River improvement trusts
A river improvement trust (trust) is a statutory authority constituted under the River Improvement Trust Act 1940 (PDF)* to protect and improve rivers, repair and prevent damage to rivers, and prevent or mitigate flooding of land by riverine flood.
A local government may make an application or two or more local governments may make a joint application to the Minister for Natural Resources and Water and Minister Assisting the Premier in North Queensland to have constituted, by regulation, a trust and an associated river improvement area. A trust has jurisdiction within its benefited river improvement area. A river improvement area may comprise all or part of one or more local government areas and may be amended by regulation under the Act.
The primary role of a trust is to plan, design, finance, undertake and maintain stream improvement works for the benefit of the community within its river improvement area. The Act provides a trust with the powers to undertake these functions including the ability to raise funds, enter land, occupy land, enter into contracts, and carry out works.
At present there are 15 trusts in Queensland: 5 are in the Darling Downs region, 2 are in the Ipswich area in the south-east, and 8 are located in the tropical north coast area between Mackay and Mossman.
The area comprising the river improvement area for each of the trusts is stated in the Schedule in the River Improvement Trust Regulation 1988 (PDF)*. Plans describing the river improvement areas are held by the Department.
The trusts are statutory bodies under the Financial Administration and Audit Act 1977 (PDF)* and the Statutory Bodies Financial Arrangements Act 1982 (PDF)*, and in each financial year are obliged to provide an annual report and audited financial statements to the Minister for Natural Resources and Water and Minister Assisting the Premier in North Queensland.
The Minister must table, in the Queensland Parliament, either a copy of each annual report or prepare a summary report for each River Improvement trusts.
Plans of river improvement trust areas
- Cairns River Improvement Trust (PDF, 291K)*
- Cardwell Shire River Improvement Trust (PDF, 264K)*
- Clifton River Improvement Trust (PDF, 320K)*
- Don River Improvement Trust (PDF, 157K)*
- Douglas River Improvement Trust (PDF, 208K)*
- Johnstone River Improvement Trust (PDF, 236K)*
- Jondaryan River Improvement Trust
Plans 1-4 (PDF, 227K)* Plans 5-8 (PDF, 269K)* - Pioneer River Improvement Trust (PDF, 287K)*
- Scenic Rim (formerly Boonah) River Improvement Trust
Plans 1-4 (PDF, 254K)* Plans 5-8 (PDF, 247K)* - Stanthorpe River Improvement Trust (PDF, 318K)*
- Wambo River Improvement Trust
Plans 1-4 (PDF, 297K)* Plans 5-8 (PDF, 238K)* - Warwick River Improvement Trust
Plans 1-4 (PDF, 296K)* Plans 5-8 (PDF, 210K)* - Whitsunday River Improvement Trust (PDF, 171K)*
Contact
Project Officer, Water Industry Administration
Telephone: (07) 3239 3901
Facsimile: (07) 3224 2187
Email Office of the Water Supply Regulator
* Requires Acrobat Reader
Last updated: 02 March 2009