The official opening of the Trangie Nevertire Irrigation Scheme (TNIS) Modernisation took place on the Macquarie River at Gin Gin. 

More than 150 international, interstate and local people turned out to witness the world-class system. 

The effects of the new and improved scheme are not limited to farmers and agricultural businesses. TNIS chairman, Jim Winter, hopes for a flow-on effect to the town for generations to come. 

“There’s community benefits and economic flow-on effects,” he said. 

Scheme treasurer, Tony Quigley, said the board’s dream became a reality when they were granted the $115 million from the federal government five years ago. 

“Minister Penny Wong announced the funding in return for water savings, originally it was $115 million in exchange for water, we got $2 million interest and $2 million from members,” Mr Quigley said. 

Scheme members transferred 29.620 megalitres of permanent water savings to the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder for the $115 million funding. 

The board said the modernised scheme now hosted an upgrade of a long earthen channel irrigation and stock and domestic water supply system, fully-pressurised stock and domestic pipeline to 102 member farms to allow continuous supply of clean river water, an upgrade of the river irrigation pumps to variable speed and world-leading control and delivery gates with telemetry control, significant on-farm irrigation system improvements aimed at improved water use efficiency and much more. 

This modernisation was made possible by the committee members. 

Site supervisor, Rob McCutcheon said this modernisation would help the Macquarie Valley greatly. 

“We really do want to feed and clothe the world and this will help us do that more efficiently,” he said. 

“We can grow more with less and hit environmental targets.”

Mr McCutcheon said it was an enormous effort from a variety of people all over the world.

“More people worked on this site than live in Trangie,” he said.

“And we have not had one serious injury since March 2012.

“This is a world-class irrigation system and a value for money or in this case water,” Mr McCutcheon concluded. Mr Winter said it was a credit to all involved the scheme was able to be upgraded. 

“It’s a huge partnership and any project is only as good as the people in it,” he said.

“To our staff, thank you for everything, to all our members thank you for your trust and support.”

“This will be a huge injection into our community, this project will overflow into Trangie and others overreaching towns,” Mr Winter said.