DAVID CROMBIE

The Granite Belt, Queensland

bore water drilling

"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."

DI BROWN

Dungowan, New South Wales

Water Bore Bore Water found on New South Wales Farm

“I had four water diviners locate probable drilling sites, but each of them disagreed with the others’ recommendations, and I was reluctant to go ahead with drilling under these circumstances. I have two creeks running through my property, but I can only irrigate from them in good times. My only long — term solution to ensuring water for irrigation and stock is to drill bores."


“I remember watching that specific ABC Landline program several times trying to better understand your approach. Even though it was an expensive exercise getting the bore drilled ... well worth the cost for peace of mind and not having to repeat the cost of feeding cattle and eventually having to sell most of them when the feed became too expensive during the recent three — year drought.”


“I thought you may be interested in the analysis of the water sample from my new bore. I am very pleased. It probably doesn’t get much better if it is deemed suitable for human consumption. I am very grateful ... for a great result. Best wishes."



GRAHAM MCINNES

Moonford, Queensland

Moonford farmer discovers water solution

"Since sinking a 15,000 gallon/hour bore on his property, sourced by Sustainable Water Solutions, it has opened up a further 40 hectares of cultivation for irrigated cereal crops such as wheat.


"We are also in a position to go in and plant summer pastures or lucerne. It has enabled us to basically increase the number of cattle we background,


Three years ago, the McInnes' went though an expensive exercise with diviners, which didn't produce any water.


"We cased one location and never got enough to give three dogs a drink. However, had known about Sustainable Water Solutions back then, we would have saved ourselves a lot of time and money, 


"The team at Sustainable Water Solutions were able to pinpoint the exact spot to drill, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them."


JOHN DUGAS

Glouster, New South Wales

Water Bore Bore Water found on New South Wales Farm

"The drought really knocked the property down to a very sad state, with dead ground cover and bare earth. Trees and grapevines died.


"Lack of water was a problem, it cost me a fortune to keep feeding the remaining cattle I had. I have dams, but they soon drained (or had poor water quality). The Gloucester River that I am on reduced to a trickle and having a water license is useless if there is no water to be had.


"I needed to do something about a backup water supply, and I saw an online article about farmers in Queensland that had used Sustainable Water Solutions to help them and they were getting some good results.


"I contacted this company as it seemed to be a sensible way forward. I accepted the quote for a geological survey as I saw  that they knew what they were talking about, and also based on the results they were getting elsewhere.


"They explained the science of locating water and I likened it to an ultrasound or seismic testing of what might be under my property when it came to water.


"The science that was explained to me helped  me make the decision. On-site testing and the report that came back built further confidence.


"I applied to the State Government water regulatory body and got approval to proceed with drilling a water bore on my property, and as predicted, water was found at the 20, 80 and 138 metre levels. From the seismic survey the deeper level was the more likely to produce good quality water in sufficient quantities.


"I set up bore head taps and piping to be able to measure and control in a predictable way the water coming up out ofthe ground.


"With this water supply, I feel in a better position to get through inevitable future droughts. I don't want the trees, gardens, and the vineyard to again die nor my cattle to suffer or be sold off as they were in the last drought.


"The volume and quality of the water are within the range tolerances that I wanted, fit for human consumption.


"My result from the investment made is great and the service from Louis and the Sustainable Water team was outstanding."



TREVOR COLLIVER

Langkoop, Victoria

Victoria grazier save during drought

"Our property sits right on the Victorian–South Australian border in Langkoop, and like many in the region, we’ve been hit hard by the drought. Our surface dams, which we’d relied on for years to water our livestock, had completely dried up. The animals were at risk. We were facing the possibility of destocking and wondering how we could keep the farm going.


"We knew we needed to act fast, and that’s when we turned to Sustainable Water. They assessed our land using advanced geophysics and data analysis to find groundwater. It wasn’t just hopeful drilling—it was targeted and intelligent. They found a bore site, and now we have a deep underground water source delivering reliable, high-quality water directly to our property.


"With this new bore, we’ve been able to refill our dams, keep our sheep healthy, and continue running the farm with confidence. It’s taken away the constant fear of waiting for the next rain that might never come. This has been a turning point for us—not just a fix for now, but a foundation for the long-term sustainability of our operation.


"We’re incredibly grateful. What Sustainable Water provided was more than just a service—it was a lifeline. Their science-driven approach gave us results we can trust. If you’re farming in these conditions and facing the same pressures, don’t wait. Talk to them."


ROYSTON CARTER

Spring Creek, Queensland

Water Bore Bore Water found on New South Wales Farm

"When our original 1949 bore collapsed, our household and horse property were left without any reliable water supply. I tried several different ways to locate a new source, but each attempt was expensive and unsuccessful.


"After seeing the results Sustainable Water achieved for David Crombie, I decided to get their help. I couldn’t be happier. Their team was thorough, professional, and completely science-driven. Where they directed me to drill was spot on.


"We now have a bore producing 1,200 gallons an hour—enough for our household and stock. Their scientific approach was incredibly accurate, and the whole experience exceeded my expectations.


"I’ve already recommended them to others and will continue doing so. If you want to give yourself the best chance of success, do it right the first time. Sustainable Water is excellent."

KRISTAN HILL

Bendigo, Victoria

Moonford farmer discovers water solution

"In the middle of one of the driest years I can remember, with rainfall more than 20% below average across Victoria, our vineyard near Bendigo was on the edge. As a grower and winery operator, I rely on consistent water supply—not just for survival, but to maintain the quality of my grapes and wine. The lack of rainfall, combined with dry soil and low surface water availability, was threatening everything we’d built.


"I reached out to Sustainable Water Pty Ltd because I wanted a long-term, science-based solution. They carried out detailed geophysical surveys and hydrogeological assessments across our property. This wasn’t guesswork—it was precise, professional, and backed by real expertise. They identified the most viable site, and we drilled what turned out to be a deep, high-yielding bore.


"This bore isn’t just a backup—it’s a game-changer. It gives me the confidence to protect my vines, preserve fruit quality, and plan for growth—even in tough seasons. I can now fine-tune irrigation, ensure consistent grape development, and maintain the high standards that our wine depends on."

RUSSELL PURVIS

Capella, Queensland

Water Bore Bore Water Queensland

"My wife and I have run the Waterford Grazing Company for over 30 years. We have 5,065 hectares in Capella, Qld where we breed and fatten beef cattle. We also  grow some forage and grain crops.


"We only have one bore, and the rest of our water supply is from dams. When full most of our dams are good for three years, but four dry years in a row were starting to tell on the dams with black soil catchments, particularly on the southern end of the place where the house is.


"I read about the Sustainable Water company in the Queensland Country Life, and I spoke to various people about finding underground water and learned of some successful results in the Gemfields area using the Sustainable Water company. After getting the quote, we had a few conversations with Jim Conley, that gave us the confidence to go ahead with the initial desktop investigation done. 


"The Sustainable Water team gave us three spots that were nearly ideal places, so we decided to go the next step and get the seismic work done, which was very detailed and promising. We reckoned that using data that had been gathered over a period of years, and some modern technology, would give us a much better chance of a good result. We were very hopeful of getting good water.


"To get a good supply of around 3,000+ gallons per hour on top of a hill means we can gravity feed the water to the southern half of the place and water won’t be a problem if the rainfall doesn’t supply enough water for our dams.


"Many people have now heard of our success, and I passed the company’s phone number on whenever they have raised the discussion. I told people that the company was good to deal with and had done everything they said they would and were happy to explain everything. 


"The service we got from Sustainable Water Solutions was very prompt and everything was well explained, and they were happy answer any questions we had. They really wanted to see us get good water nearly as much as we did!"


DAVID SMITH

Leslie Dam, Queensland

Queenland, Darling Downs, Water drilling

"We have a small cattle property at the beginning of the Granite Belt on the Southern Darling Downs. It relied on an intermittent creek and several dams for stock water. For an entire year we received 120 mm of rain, the creek and all dams dried up, and we had to completely restock. We had attempted drilling a number of subs — 100 — meter bores with no success. We had been told by a number of people (including drillers) that bore drilling was a pointless task in the area.


"That said, I’d seen that Sustainable Water had had some success in the area using multiple sources of data to locate potential deep bore sites. I contracted the company to survey the area using geophysical data sets for the property, the data sources were then overlaid on a property map and a number of high probability drilling sites were identified. Onsite passive seismic survey data was collected at the identified sites. We elected to drill at the highest point on the property amongst granite boulders. At 350 meters we found water — potential to produce approx. 40,000 litres per hour. Water quality is very good — crystal clear with low levels of mineralisation. Water is standing at 20 meters, and we have installed a solar pump and tank (pumping at around 20,000 litres per day at this stage) and we will reticulated water to multiple stock watering points on the property.


"I believe we would not have had the success we did without Sustainable Water’s adoption of scientific methods of locating high probability drilling zones, combined with significantly increased drilling depths for our area. Jim and Ross were fantastic to deal with — very professional and reliable. They appear to have built up some unique IP that warrants being widely adopted. I’d highly recommended Sustainable Water.