The Darling Downs is one of Australia’s most important food-producing regions. Its farms depend on fertile soils and the Condamine Alluvium — a vital groundwater system that supports agriculture, regional communities and towns.
But a new Queensland Government Bill puts these land and water resources at risk.
This Bill removes protections for farmland and water, and makes it easier for gas companies to operate with less oversight.
What’s happening
Coal seam gas development continues to expand across southern Queensland, with growing evidence of impacts on farmland and water.
Farmers have already reported land subsidence linked to gas extraction, damaging cropping land, altering drainage, and reducing productivity. There are also serious concerns about long-term impacts on groundwater, including drawdown, pressure changes between aquifers, and risks to water quality.
Despite this, the proposed laws weaken key protections.
- No proper consultation
Farmers and communities have not been meaningfully consulted - Water protections don’t work
The rules won’t apply to most wells and are difficult to enforce - Key safeguards are being removed
The Bill scraps the RIDA process, a critical protection for farmland and water - Risk is shifted onto farmers
Damage is allowed to occur, with landholders left to pursue compensation
This shifts the system from preventing harm to allowing it — and dealing with the consequences later.
Why it matters
This is not just a regional issue.
Weakening protections in the Condamine Alluvium puts Queensland’s food production and water security at risk.
What needs to happen
The Darling Downs Environment Council supports calls for the Queensland Government to:
- Restore full assessment and approval processes for all gas activities affecting the Condamine Alluvium
- Reinstate the RIDA process to protect prime agricultural land and water resources
- Apply water protections to all wells, including existing and approved developments
- Strengthen safeguards to prevent land subsidence and long-term impacts
- Ensure decisions are informed by independent scientific assessment and genuine community consultation
Take action
Strong community voices are critical to ensure these protections are delivered.
Call on the Queensland Government to fix the Bill, restore protections, and listen to farmers and regional communities.
The 3 most powerful things you can do right now are:
- Join a Knitting Nannas action every Friday at Treasurer Janetzki’s office, 8am, 677 Ruthven St Toowoomba
- Call Jarrod Bleijie’s office and tell them you expect meaningful protection for prime farmland and the Condamine Alluvium – (07) 3719 7100
- Declare your property “Gasfield Free” via our website – saveourdarlingsdowns.org
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