On Wednesday 21 October, Unitywater and City of Moreton Bay will host a Wamuran Irrigation Scheme Farmer Showcase in Caboolture, where growers can learn about the scheme and irrigation opportunities, and hear from industry experts, local farming leaders and current participants about how recycled water is helping secure the future of agriculture in the region.
Taps were officially turned on for the scheme in March 2025, with foundation customers seeing the benefits of the scheme already. It enables beneficial reuse of recycled water from the Caboolture South Wastewater Treatment Plant to support local agriculture, reduce nutrient discharges to the Caboolture River and Moreton Bay, and provide a reliable, climate-resilient water source for local farms.
Unitywater Executive Manager Customer Delivery, Rhett Duncan, said the scheme represented a shift from disposal-focused wastewater management to a circular economy model.
“This scheme demonstrates how sustainability-focused investment can deliver tangible economic and environmental benefits,” he said.
Mr Duncan said growers connected to the scheme benefited from access to a reliable supply of high-quality Class A recycled water, helping increase productivity and make better use of agricultural land.
“For growers, access to a secure, climate-independent water source provides the confidence to invest, plan for the future and extend production beyond the limits of rainfall,” he said.
“One of the biggest opportunities is the potential to transform dryland or lower-productivity paddocks into irrigated, productive cropping land.
“At the same time, the scheme supports better environmental outcomes by reducing nutrient discharges to the Caboolture River and Moreton Bay.”
City of Moreton Bay Mayor, Peter Flannery, said the Wamuran agricultural region had significant opportunities and future potential.
“Sustainability is critical to ensuring the City’s $1.8 billion food and agribusiness industry continued to thrive,” he said.
“Agriculture remains a key to Moreton Bay’s economy, so it’s important we give growers options like the Wamuran Irrigation Scheme when it comes to cultivating their crops.
“Our farmers can face any number of challenges on the land, so having the ability to use a Class A recycled water supply not only benefits the environment but safeguards agricultural production and unlocks future growth opportunities.”
Pinata Farms Managing Director, Gavin Scurr, a third-generation farmer and foundation customer of the scheme, said his Wamuran farm had been using the recycled water on strawberry and raspberry crops.
“It’s given us the confidence to invest in better growing systems, knowing we’ve got the water to grow the crop every year, not just in wet years,” he said.
“It’s enabled us to extend our season. The strawberry season typically used to finish in late September and now we can go into early December.”
Wholesale nursery, Greenstock Nurseries, is moving its business operations from Elimbah to Wamuran to connect to the scheme.
Owner, Amy Handy, said the assurance of a reliable water supply gave them sustainability and security and ‘future-proofed’ their business.
“Over the summer months, we use about 800,000 litres of water each day,” she said.
“At the moment with dam water, you need to treat it, put it through a pump. Being able to hook a pipe up to the Unitywater infrastructure and not having to treat our water is amazing – and good water quality means we’ll have less diseases threatening our crops.
“Normally we’re looking at our dam, trying to prepare for different weather situations. It can put a bit of a halt on production at times, so having water security is amazing, and also means job security for our 120 employees because we know we’re not going to run out of water.”
Mr Duncan said the scheme was underpinned by a Recycled Water Management Plan which confirms how treatment and monitoring processes assure the production and supply of Class A recycled water in line with the Australian Guidelines for Water Recycling.
“Our water quality team was instrumental in working with our regulator to get the plan approved and enable growers to have confidence in the scheme and the quality of water we’re supplying,” he said.
Find out more about the Farmer Showcase and connecting to the scheme.
