Major Levee Upgrade To Strengthen Flood Protection In West Mackay

Mackay Regional Council is upgrading and extending the Pioneer River Levee system in West Mackay, with funding from the Australian Government and council, to improve flood protection for residents, businesses and key infrastructure, with construction set to run from mid-2026 to December 2026, weather permitting. Photo credit: Hannah McNamara

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A major upgrade and extension of the Pioneer River Levee system is set to improve flood protection for Mackay residents and businesses, carried out by local contractor Pentacon.

The project is jointly funded by $6.1 million through the Australian Government’s Priority Community Infrastructure Program, $555,225 from the Disaster Ready Fund and $12.7 million from Mackay Regional Council.

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Works will include construction of a new levee wall, stormwater upgrades, road reconstruction and revegetation works. The existing levee will be extended along the southern bank of the Pioneer River adjacent to West Mackay, with flood gates to be installed at key access points for activation when flooding is imminent.

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Mayor Greg Williamson said the project was a significant investment in the region's flood resilience and would help protect homes, businesses and key infrastructure from future flood events.

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"We know how significant flood events can be for our region and this project will provide greater peace of mind for residents by reducing risk and improving community resilience," he said.

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Mayor Williamson said the project was being delivered in response to increasing flood risks across the region, resulting in more frequent emergency services call-outs in recent years.

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"What we have to do, as a council, is make sure that the bulk of our area in West Mackay is protected."

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Council estimates the project will cost just under $19 million.

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"The cost of the project, we're estimating now at just under $19 million," Mayor Williamson said.

He said council had been pursuing the project for many years.

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"We've been campaigning for many years. Certainly since I've been in the chair, so that's a decade."

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Construction is expected to begin in mid-June and continue through to December 2026, weather permitting.

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"We expect it'll go through until December, weather permitting, to be completed by the end of December," Mayor Williamson said.

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While some disruption is expected during the construction period, works will be delivered in stages, with advance notice provided to minimise impacts on residents and businesses.  

Access to properties will be maintained throughout construction and the Mackay Cemetery will remain open.

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Executive Manager Portfolio Management Office Mick Zimmerle said the project would provide important benefits for the community.

"This is vital for the Mackay community," Mr Zimmerle said.

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"It's going to protect West Mackay and all the residents and properties around."

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Mr Zimmerle said the project would involve multiple construction methods.

"It's a combination of both concrete block levee construction as well as earth levee," he said.

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He said the project had been informed by years of planning and flood studies.

"A considerable amount of planning goes into this," Mr Zimmerle said.

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"Our team's been working on this for many years, and they do flood studies up and down the river to come up with this construction."

Cr Williamson said the completed project would deliver long-term flood protection benefits for the region.

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"At the end of this project, you will get much better protection for river flooding than you would ever have in the last 50 or 60 years."

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