Dam bogged in Traveston swamp | Gympie News | Local News in Gympie

STATE Government rhetoric on the proposed Traveston Crossing dam collapsed into quicksand in State Parliament yesterday.

Premier Anna Bligh announced an expected "delay in construction of at least several years," on the basis of environmental concerns raised by the Queensland Co-ordinator-General.

But as jubilant anti-dam activists claimed a hard-won victory, the Government and its dam construction company announced their determination to press on with the project.

"The Government remains committed to the Traveston Crossing dam and we will do everything in our power to see it built," Ms Bligh told the House.

Her words were echoed by Graeme Newton, CEO of the government's wholly owned dam construction company, Queensland Water Infrastructure, who said: "QWI remains committed to delivering the project and associated infrastructure. We will continue to voluntarily purchase land associated with the project," he said.

"It's the worst possible announcement," Gympie Region Mayor Ron Dyne said, explaining that the council needed certainty for its town planning, road building and corporate planning functions.

"We're in a position where we will have to spend millions and I mean millions on roads which we thought would be built as part of the dam project. And then if it goes ahead in the future, they'll be submerged," he said.

The business sector was similarly concerned, according to Kerren Smith, principal of major Gympie engineering firm, J Smith and Sons.

"I think it's very disappointing for the economy of Gympie." He said QWI had funded major training initiatives to help businesses position themselves to benefit from the project, but had never given any encouragement to businesses to invest for it.

"One of my concerns is that, in the economic times we're going into, that project would have (provided) some recession proofing for the business community," he said.

Mary Valley residents, including leading dairy farmer John Cochrane, saw it very differently.

"It's unbelievable. It's just fantastic," Mr Cochrane said yesterday.

Save the Mary River Co-ordinating Group president Kevin Ingersole said he was "pleased and stunned."