New reservoir brings more water supply to Capricorn Coast

After an 18-month construction period, Emu Park Reservoir is now a reality for residents of the Capricorn Coast south of Yeppoon.

The four-megalitre, $2.86 million piece of water infrastructure will ensure water security for the region, increasing local storage capacity to more than six megalitres.

Emu Park Reservoir was made possible thanks to a $2 million investment from the Australian and Queensland Governments through the Local Economic Recovery (LER) Program, and $860,000 from Livingstone Shire Council.

Jointly funded by the Commonwealth and state via Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA), the LER Program was developed following the 2019 Queensland Bushfires to boost economic and social recovery in impacted regions.

Livingstone Shire Council received another $500,000 in LER funding to upgrade the walking trails that link Cooee Bay Beach and Lammermoor Beach with the iconic Wreck Point Scenic Lookout.

In total the LER Program saw $36.8 million shared among 48 projects across 14 local councils and state agencies.

Emu Park Reservoir’s four-megalitre capacity is the equivalent of more than one-and-a-half Olympic-sized swimming pools.

It’s constructed with 500 cubic metres of concrete, 80 tonnes of reinforcing steel, and over five kilometres of post tensioned steel strands in its roof.

As well as offering greater water security to the community, the reservoir will also increase resilience to extreme weather by providing increased water storage in times of extreme heat and bushfires. 

Renowned Queensland company Hornick Constructions led construction of what is a transformative project for the Capricorn Coast.