New construction milestone completed for the Northern Midlands Irrigation Scheme

The Northern Midlands Irrigation Scheme has reached a key construction milestone after successfully installing a new drop structure within the tailrace at the Poatina Power Station.

The new structure will ensure the scheme’s flow rate can be delivered even when the Poatina Power Station is not operating at full capacity, ensuring that local irrigators have access to reliable irrigation water.

Minister for Primary Industries and Water, Gavin Pearce, said our Government is delivering for Tasmania.

“The Northern Midlands Irrigation Scheme is a transformative project for the region,” Minister Pearce said.

“We’ve seen around 150 jobs created as this project is constructed, with almost 450 ongoing jobs expected to be created over time following completion towards the end of 2026.

“We know that water security through irrigation is a game changer for our farmers, producers and local economies.

“Once completed, this generational infrastructure will provide access to reliable water across the Northern Midlands, allowing our farmers to boost productivity and production.

“We’ve invested significantly in this project, highlighting our ongoing commitment to deliver water infrastructure projects that provide safe and reliable water for our regions.”

The $217.9 million project is jointly funded by the Australian Government through the National Water Grid Fund ($108.98 million), the Tasmanian Government ($72.26 million) and Tasmanian irrigators ($36.72 million) with the project on track to be completed in time for the 2026/2027 irrigation season.