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Water Allocations for Sale

Sale of medium priority water allocations – Upper Condamine Water Supply Scheme

Medium priority (MP) water sharing rules in the Upper Condamine Water Supply Scheme (WSS) have been amended to enable the optimisation of MP allocations and to enhance water security when storage levels are low. For more information refer to the Draft Upper Condamine Water Supply Scheme Operations Manual here, and the factsheet here. 

As a result, Sunwater now has 129 ML of medium priority (MP) water allocations in the Upper Condamine Water Supply Scheme (UCWSS) available for permanent trade through an auction on the Water Exchange website.   

The water allocations are held in Upper Condamine Zone UCS-02 with an Allocation Purpose of “ANY”. 

The water will be auctioned in parcels as outlined in the table below.     

Reference Number Volume (ML) Priority Zone Closing Date Closing Time 
TBA 9 Medium UCS-02 5 March 2026  9.00am 
  20 Medium 9.30am 
  20 Medium 10.00 am 
  20 Medium 10.30 am 
  20 Medium 11.00 am 
  20 Medium 11.30 am 
  20 Medium 12.00 pm 

Please note

  • The above auction links will go live on the Water Exchange website with varied closing times between 9am and 12pm on Thursday 5 March 2026. 
  • When provided, the reference numbers in the table above will link directly to the live auction on the Water Exchange website.  
  • If a bid is received in the last minute of the auction, it will be extended for an additional two minutes. 
  • Sunwater is setting a starting bid price of $3800 per megalitre. If a bid is received at or above the starting bid price, the parcel will sell at the highest priced bid. Bids are made in $5 increments. 
  • Buyers are encouraged to register an account with Water Exchange by Thursday 26 February 2026 if they wish to participate. Customers can register via the Water Exchange website. For assistance with registration, please contact Lincoln Parr on 0419 473 153 or lparr@ruralcowater.com.au.  
  • Sunwater holds one allocation of 129ML therefore subdivisions will be required with multiple buyers.    
  • Any subdivision of the allocations held by Sunwater required as part of the Auction process will be submitted to the Department of Local Government, Water and Volunteers (DLGWV) for processing by Sunwater before any volumes are transferred to the successful bidders.  
  • Transaction finalisation timing will be dependent upon subdivision /amalgamation processing times (if required), contracting and title transfer processing times. Any AA’s attributed to the allocations at the time of transaction finalisation will be attributed to the successful bidders’ account(s).  
  • Temporary and permanent trading is permitted in the UCWSS subject to Zone Caps – refer zone cap factsheet. 
  • Temporary transfers into other zones are subject to loss factors – refer Zone cap fact sheet.  
  • Permanent transfers into other zones are permitted, however they are only possible subject to the minimum and maximum volume permitted in each zone. Zone UCS-03 is capped out so permanent transfers are not permitted into UCS-03. Refer to zone cap fact sheet.   
  • Buyers may apply to DLGWV to change the location of the volumes after the completion of the sale process. Sunwater is not involved in the approval of such applications nor will be responsible for additional costs incurred for this step. Any requested change to location will be subject to scheme zone caps. The Queensland Government publishes the current location of water allocations in the UCWSS on their website where “capped out” zones can be identified subject to the Condamine and Balonne Water Management Protocol. 
  • Interested buyers who don’t have access to the internet can contact Ruralco so that alternative bidding arrangements can be made. 
  • Buyers who do not have a water offtake can contact Sunwater on 13 15 89, Monday to Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm to work through the water offtake requirements. 
  • The sale terms and conditions that apply to parcels purchased are contained in the Contract of Sale of Water Allocation. The ongoing supply terms and conditions are contained in the River Supply Contract. 
  • Where applicable, security equivalent to six months charges is required with the purchase of an allocation. Security is required for purchases in Companies and Trusts. 
  • For irrigation customers, security requirements are referred to in the River Supply contract (linked above). For non-irrigation customers, please contact the Sunwater Customer Support team to discuss security requirements.  
  • For more information on the UCWSS including Scheme Management, refer to the UCWSS page on the Sunwater website here.   
  • For more information on how Sunwater conducts its water trading such as the Water Trading Policy and the code of Conduct, refer the Water Trading page on the Sunwater website here. 

Permanent trade purchase process

Following auction closing, Sunwater will complete the Contract of Sale with the particulars of the sale and will send to the buyer(s) for signing as well as an invoice for the deposit amount of ten per cent of the purchase price. The buyer will need to return to Sunwater the signed Contract of Sale together with payment of the deposit.  

The buyer will also be required to: 

  • all business or entity customers will be required to supply an ASIC search completed within the last six months. 
  • submit to Sunwater the completed original forms 1 and 24 for execution. 
  • sign (if required) and return the River Supply Contract/s provided by Sunwater. 
  • arrange for the Contract of Sale and the original Forms 1 & 24 to be assessed for transfer duty and for the transfer duty to be paid  
  • submit to Titles Queensland the required lodgement forms (executed and stamped forms 1 and 24) and Notice to Registrar, issued by Sunwater, upon receipt of payment for remaining allocation purchase price. 
  • supply to Sunwater the Registration Confirmation Statement (RCS). 
  • based on parcel(s) purchased the successful bidder may choose to complete a separate subdivision or amalgamation process. For more information, please contact Sunwater customer support on 13 15 89. 

Once Sunwater executes and returns the sale contracts to the buyer, the buyer is responsible for submitting all executed transfer forms to Titles Queensland. After the buyer receives the completed RCS from Titles Queensland and provides the RCS to Sunwater, water supply can commence.  

Buyers are advised to allow up to 75 working days from the close of the auction to water supply commencement for this process to be completed. This timeframe may be extended if a subdivision or amalgamation is requested and is inclusive of the 30-day settlement period. Sunwater will endeavour to reduce these timeframes where possible.  

Sunwater strongly encourages customers to engage a solicitor to assist in the sales and final transfer process, for greater accuracy of documentation and to reduce processing times.  

Purchase price, fees and charges

Customers purchasing water allocations should note that ongoing fixed and usage changes apply every year and are payable on a quarterly basis.  The 2025-26 customer fees and charges for UCWSS allocations are available on the Sunwater website here. 

The River Supply Contract refers to the fees and charges, however, the Queensland Government has introduced a discount for irrigators. The 15 per cent discount will be applied to Part A and B charges for irrigation customers.  

For non-irrigation customers, or customers unsure of their water usage classification, please contact customer support on 13 15 89 for more information and to confirm the applicable supply charges.  

The fees and charges applicable to the sale process include: 

  • Titles fees are available for calculation on the Titles Queensland website, titlesqld.com.au and searching ‘Fee calculator’ 
  • Stamp duties, where applicable (varies) 

Further information

For further information regarding the water sale process or to progress registration of a Water Exchange trading account, please contact Sunwater’s Ruralco water broker, Lincoln Parr, on 0419 473 153 or lparr@ruralcowater.com.au