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Sale of medium priority permanent water allocations – Burdekin Haughton Water Supply Scheme
Sunwater is making 15,000 ML of its available Burdekin Haughton Water Supply Scheme (BHWSS).
Medium Priority (MP) Zone C water allocations available for permanent trade through an auction on the Water Exchange platform.
Sunwater is providing this advance notice for interested buyers to prepare for the auction.
The water allocations will be auctioned in parcels on the Water Exchange website over a one-week period with closing dates between Monday 1 June & Friday 5 June 2026, and daily closing times between 9.30am to 4.30pm as outlined below.
Water allocations
Closing Monday 1 June 2026
| Reference Number | Volume (ML) | Priority | Zone | Closing Date | Closing Time |
| TBC | 25 | Medium | C – River | Monday 1 June 2026 | 9.30 am |
| TBC | 50 | Medium | C – River | 10.30 am | |
| TBC | 50 | Medium | C – River | 11.30 am | |
| TBC | 100 | Medium | C – River | 12.30 am | |
| TBC | 200 | Medium | C – River | 1.30 pm | |
| TBC | 500 | Medium | C – River | 2.30 pm | |
| TBC | 1000 | Medium | C – River | 3.30 pm | |
| TBC | 1000 | Medium | C – River | 4.30 pm |
Closing Tuesday 2 June 2026
| Reference Number | Volume (ML) | Priority | Zone | Closing Date | Closing Time |
| TBC | 25 | Medium | C – River | Tuesday 2 June 2026 | 9.30 am |
| TBC | 50 | Medium | C – River | 10.30 am | |
| TBC | 50 | Medium | C – River | 11.30 am | |
| TBC | 100 | Medium | C – River | 12.30 am | |
| TBC | 200 | Medium | C – River | 1.30 pm | |
| TBC | 500 | Medium | C – River | 2.30 pm | |
| TBC | 1000 | Medium | C – River | 3.30 pm | |
| TBC | 1000 | Medium | C – River | 4.30 pm |
Closing Wednesday 3 June 2026
| Reference Number | Volume (ML) | Priority | Zone | Closing Date | Closing Time |
| TBC | 25 | Medium | C – River | Wednesday 3 June 2026 | 9.30 am |
| TBC | 50 | Medium | C – River | 10.30 am | |
| TBC | 50 | Medium | C – River | 11.30 am | |
| TBC | 100 | Medium | C – River | 12.30 pm | |
| TBC | 200 | Medium | C – River | 1.30 pm | |
| TBC | 500 | Medium | C – River | 2.30 pm | |
| TBC | 1000 | Medium | C – River | 3.30 pm | |
| TBC | 1000 | Medium | C – River | 4.30 pm |
Closing Thursday 4 June 2026
| Reference Number | Volume (ML) | Priority | Zone | Closing Date | Closing Time |
| TBC | 25 | Medium | C – River | Thursday 4 June 2026 | 9.30 am |
| TBC | 50 | Medium | C – River | 10.30 am | |
| TBC | 50 | Medium | C – River | 11.30 am | |
| TBC | 100 | Medium | C – River | 12.30 pm | |
| TBC | 200 | Medium | C – River | 1.30 pm | |
| TBC | 500 | Medium | C – River | 2.30 pm | |
| TBC | 1000 | Medium | C – River | 3.30 pm | |
| TBC | 1000 | Medium | C – River | 4.30 pm |
Closing Friday 5 June 2026
| Reference Number | Volume (ML) | Priority | Zone | Closing Date | Closing Time |
| TBC | 50 | Medium | C – River | Friday 5 June 2026 | 9.30 am |
| TBC | 50 | Medium | C – River | 10.30 am | |
| TBC | 100 | Medium | C – River | 11.30 am | |
| TBC | 100 | Medium | C – River | 12.30 pm | |
| TBC | 500 | Medium | C – River | 1.30 pm | |
| TBC | 500 | Medium | C – River | 2.30 pm | |
| TBC | 1000 | Medium | C – River | 3.30 pm | |
| TBC | 1000 | Medium | C – River | 4.30 pm |
Please note
- The above auction links will go live on the Water Exchange website with varied closing times and days. If a bid is received in the last minute of the auction, it will be extended for an additional two minutes.
- Sunwater will set a reserve/starting bid price of $300 per ML. 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 minimum $5 increments.
- Buyers are encouraged to register an account with Water Exchange by 25 May 2026 if they wish to participate. Registration can be done via the Water Exchange website. For assistance with registration, please contact Lincoln Parr on 0419 473 153 or lparr@ruralcowater.com.au.
- The 15,000 ML is located in BHWSS Burdekin Zone C and, as such, all water allocations will be sold from Burdekin Zone C.
- The purpose of the water allocations being sold is “Any”, meaning there is no condition for the intended purpose of use. https://www.dlgwv.qld.gov.au/water/consultations-initiatives/lower-burdekin-groundwater-strategy
- Buyers may choose to submit an application with the Department of Local Government, Water and Volunteers (DLGWV) to change the location of the available volumes after the completion of the sale process. Sunwater is not involved in the approval of such applications and will not 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 BHWSS water allocations here where any “capped out” zones can be identified.
- Any subdivision of the water 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). Announced allocations for the BHWSS can be viewed here.
- Due to rising groundwater impacts in the Lower Burdekin, Sunwater and the Queensland Government Department of Local Government, Water and Volunteers (DLGWV) have been undertaking a coordinated project to mitigate against the risk of rising groundwater.
- The water allocations offered for auction are for river supply only. Buyers requiring access to the BHWSS distribution network for water delivery are required to contact Sunwater on water.tenders@sunwater.com.au prior to bidding at auction to determine if any operational restrictions, e.g. to Peak Flow Entitlement, to capacity, or due to groundwater issues (which may require a groundwater irrigation management plan) apply to buyer’s access to water.
- Current BHWSS rules still apply such as the Peak Flow Entitlement rate – the rate possible to deliver water within the distribution network during periods of high demand. All buyers are encouraged to conduct their own due diligence around supply and, if required, discuss with Sunwater Operations or Customer Support. Please refer to Sunwater’s BHWSS Water Supply Arrangements and Scheme Targets here
- Temporary and permanent trading is permitted in the BHWSS, subject to zone caps – refer zone cap factsheet.
- For information on scheme management within the BHWSS, please refer to Sunwater’s BHWSS Scheme Rule and Targets here.
- 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.
- When Sunwater is required to distribute water via its network of channels and pipelines (subject to Sunwater Operations’ approval), both a River Supply Contract and a Channel and Pipeline Contract will be required.
- Where applicable, security equivalent to six months charges is required with the purchase of an allocation. For irrigation customers, security requirements are referred to in the River Supply Contract.
- For non-irrigation customers, please contact the Sunwater Customer Support team to discuss security requirements.
- Security is applicable for all purchases in Companies and Trusts with corporate trustees.
- 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:
- complete a Sunwater customer profile form – for new customers only.
- complete an Application Sunwater Water Supply Contact form – for all customers.
- all business or entity customers will be required to supply an ASIC search completed within the last six months.
- complete a Titles Registry Form 1 Transfer and Form 24 Property information (Transfer).
- submit to Sunwater the completed original forms 1 and 24 for execution.
- sign (if required) and return the River Supply Contract/s and (if required) the Channel and Pipeline 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 Contract of Sale 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
Buyers 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 BHWSS allocations are available on the Sunwater website here.
The River Supply Contract refers to the fees and charges, however, the Queensland Government announced a continuation of the 15% discount (rebate) to FY2027 for eligible irrigation customers. For more information refer to the Irrigation Pricing Rebate Scheme fact sheet here.
For non-irrigation buyers, or buyers unsure of their water usage classification, please contact Sunwater 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) – buyers are responsible for determining stamp duty requirements and arranging payment.
Further information
For further information regarding the water allocation 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.
Sunwater Customer Support
Phone: 13 15 89
Email: customersupport@sunwater.com.au