Geoquest Australia and New Zealand is proud to have contributed to the Cairns Water Security Project, one of North Queensland’s most significant infrastructure initiatives. The project, led by Cairns Regional Council with support from state and federal governments, is designed to secure a reliable and sustainable water supply for the growing Cairns region—future-proofing ahead of increasing population growth, tourism demand and climate challenges.
Geoquest’s Contribution
Geoquest designed and supplied two large Reinforced Earth™ TerraPlus® retaining walls for the project, totalling circa 875 m²—equivalent to three tennis courts.
Images shared by Cairns Water Security Project’s community engagement showcase one of these retaining walls along the reservoir circulating road atop the hill at the project site. The structure spans 75 metres in length and 6 metres high, built using 100 precast concrete panels and supported by over 500 cubic metres of engineered fill material. Geoquest’s other MSE wall spans 83 metres long and rises to 9 metre high at its tallest point.
Geoquest was delighted to design, manufacture, and supply the two MSE retaining walls with a total of 250 concrete facing panels for this critical component. Our precision-engineered walls were delivered to meet the project’s demanding specifications, ensuring strength and durability for decades to come. Geoquest’s nationwide office and site network meant our dedicated on-site team in Queensland understood the unique operational needs and challenges that major projects such as this face in the State, including engineering in resilience against adverse environmental events.
Project Overview
The Cairns Water Security Project includes a new water intake on the Mulgrave River, a state-of-the-art water treatment plant at Gordonvale, and extensive pipelines and reservoirs to strengthen the region’s water network. Once complete, the project will deliver an additional 6.4 gigalitres of drinking water annually, improving resilience during droughts and extreme weather events, representing a bold step forward in regional water security.
A National Water Grid $472 million project, it is jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland governments, and Cairns Regional Council. Site works began in mid 2024, with completion set for H2 2026.
In addition to improved resilience and reliability, including improved drought and disaster-proofing to safeguard against climate variability, the Cairns Water Security Project delivers significant economic benefits, including:
- Economic impact: supports population and tourist growth, bolsters agricultural exports, and has injected ~$59 million into the local economy, employing 850+ workers.
- Household relief: Funded investment expected to reduce typical water bills by ~$403/year over 15 years.
Key Infrastructure Components
- New raw water intake on the Mulgrave River near Desmond Trannore Bridge (Gordonvale).
- Greenfield water treatment plant at Gordonvale (~60 ML/day capacity, expandable to 93 ML/day), replacing the existing Behana Creek plant. Employs Dissolved Air Flotation & Filtration for energy efficiency and climate resilience.
- Reservoirs: two storage tanks (~8 ML and 5 ML).
- Pipeline network: approximately 30 km of new pipes connecting the intake, treatment plant, and distribution system. Over 12 km already laid.
- Flood protection upgrades at Behana Creek intake to enhance supply during extreme weather.
Why It Matters
Being part of this transformative project reflects Geoquest’s commitment to supporting essential infrastructure that strengthens communities and creates lasting impact. We are proud to have played a role in helping secure Cairns’ water future and look forward to contributing to more projects that shape Australia’s infrastructure landscape.
If you’re planning a major infrastructure project and need high-quality MSE retaining wall and precast concrete solutions, talk to our team today. We’ll work with you to deliver precision-engineered solutions that meet your project’s unique requirements.
Contact us or learn more about our capabilities here.
