Colleambally Irrigation

Colleambally Irrigation fast facts (July 2020)

• Established: 1997 in New South Wales
• Turnover: $17 million
• Member businesses: 295

Coleambally Irrigation Co-operative Limited (CICL) is a member owned co-operative that supplies irrigation and corporate services to its members and customers. CICL is situated in the Murrumbidgee valley in the NSW Riverina. It provides irrigation and drainage services to nearly 500 farms owned by 350 businesses and has 295 members. The average size of an irrigated farm is 220 hectares.

In July 1997 Coleambally Irrigation Corporation was formed and vested with the irrigation undertaking known as Coleambally Irrigation Area, which was previously under the control of the Department of Land and Water Conservation.

CICL holds a number of water access licenses with the NSW Government and its regulated surface water supply is accessed from the Murrumbidgee River.

CICL’s irrigators grow a mixture of summer and winter irrigated crops with cotton, rice and corn being the main summer crops.

The co-op provides an essential service to members. For the state, it means that a key service is being provided without the need for state ownership and control.

This is essential infrastructure that no farm would be able to secure alone. By working on behalf of its membership, the co-operative can ensure high quality infrastructure delivering the most precious of resources to its-member owners year-round.