Irrigation Infrastructure Investment Growing Tasmania’s Economy

Investment in irrigation infrastructure is driving the sustainable growth of Tasmania’s farming sector.

Tasmanian Irrigation’s 2024/25 Annual Report, tabled today in the Tasmanian Parliament, highlights data demonstrating a correlation between the increased capacity of the Company’s network of schemes and the growth in the State’s farmgate value[1].

Tasmanian Irrigation Chair Kate Vinot said access to highly reliable water is integral to minimising risk in farming businesses and future proofing them against a changing climate, which in turn positions Tasmania as an important contributor to national food security.

“With reliable access to water, irrigators diversify into higher value land uses, intensify their operations, increase yield and product quality, and have the confidence to enter into valuable supply contracts,” she said.

“Water means farmers can plan with confidence, not just what and when to plant but what the future looks like for farming families. It enables succession planning, where farmers can increase the certainty of handing over a thriving and sustainable farming business to the next generation.”

For every 1,000 ML of Tasmanian Irrigation water supplied, in the order of 25 direct and indirect jobs are created, there is on-farm investment of between $2 million to $4 million and up to $3 million per annum of benefit is generated for the wider State economy.

Tasmanian Irrigation Chief Executive Officer Mike Sylvester said this benefit directly translates to increased resilience in regional communities.

“Our ambition is bold: to be a developer of irrigation infrastructure and a catalyst for regional transformation — helping unlock growth, employment, innovation and long-term prosperity for generations of Tasmanians to come,” he said.

“As irrigation schemes are commissioned, we see new workers and families coming into communities to take up meaningful new jobs; shops, schools and the local supply chain thriving; community groups and clubs starting or growing; and opportunities being created for young people to stay in their community.

“Tasmanian Irrigation is playing a crucial role in supporting the Tasmanian Government to achieve its goal of growing the farmgate value of the State’s agricultural sector to $10 billion a year by 2050.

“The continued growth of the agricultural sector will occur in lockstep with building increased capacity in our network of irrigation schemes.”

Tasmanian Irrigation’s 2024/25 Annual Report sets out key achievements over the reporting period:

• Construction on the Northern Midlands Irrigation Scheme commenced; the Greater Meander Irrigation Scheme Augmentation was commissioned; funding was committed to the Greater South East Irrigation Scheme by both the Australian and Tasmanian Governments; funding was secured to progress a Business Case for the Tamar Water Scheme; and the Sassafras Wesley Vale Irrigation Scheme Augmentation progressed into the Commonwealth environmental approval process;
• Two consecutive years of record water delivery, with 93,610 megalitres of water delivered in 2024/25, close to the record delivery the previous year of almost 100,600 megalitres; current capacity to supply water across 133,577 hectares of land;
• Tasmanian Irrigation serves more than 1,100 customers, with an overall satisfaction result of 66 per cent;
• The Company manages an asset base comprising more than 31,000 individual assets with a cost of more than $500 million;
• 819 Farm Water Access Plans are in place on properties receiving Tasmanian Irrigation water, to guide its sustainable use; and
• $227 million in Federal and State Government funding was secured for new irrigation projects.

Ms Vinot and Mr Sylvester also paid tribute to former Chief Executive Officer Andrew Kneebone, who retired after six years of service, and thanked all Tasmanian Irrigation employees, Shareholder Ministers, Board Directors, customers, contractors and other stakeholders for their ongoing commitment to irrigation in Tasmania.

Download the Tasmanian Irrigation 2024/25 Annual Report: https://tasmanianirrigation.co...

[1] Tasmanian Agri-Food Scorecard 2022-23