Managing social impacts

The Borumba Pumped Hydro Project is expected to deliver value for local and regional communities.

Social and economic benefits from the exploratory works for the Project may include:

  • improvements to roads
  • patronage of local businesses
  • opportunities for Kabi Kabi businesses, alongside opportunities for local businesses and the wider local workforce
  • provision of geological and environmental data to regulatory agencies

The exploratory works are critical activities that will confirm geotechnical conditions and characteristics of the Borumba Pumped Hydro Energy Storage Project site. These activities will inform the detailed design of the proposed Project. The works include surface geotechnical investigations, such as boreholes, geotechnical excavation works to reach the location of the proposed underground cavern, and a range of temporary supporting works.

As we progress towards the Main Works phase, there will be increasing opportunities for local and indigenous businesses, job creation, and regional development.

Social Assessment and the Social Assessment Management Plan

A Social Assessment (SA) and Social Assessment Management Plan (SAMP) for exploratory works have been agreed with the Office of the Co-ordinator General.

The documents are part of the Queensland Government’s requirements under the Borumba Pumped Hydro Energy Storage Project Exploratory Works – Geotechnical and Investigations Works Project Report for the Works Regulation made under the State Development and Public Works Organisation Act 1971 (Qld), and are subject to assessment by the Queensland Office of the Coordinator-General. The SAMP addresses key matters within the Coordinator-General’s Social Impact Assessment Guideline (DSDILGP, 2025).

  • The SA identifies and assesses the social impacts that may occur in local and regional communities during exploratory works. The communities are within the Somerset Regional Council and Gympie Regional Council areas.
  • The SAMP details the social impact mitigation and benefit enhancement measures (collectively referred to as “management measures”) required to manage significant potential social impacts identified. These management measures will be reported against and adaptive measures undertaken, as the project moves through exploratory works.

The SA and SAMP included consultation with affected stakeholders to understand impacts and develop management measures. The drafting of the documents also occurred in tandem with the development of the draft Preliminary Documentation, as part of the Commonwealth regulatory approval process for the exploratory works. Community submissions around traffic and social concerns submitted as part of the preliminary documentation were considered when developing the management measures.

Documents

Key social matters

A Social Assessment (SA) and Social Assessment Management Plan (SAMP) for exploratory works have been agreed with the Office of the Coordinator-General.

  • community and stakeholder engagement
  • workforce management
  • housing and accommodation
  • local business and industry procurement
  • health and community well-being.

This section provides a summary of the commitments in the draft proposed SAMP against each of these matters.

Traffic impact and road use

Major infrastructure projects, like the Borumba Project, will increase local traffic during construction activities. These activities include equipment and material deliveries, removal of spoil, and workforce transport. Our priority is to ensure that we can undertake these activities as safely as possible – for our people, and for the community. 

The approved exploratory works traffic routes include two access routes – one to the upper site and one to the lower site;

Northern Route – provides access to the Main Site (Borgan) from Yabba Creek Road and Bella Creek Road via a network of connecting routes linking with the Bruce Highway and surrounding towns, such as Gympie and Imbil.

Southern Route – provides access via Kilcoy to the Upper Site (Walkers Top) via Kilcoy Murgon Road, Sunday Creek Road and Yielo Road.

Borumba Pumped Hydro Project haulage routes map (PDF)

Minimising traffic impacts

Queensland Hydro is committed to minimising impacts on the communities around our proposed Borumba Project. We’ve developed a Road-use Management Plan (RMP) which sets out the measures we’ll take to keep motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists safe.

Key initiatives we’ll adopt include:

  • reducing vehicle numbers travelling to site by providing park and or staging areas for the workforce
  • limiting heavy vehicle use to selected routes
  • restricting heavy vehicle movements on school bus routes and in the vicinity or school during drop off and pick up peaks
  • promoting safe driving practices for employees and delivery partners
  • undertaking improvements to the network where required
  • managing traffic at identified pinch points on the network
  • consultation with the relevant road authorities and or road managers on identified issues and
  • mitigation measures
  • proactive engagement with stakeholders to provide updates and receive feedback on anticipated
  • traffic movements and management measures
  • continuous evaluation of the effectiveness of mitigation measures and adjusting when required managing traffic at identified pinch points on the network

We will continue and adapt our traffic management measures based on community feedback and needs of the Project.

You can access the full documents here: