North–South Pipeline

It is the government's policy that it only be used in times of critical human need: when Melbourne's total water storages are less than 30% full on 30 November of any year.

[2][3] The pipeline runs between a location on the Goulburn River, near Yea and heads south towards the Sugarloaf Reservoir north-east of Melbourne, along the Melba Highway.

The pipeline cost $750 million and was delivered under an alliance model between Melbourne Water, John Holland, Sinclair Knight Merz and GHD.

In 2007, the Victorian Government announced the "Foodbowl Modernisation Plan" to save 225 gigalitres (GL) of water through a $1 billion investment in the Murray–Goulburn Gravity Irrigation Districts.

[12] With decreasing inflows to its water catchments and continuing population growth, a shortfall of supply of up to 200 GL / year is anticipated by 2055.

[20] The pipeline traverses a distance of approximately 70 km from a location on the Goulburn River, near Yea (37°09′50″S 145°25′24″E / 37.163793°S 145.423265°E / -37.163793; 145.423265) and heads in a south-southeast direction towards the Sugarloaf Reservoir (37°40′10″S 145°18′29″E / 37.669436°S 145.307944°E / -37.669436; 145.307944) northeast of Melbourne.

[21] The Federal Opposition, Victorian Liberal Party, the National Party, and the Australian Greens opposed the pipeline,[22] with these objections detailed in the minority (dissenting) report section for the Water Amendment Bill 2008 (Saving the Goulburn and Murray Rivers),[23] which also highlighted the many objections to the pipeline in the majority of submissions to the Senate Inquiry.

Greenhouse gas emissions over a 100-year life are estimated at 13.3 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent[1], the vast majority of which is generated by pumping water over the Great Dividing Range.

The CSIRO has since released several reports of a similar opinion and has commented on the detrimental effect such a diversion may have on both the environment and the agricultural production.

[citation needed] Victorian Premier, Mr Brumby, has responded to criticisms saying, "Our estimates on the Food Bowl are actually quite conservative … Even in the dry years you've got 690 gigalitres of water lost," he said.

[27] As The Age reported; "A spokesman for Water Minister Tim Holding said the audited savings would be released "shortly", but neither he nor the Department of Sustainability and Environment could offer a specific reason for the delay.

The group's assessment of the ecological impacts of the North South pipeline claimed that a 12 kilometre long, 30 metre wide corridor cleared through the Toolangi State Forest had affected at least four Special Protection Zones (SPZ).