The Bradfield Scheme was a proposed large-scale civil engineering project in Queensland, Australia, devised by Dr. John Bradfield (known for designing the Sydney Harbour Bridge) in the 1930s. The ambitious plan aimed to divert large amounts of water from the wet coastal rivers of North Queensland over the Great Dividing Range and into the dry interior of the continent, specifically the Lake Eyre basin.
Overview
Bradfield's proposal envisioned damming several rivers in North Queensland, including the Burdekin, Tully, and Herbert Rivers, which flow eastwards into the Coral Sea. The scheme intended to pump this water westwards, over the Great Dividing Range, at an elevation of approximately 600 metres (2,000 ft), and then allow it to flow by gravity into the headwaters of rivers like the Thomson and Cooper Creek, which ultimately lead to the Lake Eyre basin.Proposed Objectives
The primary goals of the Bradfield Scheme were:- Irrigation: To irrigate vast tracts of the arid interior, transforming them into fertile agricultural land.
- Climate Modification: To increase humidity and rainfall in the interior, thereby "making the desert bloom" and improving agricultural viability.
- Population Growth: To support a significantly larger population and foster new inland settlements.
- Economic Development: To boost Australia's agricultural output and overall economic prosperity.
Key Components
The original 1930s proposal involved:- Damming: Construction of massive dams on the upper reaches of coastal rivers in North Queensland.
- Pumping Stations: Powerful pumping stations to lift the water over the Great Dividing Range.
- Canals and Tunnels: A network of canals and tunnels to convey the water westwards.
- Inland River Systems: Utilising natural river systems (e.g., Thomson, Cooper Creek) to distribute water across the interior.
- Artificial Inland Sea: Some interpretations and later adaptations of the scheme even suggested the creation of a large artificial inland sea in the Lake Eyre basin, though Bradfield's original plan was more focused on irrigation channels.
Criticisms and Feasibility Concerns
Despite its grand vision, the Bradfield Scheme has faced significant criticism and has never been implemented, primarily due to:- Hydrological Doubts: Scientific studies have largely concluded that the scheme would not significantly alter the climate or create widespread rainfall due to factors like high evaporation rates and the scale of the continent's weather systems. Much of the diverted water would likely evaporate before reaching the intended areas or having a climatic effect.
- Engineering Challenges: The immense scale of pumping required to lift water over the Great Dividing Range, and the construction of vast canals in remote and difficult terrain, presented formidable engineering and logistical hurdles.
- Economic Viability: The estimated costs were astronomical, and questions arose about the economic return on investment, particularly given the high evaporation losses and the challenges of farming in such remote areas.
- Environmental Impact: Concerns include:
- Alteration of natural river flows and ecosystems in both the source rivers and the Lake Eyre basin.
- Potential for increased salinization in irrigated areas.
- Impact on indigenous communities and their traditional lands.
- The possibility of creating new ecological problems rather than solving existing ones.
- Political Obstacles: Gaining consensus and funding for such a massive, long-term interstate project has proven politically challenging.
Legacy and Modern Discussions
The Bradfield Scheme remains a recurring topic in Australian political and public discourse, especially during periods of severe drought. It symbolises the ambition to "drought-proof" Australia and develop its interior. While the original scheme is widely considered impractical by most scientific and engineering consensus, its underlying concept — of diverting water from the continent's wet north to its dry interior — occasionally resurfaces in modified or smaller-scale proposals. It represents a significant historical example of large-scale visionary planning for national development.See Also
- Water management in Australia
- Lake Eyre
- Great Dividing Range
- John Bradfield