RAIN-CHANGERS HEADING FOR NORTH QUEENSLAND

First there were sea-changers, then tree-changers and now people are moving to parts of Australia with the best water supplies – “rain-changers”.

Water Minister Craig Wallace said for the first time rain-changers were being considered in water planning for North and Far North Queensland.

The Far North Queensland Draft Regional Water Supply, released earlier this week, said the impact of rain-changers had to be considered in long-term water plans for the region.

“Rain-change is occurring and we have to include it in planning the future water needs of cities like Townsville and Cairns,” said Mr Wallace, who is also Minister Assisting the Premier in North Queensland.

“The climate and lifestyle in North and Far North Queensland have always attracted people from southern states and other parts of Queensland.

“Now there is an extra reason to head north - the higher rainfall that North and Far North Queensland get.

“People want to be able to hose their gardens, fill a pool or simply run a sprinkler for their kids on a hot summer’s day.”

However, Mr Wallace warned rain-changers that even the wettest parts of Queensland were looking at introducing rainwater tanks, recycling and tougher water restrictions in the long term.

“Rain-changers can run but in the end they can’t hide from climate change,” he said.

The terms sea-change and tree-change refer to the movement of people to the seaside and attractive rural settings for the better lifestyle these areas provide.

Due to climate change, many parts of Australia are expected to get drier.

In contrast, North and Far North Queensland are expected to get the same amount of rain that they do now, though the rainfall will be in shorter, more intense bursts.

Rain-change will not be the only reason for people moving to North and Far North Queensland and no figures are yet available on the number of rain-changers.

North Queensland and Far North Queensland are some of the highest rainfall areas in Australia.

Cairns has an annual rainfall of around 2010mm compared with Townsville 1136mm (Townsville also gets water from Queensland’s largest dam, the Burdekin Dam, currently at 95%), Brisbane 1189mm, Sydney 1220mm and Melbourne 661mm.

Between 2001 and 2006 the population of Far North Queensland grew by 2.1% and North Queensland grew by 2%.

In the same years, Cairns had annual population growth of 3800 people a year compared with 4000 people a year for Townsville/Thuringowa.

Media inquiries: Paul Childs, Craig Wallace’s office, on 0407 131 654.