Piping Mendi River to Australia

Queenslander's pipe dream for PNG water July 28, 2010

AAP



A Queensland tourism entrepreneur's pipe dream is one step closer to realisation with the launch a feasibility study into piping fresh water 3000 kilometres from Papua New Guinea to Australia.



Fred Ariel, an adventure tourism operator and former owner of Fitzroy Island just off the Great Barrier Reef, wants to build a $30 billion pipeline from PNG's Highlands region to south-east Queensland.



PNG's Post Courier newspaper on Wednesday reported that Mr Ariel's Might and Power company had sealed a deal with PNG's government to start a feasibility study into the ambitious plan.



Advertisement: Story continues below"Water in the Highlands is abundant while it is scarce in Australia," Mr Ariel said at a ceremony in Port Moresby on Tuesday.



"This is history in the making for PNG and the (Southern Highlands) province."



He said the plan included six hydro power stations to generate electricity to supply many locations on the route of the project, including towns in far north Queensland, the Post Courier reported.



Mr Ariel said he had the backing of the Australian and Queensland governments.



However, in past the state government and Queensland Water Commission have questioned the project's economic viability.



Despite the huge construction costs and logistics involved, Mr Ariel has said it will be cheaper than building desalination plants or recycling water in Australia.



The plan proposes water from PNG's Mendi River will be piped south under the Torres Strait and through north Queensland into major river systems.



In 2007, a $5.5 billion plan to pump gas from PNG to Queensland was scrapped due to costs.



© 2010 AAP