Andrew Jones comes from a long line of farmers - seven generations of farming legacy in the Jordan Valley, with sheep and cropping enterprises. And he’s hoping not to be the last of the line.

“There was a time last year when the funding for the Greater South Irrigation Scheme was very uncertain – we had to seriously think about what the future looked like,” Andrew says.

“I’m getting closer to retirement and if the water wasn’t coming through we would 100% have been selling up in five years’ time. We wouldn’t have been encouraging our kids to come back to the farm without water.

“Now, with water coming, we’ve got the confidence to invest and we are optimistic one of the kids to take the reins. It would be great to go into an eighth generation of Joneses on the land. Water makes that a possibility.”

Andrew and Karen Jones have made on-farm investment, planted vines and grown sheep numbers, on the strength of being able to access water from the Jordan River. But there’s no guarantee of reliable supply.

“Reliability through the new scheme will save a lot of sleepless nights. We’ve invested significantly in the vineyard and farm – the last thing you want is vines dying due to lack of water. If the Jordan doesn’t run, or doesn’t run until late, that creates a lot of stress.”

With water to flow from the Greater South East Irrigation Scheme (GSEIS) in mid-2030, Andrew and Karen are gearing up to take advantage of that.

“We’ll expand our irrigation infrastructure and put in more pivots, more sheep, expand the vineyard further. And with the amount of guaranteed water, we’ll be able to put in other water-hungry crops like potatoes.

“It makes the farm more profitable, and it means we’ll need to hire work workers. But getting water to farms is about so much more than that.

“When farms thrive, employment thrives, more people come into the community - golf clubs, local halls, shops, schools all thrive – all the things that revolve around and create resilience in communities. It’s not just our farm, it’s the whole area around us growing.”

Andrew has one final word of advice to people considering buying water in the GSEIS:

“Do whatever you can to get as much water as you can to your property. You’re never going to lose on it. You’ll immediately increase the value of your farm, and you’ll be able to plan with confidence for a thriving future.”