About Tasmanian Irrigation

Tasmanian Irrigation Pty Ltd is a recognised economic enabler that owns, operates, designs and develops irrigation schemes to deliver high-surety irrigation water to Tasmanian landowners.

A State-owned Company, Tasmanian Irrigation is renowned for its proven ability to reliably and cost effectively deliver irrigation water, as well as complex infrastructure projects, to enable farmers to expand, diversify and value add their agricultural businesses.

Tasmanian Irrigation plays a critical role in assisting the Tasmanian Government to achieve its target of increasing the farmgate value of the State’s agricultural sector to $10 billion a year by 2050.

Since Tasmanian Irrigation was established in 2008, the Company has taken over management of a range of inherited assets, including dams, irrigation schemes and river works, constructed 15 new irrigation projects and advanced planning on a further five projects.

By 2025, Tasmanian Irrigation will manage a portfolio of irrigation infrastructure valued at more than $680 million, capable of delivering 168,998 megalitres of water via 1,451 km of pipeline, 55 pump stations, 24 dams and three power stations.

Business cases for a further five Tranche Three phase two projects will also be completed.

All schemes developed and operated by Tasmanian Irrigation are economically viable, environmentally sustainable, have strong community endorsement, are designed to last at least 100 years and deliver water at an average reliability of more than 95 per cent per annum.

The Company also works in partnership with irrigators to facilitate local community management of each irrigation scheme within the limits of the current legislative framework.

This means that Tasmanian Irrigation works closely with private landholders to determine how much high-surety irrigation water is required by the community, and shares the cost of building a scheme between the public and private sectors.

The public funding contribution recognises that the wider community will benefit from increased economic activity and employment over time. Private capital contributions are made through the purchase of tradeable water entitlements.

This model ensures ongoing operating costs, including the provision for asset renewal, will not be subsidised, instead met by annual charges levied on water entitlement holders.

In 2011, following the merger with the Rivers and Water Supply Commission and Tasmanian Irrigation Schemes Pty Ltd, TI inherited the responsibility for three operating irrigation schemes and the ownership of infrastructure of two locally managed irrigation schemes.

Tasmanian Irrigation has since provided the technical, financial and project management skills to progress schemes from concept development through feasibility and construction to operations.

Ten Tranche One schemes were developed and delivered at a cost of $248.45 million, delivering 74,493 megalitres of water via 534km of pipeline, 9 dams, 23 pump stations and 1 power station.

These projects are located at Dial Blythe; Great Forester; Kindred / North Motton; Lower South Esk; Midlands; Sassafras / Wesley Vale; South East Stage Three; Upper Ringarooma; Whitemore; and the Winnaleah Augmentation.

Five Tranche Two projects were the constructed at a cost of $167.12 million, delivering 27,695 megalitres of irrigation water via 312km of pipeline, five dams, nine pump stations and one power station.

These projects include Duck; North Esk; Scottsdale; Southern Highlands; and the Swan Valley.

Ten Tranche Three projects are now being advanced, with the first five phase one projects progressing through Expressions of Interest, Preferred Design Option, Water Sales and to approvals.

With an increased level of operational responsibility, Tasmanian Irrigation is now primarily focused on working in partnership with irrigators to continue to deliver high-surety, cost-effective and reliable irrigation water to landowners.