Dorset EDG Current Projects of Interest
June 2008

Dorset EDG continues to explore the potential for expansion of dairy processing and production in North East Tasmania.

Significant feasibility work has already taken place, and broad studies have been completed confirming;

• Economics of Waterhouse land conversion to irrigated dairy pasture

• Availabilty of sufficient land to support large scale dairy development

• Capacity of available land to be successfully converted to dairy

• Engineering viability of dam sites suitable for supply to available land

• Economic viability of given dam sites

• Overview of known environmental values

Current work due for completion by end July 2008 includes refinement of dam engineering and economics, and site analysis of environmental values together with offset and mitigation requirements.

It is anticipated that the Dorset EDG / Tasmanian Government steering committee formed in 2007 to assess project viability will report by September 2008, and that the report of this committee will provide the Tasmanian Irrigation Development Board with a basis on which to undertake construction of a series of North East dams. These dams are envisaged to provide a quantum of water sufficient to supply significant new dairy production in North East Tasmania, which in turn would be  capable of supporting a new dairy processing facility in Dorset.   

The potential to harness winter rain for summer use in North east Tasmania has long been recognised. The topography, rainfall levels, temperate climate and available soils all fit to make water development viable and sensible in the region, and in fact provide a competitive advantage difficult to match anywhere else in Australia. Changing community attitudes and simplified legislative processes introduced in recent years have resulted in an opportunity to re-visit potential developments that have not been successful in the past.

This represents a wonderful opportunity for agricultural and economic development in Dorset, and a real chance to reverse the decline in employment caused by loss of downstream processing in the area over recent years.