Fortune Agribusiness, the proponent of one of Australia’s largest groundwater licences at Singleton Station, 350km north of Mparntwe Alice Springs, has had a two-year extension granted to finalise their Environment Impact Statement (EIS) by the NT Environment Protection Authority (NT EPA).
Fortune Agribusiness in 2021 was awarded the 40 billion litre groundwater licence for free from the Northern Territory Government.
- Singleton is historic as it is the largest groundwater licence in NT history
- Singleton is the first agricultural project in NT history required to undergo a Tier 3 EIS;
- Singleton’s groundwater licence is in the High Court after a legal challenge by Native Title Holders was heard in February 2026, still awaiting a final judgement.
Due to the severity of the risks and the large degree of uncertainty impacting cultural sites, groundwater, groundwater dependent ecosystems, salinity impacts on the land, and social impacts, in September 2023, the NT EPA stated that Fortune had up to 3 years to complete their EIS. Fortune’s EIS was due in October 2026. However, Fortune Agribusiness has been granted a two-year extension by the NT EPA and the Singleton EIS is now due in October 2028. See more at the NT EPA here.
Alex Vaughan, Policy and Advocacy Coordinator, Arid Lands Environment Centre
“ALEC welcomes this two year delay. It is evidence that the Singleton groundwater grab is failing, flailing and a fish out of water.”
“This delay demonstrates that the Singleton project is filled with immense risk and uncertainty. Taking two Sydney Harbour’s worth of water will cause unacceptable and catastrophic impacts across a 60km shallow groundwater oasis. The amount of harm that is proposed to the land, to groundwater fed trees and cultural values is huge!”
“The project should stop wasting our time and be put in the bin once and for all! The impacts to environments and cultures are unacceptable, the project is opposed by Traditional Owners and nearby affected communities, and to be viable, Singleton is dependent on receiving up to a trillion litres of groundwater for FREE from the NT Government.”
“Fortune Agribusiness’ project threatens to destroy a gigantic ghost gum garden in the Barkly. An iconic tree of Central Australia and the Barkly.”
Maureen Nampijinpa O’Keefe, born and raised in Ali Curung
“Water is the most precious thing in the world, water is life, that is the most important resource they [fortune agribusiness] are taking from us”
“We all need water, we all depend on that water, animals, people and insects. It is life giving water, without it we will perish.
“They aren’t looking at the impact it will have on the land, they are looking at the money signs”