FEDERAL Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce yesterday unveiled what is likely to be the nation’s biggest dam building program in decades.
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But what was conspicuous was the absence of the mention of the Big Buffalo dam project among 27 water projects listed.
Proponents of Big Buffalo, including lobby group member Tiff Rayner, are surprised and disappointed but are vowing to continue their fight by going directly to the Coalition parties to state their case.
The Big Buffalo project would involve expanding Lake Buffalo, near Myrtleford, into a million-megalitre dam.
The small group lobbying for the project has spent the past 15 years to get work started, arguing the existing Lake Buffalo is a job half-finished.
The Crown had acquired the land for Big Buffalo 60 years ago, but had never gone any further, they say.
Mr Rayner’s group had found support with Environment Minister Greg Hunt, when he was in opposition, and they now want a meeting with Mr Joyce to discuss water infrastructure plans.
The listing of the dam and irrigation projects will hopefully be sufficient to encourage the government to include Big Buffalo in its plans.
