The Queensland Government is investing $545 million to upgrade the Lake Macdonald and North Pine dams in south-east Queensland.

Lake Macdonald restorations will bring the dam’s capacity from 39 per cent to 100 per cent to deliver an additional 4891 megalitres, while the capacity of North Pine dam will increase from 54 per cent to 100 per cent to deliver an additional 99,404 megalitres.

A new dam wall will be constructed at Lake Macdonald, with the existing dam wall at North Pine strengthened, with anchors to be installed on the non-overflow monoliths and dam spillway.

This forms part of the Queensland Government’s Dam Repair Plan, where any dam operating below full capacity in the south-east will be overhauled.

A further $10 million will be spent on investigating a new dam in the fast-growing region.

“We are strengthening water security by repairing our dams and delivering new ones, investing in the infrastructure this State hasn’t seen for many decades,” Queensland Premier David Crisafulli said.

“We can’t control the weather but we can control our water storage, which is why new and improved dams are a priority.”

Queensland Minister for Local Government and Water Ann Leahy said the dam restorations formed part of a larger package of works bolstering water security in south-east Queensland.

“We’re adding new weirs in Longreach, Barlil and Cooranga and we’re rebuilding Paradise Dam, as well as restoring capacity across south-east Queensland dams,” she said.

A project to rebuild Paradise Dam received $59.8 million in the Queensland Government’s 2025–26 budget, boosting local agriculture and restoring water security for the Wide Bay-Burnett region.

Elsewhere, Seqwater is working a raft of projects across its network, including a new underground bulk water pipeline to unlock more water transfer between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast.

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