The $1.5 million Bass Strait Islands Water Resilience Program is helping communities on King Island and Flinders Island better understand their local water resources and plan for a more secure water future. The investment is supporting practical work to help island communities prepare for and respond to drought.
The Program is doing this by:
- developing Water Security Strategies to identify improved water storage, reticulation, and other water security measures to meet community needs; and
- the King and Flinders Islands Water Infrastructure Rebate Scheme to assist livestock producers with 25% up to $15,000 for the purchase and installation of new, or repairs to existing water infrastructure.
Bass Strait Islands Water Security Strategies
People living and farming on the islands rely on a small number of local water sources for drinking water and agriculture. Recent dry conditions, including during the summer of 2023–24, highlighted how much reliance there is on these supplies. Many farmers and landholders have asked for clearer information about groundwater and surface water on the islands, including where water can be found, how reliable it is, and how it may change in the future.
NRE Tas is working with island communities, water users and local organisations to improve knowledge about water resources and identify practical options to strengthen water security.
What the project is doing
The project combines community engagement with scientific studies to build a clearer picture of how water systems work on King Island and Flinders Island.
This includes:
- Working with island communities to understand water needs for households, farming and local businesses.
- Studying surface water and groundwater across the islands.
- Assessing how reliable groundwater may be as a source of water for stock and domestic use.
- Identifying short-, medium- and long-term options to improve water security.
The information gathered will help water managers, landholders, governments and communities make better decisions about future water supply and infrastructure.
Progress so far
Work completed so far includes:
- Workshops with farmers and landholders to understand water challenges during dry periods and identify the information people need to make better on-farm water decisions.
- Recommissioning six groundwater monitoring bores on Flinders Island which now provide live data through the Water Information Portal (Data - Water Information Tasmania Web Portal).
- Collecting new and high-resolution elevation data using a Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) survey, to better understand landforms, surface water drainage and how water moves across the islands. (See also Elevation Data)
- Designing scientific studies and data collection to answer key water questions raised by the island communities.
Current work underway
Current work is focused on improving the scientific understanding of groundwater on the islands.
This includes:
- Planning and scoping groundwater investigations.
- Surveying groundwater bores to measure groundwater levels and collect water samples for testing.
- Developing a 3-dimensional geological model for King Island, in collaboration with Mineral Resources Tasmania.
These studies will help scientists better understand where groundwater occurs, how much water aquifers may hold, and the quality of that water.
What happens next
Upcoming work will include:
- On-island field investigations to assess groundwater resources.
- Airborne electromagnetic surveys by Geoscience Australia to improve understanding of groundwater systems.
- Developing 3-dimensional geological models for both King Island and Flinders Island, in collaboration with Mineral Resources Tasmania.
- Producing new groundwater maps and information products.
- Continuing engagement with island communities to share findings and discuss possible water security options.
Community consultation will continue as the project progresses. Island communities will have opportunities to hear about the findings of the scientific studies and provide feedback on the water security strategies.
Project outcomes
The project will deliver:
- Improved scientific understanding of groundwater resources on King Island and Flinders Island.
- New groundwater maps and information products.
- Groundwater atlases collating maps describing aspects about water resources for each island.
- Water security strategies outlining options to support reliable water supply for communities and agriculture.
These outcomes will help state and local governments, water managers, farmers and landowners better understand water systems on the islands and make informed decisions about water use and future investment.
Timeframe
The project is expected to run from 2024 to 2027.
The work is being delivered in two phases:
Phase 1 – Information and data analysis
Scientific investigations to improve understanding of groundwater and surface water resources across the islands.
Phase 2 – Community consultation and planning
Working with island communities to identify practical options to improve water security and drought preparedness, leading to the development of water security strategies for King Island and Flinders Island.
RWUS Fact sheet - Bass Strait Islands Water Security Strategies Project (PDF 349Kb)
King Island Water Security Project Update – April 2026 (PDF 232Kb)
Flinders Island Water Security Project Update – April 2026 (PDF 294Kb)
Water Infrastructure Rebate Scheme
Alongside the scientific work of the Bass Strait Islands Water Security Strategies, the Tasmanian Government also supported farmers to improve on-farm water infrastructure through the King and Flinders Island Farm Water Infrastructure Rebate Scheme.
The scheme recognised the unique challenges and additional costs faced by farming businesses on the Bass Strait Islands. It provided rebates to livestock primary producers on King Island and Flinders Island to:
- Purchase and install new on-farm water infrastructure.
- Repair or replace damaged existing water infrastructure.
These improvements helped address animal welfare needs and strengthen farm resilience during dry periods.
The scheme closed in 2025, with 98 farming businesses across King Island and Flinders Island receiving financial support.
Funding supported a range of on-farm water improvements, including:
- Installation of water tanks, pumps and troughs.
- Cleaning and restoring farm dams.
- Installing bores to supply water for livestock.
The funded works have helped improve the reliability of stock water supplies and strengthen drought resilience across the islands. Together, these on-farm improvements complement the scientific investigations underway through the Bass Strait Islands Water Securities Strategies Project.