GREAT KEPPEL ISLAND REJUVENATION PILOT

About the project
The Department of Innovation, Tourism Industry Development and the Commonwealth Games (DITID) is leading the Great Keppel Island (GKI) Rejuvenation Pilot. The project aims to facilitate the growth of tourism on GKI, and in the surrounding regions with the Queensland Government providing up to $25 million towards mainland connected common-user water and electricity infrastructure to support existing tourism operators, residents, and future tourism development projects.

Scope
The project involves the installation of approximately 13.5km of power, water and telecommunications infrastructure via submarine connections from Emu Park across Keppel Bay to GKI.

Specifically the project includes:
• design, manufacture, supply and installation of submarine potable water pipeline and high voltage submarine cable        complete with integrated fibre optic element. The services will be installed across Keppel Bay, buried two metres        below the sea floor

• upgrades and connection to the mainland electrical network

• upgrades and connection to the potable water network. The project scope also includes the supply and installation of      supporting infrastructure including on-island reticulation, pumping stations, substations and a reservoir.

Project update
The project is now in the planning and design phase, which will run until June 2019. Recent project activities include:

• Continuing to work with agencies such as the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) around relevant approvals and conditions

• Commencing marine and land-based survey and monitoring work

• Preliminary electrical, hydraulic and civil design

• Engaging with Traditional Owners regarding development of Cultural Heritage Management Plans and opportunities for employment and Participation in the project

• Continuing a program of stakeholder and Community engagement

• Providing investment attraction support for the GKI Resort investment, including supporting a meeting between the potential investors, residents and Traditional Owners on GKI in November 2018.

GBRMPA has approved a shorter services corridor which Goes through less environmentally sensitive areas. 

 The Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy (DNRME) worked closely with the GKI resort’s current lessee to ensure demolition works were undertaken to prepare the resort site for future construction, and to assist parties involved in the planned sale and lease transfer process. 

Environmental Monitoring
Environmental specialists have been assisting in the development of a pre-construction environmental monitoring program.

This program will provide a baseline against which monitoring during the construction and operations phases can be compared, to ensure the project meets approval conditions of the Queensland and Australian Governments including GBRMPA.

Marine water quality monitoring commenced in November 2018. Remaining elements of the pre-construction survey program will commence following approval of these sections by relevant agencies.

The GKI Project team has engaged Traditional Owner representatives to provide cultural heritage advice where qppropriate as part of the survey program.

Stakeholder Engagement

Key stakeholder engagement activities include:

• Engagement with the Woppaburra and Darumbal traditional owner groups in relation to work opportunities and development of Cultural Heritage

Management Plans:

• Regular meetings with GKI residents and businesses

• Livingstone Shire Council’s (LSC) GKI Community Meeting on 23 October 2018

• Formation of a Stakeholder Advisory Group which includes representatives from DITID, Livingstone Shire Council, tourism bodies, tourism operators, GBRMPA, Traditional Owner groups and Energy Queensland.

A community information session is planned to be held at Yeppoon in early 2019.

Where to from here?
Work will continue on refining the project through the planning and design phase which runs to June 2019. This includes further technical design work, programming delivery, progressing monitoring and geotechnical investigations and continuing to engage with key stakeholders including State and Federal Government agencies. This includes pursuit of a Federal Government funding contribution.

Source: CapricornEnterprise 
https://capricornenterprise.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/190130-GKI-Rejuvenation-Pilot-update.pdf?