Since 2004, qldwater’s Water Connections Tour has brought together water industry professionals, government representatives and sector partners to visit remote and regional Queensland communities. The annual tour provides a unique opportunity to inspect water and sewerage infrastructure, discuss operational and strategic challenges, and explore future water management and infrastructure needs with local service providers. Over the past two decades, the program has facilitated over 100 visits to member councils across Queensland.
The tour is designed to strengthen connections between regional and remote water service providers and key industry stakeholders, providing direct access to the latest technical knowledge, regulatory updates and policy developments. It also encourages collaboration, knowledge sharing and the identification of opportunities for regional partnerships and practical solutions to common challenges.
By experiencing local conditions firsthand, participants gain a deeper understanding of the issues facing remote and regional communities. Discussions throughout the tour focus on current priorities, emerging risks and opportunities for the water sector, helping to inform decision-making and support improved outcomes for regional Queensland. Tour delegations typically include representatives from the Department of Local Government, Water and Volunteers, Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation, Queensland Health, the Local Government Association of Queensland and qldwater.
Water Connections 2026
The 2026 Water Connections Tour went to North Queensland, connecting with members across Mackay, Whitsunday, Burdekin and Townsville. The program included site visits to key assets such as the Nebo Road Water Treatment Plant, Mackay South Water Recycling Facility, Bowen Water Treatment Plant, Ayr Brandon Macroalgae Bioremediation Facility, Magnetic Island and Horseshoe Bay Recycling Facilities and the Advanced Recycled Water Plant at Cleveland Bay.
Water Connections 2025
In 2025 we travelled to South West Queensland with site visits in the Toowoomba, Goondiwindi, Balonne and Maranoa council areas. From dam safety upgrades in Toowoomba, to bore failures and sewerage system risks in the South West QWRAP region, the tour explored real infrastructure, met with local leadership and operational personnel.
Water Connections 2024
The 2024 Water Connections Tour included visits to Mount Isa, Cloncurry, Julia Creek, Richmond, Hughenden and Winton. The tour provided an opportunity to bring together both state and federal government to gain first-hand insights of issues identified in the Urban Water Risk Assessment and compliance for wastewater treatment assets.
Water Connections 2023
In 2023 the tour visited councils in the Central Queensland region. The tour itinerary included visits to treatment plants, meetings with key staff and elected representatives and local hospitality in the South Burnett, North Burnett, Cherbourg, Fraser Coast, Woorabinda, Gladstone and Bundaberg Council areas.
Water Connections 2022
The 2022 tour focussed on Indigenous Councils in FNQ including Kowanyama, Pormpuraaw, Napranum, Mapoon, Arukun, Lockhart River and Cook. It also included meetings with Torres Strait Island Regional Council and Cairns Regional Council in Cairns.
Water Connections 2020 & 2021
Cancelled due to COVID-19.
Water Connections 2019
Councils in the South West corner of Queensland played host to the fourteenth annual Water Connections Tour when representatives from the water industry and state government visit remote communities to foster a better understanding of challenges and opportunities in providing water and sewerage services.
Starting in Cunnamulla on 13 May, the group of 15 visited the South West Queensland shires of Murweh, Paroo, Bulloo and Quilpie before finishing with a joint forum in Charleville on Friday, 17 May.
Water Connections 2018
The 2018 Water Connections Tour started in Normanton on 14 May, criss-crossing the North West Queensland shires of Carpentaria, Mornington, Burke, Doomadgee and Mount Isa before finishing in Cloncurry on Friday, 18 May.
Water Connections 2017
Central Queensland communities from Bundaberg to Livingstone played host to the twelfth annual Queensland Water Directorate’s Water Connections Tour. Starting in Bundaberg on 8 May 2017, the group visited the Central Queensland shires of North Burnett, Banana, Central Highlands, Woorabinda, Rockhampton and Livingstone before finishing in Gladstone on Friday, 12 May.
Water Connections 2016
In 2016, the Water Connections Tour delegation visited North Queensland including Hinchinbrook Shire Council, Palm Island Aboriginal Shire Council, Townsville City Council, Burdekin Shire Council, Whitsunday Regional Council and Mackay Regional Council. The “tourists” included representatives from qldwater, LGAQ, Departments of Energy and Water Supply, Environment and Heritage Protection, and Health, along with Townsville City Council.
With a wide diversity in the places visited, a lot of different matters were discussed. There was significant interest in regional collaboration, water security, compliance (especially environmental) and skilling and capacity. Several Councillors raised fluoridation, which had clearly been prominent around election time for their communities.
Water Connections 2015
In 2015, the Water Connections Tour delegation headed to Far North Queensland where they visited 9 councils and met many more members at the NQ Conference and Taste Test which was held in Cairns on Friday 8 May.
The itinerary included stops in Yarrabah Aboriginal Shire Council, Hope Vale Aboriginal Shire Council, Cook Shire Council, Wujal Wujal Aboriginal Shire Council and Douglas Shire Council (Mossman) Tablelands Regional Council (Atherton), Mareeba Shire Council (Mareeba) and a meeting with Torres Strait Island Regional Council in Cairns.
Water Connections 2014
In 2014 the Water Connections Tour was a road trip around South West Queensland, stopping in Dalby, Roma, St George and Goondiwindi, finishing in Warwick with a mini-conference and the SWQ semi final of the Best of the Best Water Taste Test.
Water Connections 2013
The 2013 Tour visited Mount Isa, Cloncurry, McKinlay, Richmond, Flinders, Charters Towers and finishing with the North Queensland Mini-Conference and Regional Taste Test in Townsville.
Water Connections 2012
In 2012 the Water Connections Week headed back to North Queensland, starting and ending with conferences and regional taste tests in Longreach and Bowen, with trips to Croydon, Etheridge (Georgetown and Forsayth), Cooktown, Wujal Wujal, Innisfail and Ayr in between.
This year representatives from DERM, Queensland Health, SEWPaC and DEEDI joined Rob Fearon, Dave Cameron, Michael Lever (along with Bruce Gardiner and Alex Ung from Cairns for the Wujal Wujal and Cooktown legs). Michael Lever was able to offer a number of options in smaller areas to improve treatment processes and other technical and policy issues were able to be addressed.
Water Connections 2011
In 2011 we went wild in the West, visiting Maranoa, Roma, Jundah, Bedourie, Mount Isa, Cloncurry, Mornington Island, Karumba and Normanton. Each site visited saw representations by senior council staff and in most instances, mayors and or Councillors. Typically this involved a meeting for an hour or so where the visitors listened to their water and sewerage issues, followed by a technical tour of treatment facilities.
The charter flight was oversubscribed with senior representatives from the National Water Commission and Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, Queensland Departments of Environment and Resource Management and Health and usual technical experts to provide advice on plant operation.
Water Connections 2010
qldwater’s annual Water and Sewage Treatment Plant Tour took place in May 2010, where a team of water and sewerage experts and engineers visited Charleville, Quilpie, Blackall, Longreach, Winton, Aramac, Emerald and Gayndah.
The tour group included two General Managers from DERM, a DIP Fluoride Representative and provided councils with updates on a range of relevant programs. A site inspection of Water and Sewage Treatment Plants was undertaken and a confidential report issued to all councils involved.