Victoria River - "The potential for irrigation is probably equal in magnitude to the Ord"

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Victoria River - "The potential for irrigation is probably equal in magnitude to the Ord"

When planning my trip, I knew I couldn't do a circuit from Broome to Kununurra and back to Broome, given that the Gibb River Road is mostly dirt and wouldnt suit a rental vehicle. So I planned to land in Darwin and drive to Kununurra on the first day.

On the way to the Ord, there is a river that has so much potential! Potential to be a resource for a major dam to help develop agricultural production in Australia's north. It is the Victoria River.




Professor Lance Endersbee, one of the chief engineers on the Snowy Mountains Scheme, has said:

“Nothing has been done whatsoever to investigate the potential of the Victoria River. The potential for irrigation is probably equal in magnitude to the Ord.’’



Here are a few of my photos from my fleeting visit to this location. The potential speaks for itself.


I had good people making sure I was aware of the danger of monsoonal rainfall events. I was very fortunate that none of that happened on my trip. On the contrary, I had 45 degree days, when I was in this region, in Broome it was 10 degrees cooler.

But, come January 2024:






In this ABC News article:

With access to Perth dependent on road closures around the town, Mr Edwards said works on the Tanami Road this year would be important.

"[The] Tanami actually gives us another access road … they'll be working on it this year and hopefully in the years to come, it'll be completed," he said.


I'm not sure what he's referring to, because I'm not aware of plans to turn the Tanami Track into bitumen but I'm happy to be corrected.

Meanwhile:
Source: NT News Jan 23rd 2024

The Victoria River reaches record flood levels

The Victoria River has broken record flood levels set more than three decades ago.

The Bureau of Meteorology’s Shenagh Gamble confirmed that the lower catchment at the Victoria Bridge Crossing reached 23.4m in 1974, and 24.2m in 1991.

On Sunday evening the Victoria Bridge Crossing peaked at a whopping 24.3m.

Remember the bridge height is 19.3m.

The issue for the people in these communities is: would you rather be flooded time after time, or would you rather that creativity comes in and prevents floods and develop the region!

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