Babinda’s aqua trove
BABINDA will be on everybody’s lips with bottled water about to become the township’s biggest employer.
The Babinda Springs bottling plant is about to undergo a $5 million expansion project expected to quadruple the workforce within two years.
Even more jobs have been promised as Babinda capitalises on its claim as Australia’s wettest town. Aquaworks managing director Rob Schwaiger said the Babinda Springs Mega Water Factory, new state-ofthe-art equipment, and an increase in production capacity “will go a long way towards stimulating work and opportunities in the region.”
BOTTLED water is about to become Babinda’s biggest industry with plans to quadruple a factory workforce over the next two years.
Babinda Springs is poised for unprecedented growth after receiving $5 million from the State Government’s Jobs and Regional Growth Fund.
The modest enterprise’s five-person workforce is expected to reach 20 within two years. State Development Minister Cameron Dick said more jobs would flow at the renamed Babinda Springs Mega Water Factory.
“This is great news for the community of Babinda, with 39 long-term jobs to be created at the water factory, and an additional 50 construction jobs supported through the ninemonth facility expansion phase,” he said.
A development application with Cairns Regional Council reveals production is anticipated to increase from an annual 300,000 bottles to more than 5 million.
The factory’s physical size will more than double and be filled with hi-tech bottling equipment, alongside a cellardoor shopfront selling Babinda Springs products and gourmet produce to passing tourists.
The company behind the factory, Aquaworks, also plans to aggressively target overseas markets and spread the message about Babinda’s claim to having Australia’s highest annual rainfall over the past 30 years.
“Babinda Springs spring water has been independently analysed and blind taste-tested within Australia and China with such conclusive positive results,” Aquaworks managing director Rob Schwaiger said.
“We shout out with pride our claim that it’s Australia’s best spring water,” he said.
Mulgrave MP and Legislative Assembly Speaker Curtis Pitt met company personnel in October last year and was immediately impressed with the proposal.
“The construction of the Babinda Springs Mega Water Factory, the installation of new state-of-the-art equipment, and the resulting exponential growth in production capacity will go a long way towards stimulating work and opportunities in the region,” he said.