February 12, 2013
The future direction of Yarraman is expected to be a subject for discussion when Queensland Energy and Water Supply Minister Mark McArdle meets with representatives from the South Burnett and Toowoomba regional councils on February 26-27.
The meetings could play a role in deciding whether debates about the de-merger of Yarraman from Toowoomba and its absorption into the South Burnett are re-ignited or left on the back burner.
The cost of improving Yarraman’s water and sewage system has been a sticking point in the past when suggestions have been made that the South Burnett council boundary should be realigned to include Yarraman.
But upgrades to Yarraman’s Ted Pukallus Weir, funded by Toowoomba Council’s Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA) flood recovery program, will begin soon. This work includes replacing the top one metre section of the weir which was broken off during the 2011 floods.
Another project – to bury the Yarraman water main downstream of the weir – is also beginning this month.
This project is also fully funded under the NDRRA flood recovery program with 75 per cent coming from the Federal Government and 25 per cent coming from the State Government.
The completion of both projects will go a long way towards remedying long-standing water supply issues in the town.
In May 2011, Yarraman residents held a series of public meetings to gauge local feeling about the town swapping from Toowoomba Regional Council’s local government area to the South Burnett.
The meetings – which were attended by representatives from both councils – found that opinion on a move was almost evenly split.
On the one hand, some Yarraman residents felt they were better off staying with Toowoomba because their rates were lower and Toowoomba Regional Council had more financial resources to upgrade the town’s ageing infrastructure.
But others felt it made more sense to join the South Burnett, which already surrounds the town on three sides and which has much stronger sporting, cultural and social ties with Yarraman.
It’s understood the South Burnett Regional Council was less than keen on the idea at the time because of the cost to carry out the water and sewerage upgrades, which far exceeded the council’s available resources.
The council was also unenthusiastic about the town’s long-term prospects. This is because Yarraman currently contributes only about $800,000 per annum in rates towards the average $1.7 million that Toowoomba Regional Council estimates it spends there every year.
Sources close to the SBRC told southburnett.com.au today that both councils are now reasonably comfortable with a boundary change providing the majority of Yarraman’s residents want one and providing funds could be found to upgrade the sewerage system.
Minister McArdle is expected to be asked if the State Government could help with the latter problem.
But if State Government assistance is not forthcoming, then Yarraman’s situation seems unlikely to change in the near term.
