▁government ▁announced ▁its ▁intention ▁to ▁develop ▁a ▁se aw ater ▁reverse ▁os mos is ▁des al ination ▁plant ▁and ▁construct ▁a ▁pipeline ▁to ▁augment ▁Melbourne ' s ▁water ▁supply , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁other ▁regional ▁supply ▁systems . ▁With ▁the ▁completion ▁of ▁the ▁pipeline ▁and ▁des al ination ▁plant , ▁it ▁is ▁anticip ated ▁that ▁certain ▁water ▁restrictions ▁will ▁be ▁removed . ▁ ▁Route ▁The ▁pipeline ▁travers es ▁a ▁distance ▁of ▁approximately ▁ 7 0   km ▁from ▁a ▁location ▁on ▁the ▁G oul burn ▁River , ▁near ▁Ye a ▁() ▁and ▁heads ▁in ▁a ▁south - s out heast ▁direction ▁towards ▁the ▁Sug arlo af ▁Res er voir ▁() ▁n ortheast ▁of ▁Melbourne . ▁The ▁route ▁travel s ▁roughly ▁alongside ▁the ▁Mel ba ▁Highway , ▁south wards , ▁until ▁it ▁spl its ▁in ▁its ▁direction ▁towards ▁the ▁res er voir . ▁ ▁The ▁pipeline ' s ▁route ▁cut s ▁through ▁parts ▁of ▁the ▁King la ke ▁National ▁Park ▁and ▁Tool ang i ▁State ▁Forest . ▁ ▁Crit ic ism ▁and ▁opposition ▁ ▁The ▁North – S outh ▁P ipeline ▁has ▁been ▁critic ised ▁by ▁environmental ▁groups , ▁ir rig ators ▁and ▁communities ▁directly ▁affected ▁by ▁the ▁pipeline , ▁some ▁suggesting ▁that ▁the ▁project ▁is ▁polit ically ▁influenced ▁and ▁founded ▁on ▁an ▁incorrect ▁interpretation ▁of ▁available ▁data . ▁ ▁The ▁Federal ▁O pp osition , ▁Victor ian ▁Liberal ▁Party , ▁the ▁National ▁Party , ▁and ▁the ▁Australian ▁Gre ens ▁opposed ▁the ▁pipeline , ▁with ▁these ▁ob jections ▁detailed ▁in ▁the ▁minor ity ▁(