External funding boost to improve environmental outcomes at Goondiwindi Waste Facility

More than $90,000 of externally-funded upgrades are underway at the Goondiwindi Waste Facility to improve drainage, reduce erosion and boost environmental outcomes at the site.

Goondiwindi Regional Council is working to upgrade the landfill off Kildonan Road to improve stormwater retention at the site. The work will include building a new 6-megalitre (mL) stormwater dam, constructing swale contours and new stormwater runoff retention basins.

The upgrades will mean any rainwater on the site that has been exposed to waste will be captured and held in place, mitigating any possibility that it could come into contact with waterways.

Council received $90,000 from the state government’s 2021-24 Works for Queensland (W4Q) program towards the project. Council will also contribute $20,000 towards the project.

Cr Rob Mackenzie holds Council’s portfolio for waste and said the W4Q funding would complement the $1.25m that Council spends on landfill management across the region each year.

“This is a great opportunity to invest external funds into essential community infrastructure upgrades and further help to protect the region’s environment,” Cr Mackenzie said. ““This project will ensure we meet and exceed the standards expected of a modern waste facility, and also bring the Goondiwindi site up to the same standard as the waste facility in Inglewood.

“These drainage upgrades have been designed to keep any stormwater that has come into contact with waste separate from the water that hasn’t,” he said. “It means we’ll be able to capture and store all excess rainwater at the site to minimise any potential environmental impacts.

 “On a day-to-day operational basis, the improved drainage will also improve site access in wet conditions, especially for larger vehicles that need to go direct to the landfill face.”

Council manages the waste facilities in Goondiwindi and Inglewood, two waste transfer stations in Texas and Yelarbon, and bin stations in Bungunya, Talwood and Toobeah. The Inglewood Waste Facility already has a stormwater dam in place at the site.

Mayor of the Goondiwindi Region the Honourable Cr Lawrence Springborg AM said the maintenance and improvement of public services and facilities will always be the first order of business for Council.

“Ensuring our infrastructure is up-to-date and sustainable is key to providing the quality of services that our residents expect,” the Mayor said. “Council is committed to maintaining and improving its extensive infrastructure network, and we are grateful that this W4Q funding has given us the opportunity to invest in necessary core infrastructure upgrades.

“This allows us to free up Council funds for other important projects across the region’s communities.”

Base earthworks are now complete, with landscaping and soil stabilisation now underway and likely to take several months to be established. Drainage and culvert works will commence in the next month or two, weather-depending.

Project completion is expected in April 2023 and residents should notice no difference to their usual waste or water service.