DAVID CROMBIE
The Granite Belt, Queensland
"Living and farming in the Granite Belt south of Warwick, Queensland, I run 600–700 breeders across 4,050 hectares (10,000 acres). Over the years, I’ve seen my fair share of droughts and the hardship that comes from relying solely on surface water in a region that’s often dismissed as having no underground supply.
"The Granite Belt is known for its rugged granite terrain and the widespread belief that drilling for underground water is a lost cause. I know this first-hand — I’d had multiple unsuccessful drilling attempts in the past. The idea of finding groundwater here felt like chasing something mythical. I’ve always regarded underground water exploration, or the harnessing of underground reserves, as having a certain amount of ‘black magic’ involved.
"But after hearing about the track record of Sustainable Water Solutions, I contacted them. Their confidence and the science behind their approach gave me enough assurance to give it another go — and I’m glad I did.
"They found water on my property, enough to support stock and domestic use right across our breeder country, despite the challenges of granite and traprock soils.
"The idea that there’s no underground water in the Granite Belt? That was proven wrong. Sustainable Water didn’t just explore — they delivered. It’s been transformational."
MATT DELLA
Verona, New South Wales
"I am a NSW grazier, I run around 30 breeders of black Angus beef
cattle on my 200-acre farm in Verona.
"I already had had two failed bore attempts in different locations—
one produced too little water to pump, while the other collapsed
repeatedly due to geological challenges.
“Thankfully, my drillers stuck to their ‘no water, no charge’ policy and
were willing to come back for a third try, In the meantime, the farm
relied on creek water. While permanent, the creek’s levels were
seasonal and carried sand, grit, and algae, which caused
headaches across my irrigation system.
"Luckily a neighbour, knowing the troubles we were having, saw an ad in the newspaper for accurate water location and dropped it in my mailbox, I liked the idea of a science-based solution.
"After getting a quote, I went ahead, as they would survey a large enough area that if the drillers had to move, they could advise on the best alternate spot. That proved crucial, as the drill crew got a hammer stuck in the primary location. But it was no stress for us—Louis and Ross from Sustainable Water Solutions reviewed the data, and we simply moved to another site they had identified. That’s where our bore is now, and it’s providing great water
“Ross carried out the ground survey and explained the process in detail. The science made sense, I thought it was better than calling in a diviner, which was really the only other option.
”The bore now produces 8 litres per second (6,400 gallons per hour)—an outcome that has transformed my farm operations. Having a reliable bore has taken so much stress off the farm. I no longer waste time fixing problems caused by the old creek system. We’ve also had the water tested, and it’s clean enough to top up the house rainwater tanks during dry times, which is fantastic.
“I recently heard from the drilling company that they were passing on Sustainable Water Solutions’ details to another customer after seeing our results. Anyone I know who’s thinking of a bore, I tell them the cost of accurately locating where to drill is a fraction of the total cost of drilling and installing pumps. It’s a huge reassurance to know you’re drilling in the right spot—otherwise it’s just an expensive game of fishing for water. When you’re paying by the metre, it pays to have evidence of what’s under the ground before you drill.
“They’ve been one of the best external contractors I’ve dealt with in agriculture. Always helpful, always friendly and personable, they kept me informed through the whole process. And most importantly, their data proved to be 100% correct—right to the metre.”