Thrumster Wastewater Scheme

Port Macquarie Sewage Treatment plant which currently treats wastewater from connected households, is at its capacity.

Due to increased development in Thrumster and Sancrox, to sustain this growth, we will be constructing a new Wastewater Treatment Plant (WwTP), with associated Sewer rising and recycled water mains.

The new Sewage Treatment Plant will be constructed at Thrumster, to the west of the airport off Fernbank Creek Road, Port Macquarie. The Thrumster Wastewater Scheme will redivert some of the load from the aging Port Macquarie sewage treatment plant to the new treatment plant, and increase the reliability of our services with dependable and capable infrastructure.

By transporting wastewater away from your home and treating it through a multi barrier process, new residences will also be provided with a recycled water connection. This will reduce the reliance on drinking water supplies for some applications around the home, to future-proof our water availability.

The construction of the Thrumster Wastewater Scheme will:

• cater for population growth
• prevent overloading the Port Macquarie STP beyond its design capacity
• minimise the environmental impacts of sewerage management through reuse and recycled water schemes which reduce the amount of discharged waste entering the environment
• create a dependable and resilient sewerage management system that operates reliably.

*Timeline is subject to change.

Site investigations and design for the Thrumster Wastewater Scheme network:

As part of our design investigations for the Thrumster Wastewater Scheme network augmentations, we will be undertaking service locating, surveying, and geotechnical investigations in Thrumster Street, Boundary Street, Lincoln Road, The Binnacle, Hastings River Drive, Sherwood Road, Tuffins Lane, Tulloch Road, Lady Nelson Drive, Oxley Highway (between Wrights and Fernhill Roads), John Oxley Drive, Fernhill Road, Acacia Avenue, Central Road, Barton Crescent and within the Lake Road Effluent Ponds area. Please refer to the areas shown in the map here(PNG, 2MB).

We have engaged GHD Pty Ltd to carry out the site investigations and planning works on behalf of the Council. Investigation works are expected to commence in June 2024 and will continue through to late 2024.

Port Macquarie-Hastings Council is committed to genuine consultation about this project with the local community and other stakeholders.

Prior to the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) phase of the project we:

• engaged with key stakeholders such as Port Macquarie oyster growers
• engaged with the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI), and the NSW Environmental Protection Authority and other NSW Government agencies
• liaised with Birpai and Bunyah Local Aboriginal Land Councils
• developed an Expression of Interest for potential reuse of effluent and bio solids on agricultural land located in Thrumster, Fernbank Creek, and greater Sancrox areas.

During this EIS development and exhibtion phase of the project we:

• Had a freecall 1800 066 243 and project email address contact@ghd.com for you to contact us on.
• Have held multiple community drop-in sessions for both the Thrumster wastewater scheme and the associated Cowarra water supply scheme.

Past community sessions

• 10th & 11th October 2023 (2 drop-in sessions)
• 23 May 2024 (2 drop-in sessions)
• 24 June 2024 (1 industry briefing)
• 15 August 2024 (1 pop-up)
• 19 August 2024 (1 pop-up)
• 20 August 2024 (2 drop-in sessions)
• 20 May 2025 (1 pop-up)
• 21 May 2025 (1 pop-up)

Feedback relating to project refinements has been passed on to the project directors and is under review. We thank all of those who have taken the time to help provide feedback to help improve the project.

The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) assesses the project’s potential environmental impacts and outlines how Port Macquarie Hastings Council will manage them. 

The EIS submission to NSW Department of Planning, Housing, and Infrastructure includes documents with over 2,500 pages.

To help you navigate the EIS we have prepared a summary brochure which summarises the EIS for the Thrumster Wastewater Scheme and contains an easy-to-use reference guide.

Current Status

• EIS exhibition closed: 2 September 2024
• Amendment Report (AR) exhibition closed on 21 May 2025
• Response to the submission report (July 2025) has been published on the Department's website
  
  All EIS documentation, submissions received, response to submission reports and amendment reports are available on the Department's website at: Thrumster Wastewater Scheme | Planning Portal - Department of Planning and Environment (nsw.gov.au)

We regularly seek businesses to work with us through:

• Expressions of Interest (EOI)
• Requests for Quotations (RFQ)
• Requests for Tenders (RFT)

Information about these opportunities, and how to apply is provided through our online procurement portal, eProcure.  

For updates relating to current and upcoming opportunities please refer to the website here.