacement weir project has been paused, the NSW Government remains committed to improving water security for Wilcannia through a range of projects both completed and underway.”
