Far North Region

Far North Region A shot rod firing machine on the Kennedy Highway 20km north of Cairns, December 2009 Far North Far North Regional profile Overview • Contributing to an improved quality of life for remote and Commenced construction of a three lane boat ramp, floating rural communities through projects that improve travelling walkway and breakwater, at Mourilyan Harbour. Far North Region covers an area of approximately 273,147km2, conditions, access and Indigenous training, employment and or around 15.8% of Queensland. It extends from the Torres Strait development. Commenced construction of a pontoon adjacent to the Islands in the north to the top of the Cardwell Range in the south, commercial jetty on Thursday Island. This project provides and from Cairns in the east to Croydon in the west. • Protecting environmental biodiversity and sensitivity with disability access and will improve safety for users and increase sustainable planning and construction practices. capacity. Far North Region has a resident population of approximately 268,494 people and is home to approximately 6.1% of • Continuing to work in partnership with local government to Completed construction of a one lane boat ramp on Mapoon Queensland’s total population. develop and deliver the Transport Infrastructure Development Road, at Cullen Point. Scheme. The state-controlled road network in the region is 3,160km in Completed widening of two lane boat ramp on the Daintree River length, and includes 217km of the National Network. • Targeting the reduction of accident-prone areas through Safer to three lanes. Works included installation of adjacent floating Roads Sooner. walkway to improve safety for users and increase capacity. The transport and road network supports a diverse array of industries including retail, tourism, sport, education, Completed upgrade of Tinaburra boat ramp, at Tinaroo Dam. manufacturing, freight and construction; agriculture including Significant achievements 2009-10 Works included widening from one to two lanes to increase sugar cane, beef cattle, fruit, dairy cattle, fisheries and capacity. horticulture; and mining including bauxite, gold, tin, silica, wolfram, zinc and copper. Objective 1: A sustainable transport system which Completed upgrade of Maria Creek boat ramp, at Kurrimine promotes economic growth and enhances liveability Beach. Far North Region has one office located in Cairns. The region includes the local governments of Aurukun Shire Council, Cairns Continued the delivery of the regional cycle network, including Continued design for the 4.2km realignment of the Bruce Regional Council, Cassowary Coast Regional Council, Cook Shire providing a grant for the construction of a cycleway between Highway at Cardwell Range, approximately 15km north of Ingham, Council, Croydon Shire Council, Etheridge Shire Council, Hope Aeroglen and the Cairns central business district. as part of the Nation Building Program, funded by the Australian Vale Aboriginal Shire, Kowanyama Aboriginal Shire Council, Government. This project will reduce the severity of existing steep Lockhart River Aboriginal Shire Council, Mapoon Aboriginal Shire Completed a planning study to investigate the long-term grades, provide climbing lanes on both sides of the range for Council, Napranum Aboriginal Shire Council, Northern Peninsula requirements for the southern approaches to Cairns, as heavy vehicles, and provide an overpass of the Rungoo railway Area Regional Council, Pormpuraaw Aboriginal Shire Council, part of the Urban Congestion Program, jointly funded by the crossing. Tablelands Regional Council, and Torres Shire Council, Torres Queensland Government and Australian Government. The study Strait Island Regional Council, Wujal Wujal Aboriginal Shire includes a 14km section of the Bruce Highway from Wrights Commenced widening to two lanes sections of Kennedy Council,Yarrabah Aboriginal Shire Council. Creek, south of Edmonton to Draper Street, near Cairns city Developmental Road between Three Ways and The Lynd, south of centre. An extensive community engagement campaign has Mount Garnet. This work will improve safety and efficiency on the been undertaken to help select the best alignment for the Cairns inland road network. Major challenges Bruce Highway Master Plan. Continued the Accelerated Bruce Highway Upgrade Package • Supporting regional development, industry competitiveness Continued to determine the scope of works for stage one (Sheehy (Townsville to Cairns), as part of the AusLink Program, funded and growth by upgrading key freight and passenger routes. Road to Ray Jones Drive) of the Cairns Bruce Highway Master by the Australian Government. This package involved major and Plan, as part of the Nation Building Program, funded by the minor flood improvement works, intersection upgrades and • Achieving affordable and short-term improvements in safety Australian Government. construction of overtaking lanes to improve road safety, efficiency by carefully targeting investment in widening the single-lane and flood immunity, including: sealed network, and in other priority projects. Far North | Regional profile Queensland Transport and Roads Investment Program 2010-11 to 2013-14 | Page 233 Far North | Regional profile Queensland Transport and Roads Investment Program 2010-11 to 2013-14 | Page 234 • completed installation of traffic signals and an intersection Objective 2: A transport system leading to improved Objective 3: An accessible transport system linking upgrade at Yarrabah Road (Warner Road), north of Gordonvale health and wellbeing for Queenslanders people to employment, education and services • completed construction of overtaking lanes at Giddens Creek, Completed level crossing upgrades at 18 sites as part of the Commenced upgrade of the Horn Island airport to facilitate the south of Babinda, and commenced construction of overtaking Boom Gates for Rail Crossings Program, funded by the Australian introduction of larger, more efficient Q400 aircraft. lanes at Bells Creek, north of El Arish Government. Completed runway reseal works at Badu, Boigu, Saibai and • completed construction of dedicated turning lanes into Provided projects through Safer Roads Sooner: Mabuiag Islands in the Torres Strait to ensure their continued Blundell Road, and road surface improvements at Johnstone safe operation. River bridge and Victory Creek, north of Innisfail. • continued curve widening works at priority locations on Kuranda Range Road (Kennedy Highway) to improve safety for Completed lighting upgrade and runway reseal, at Georgetown Commenced widening and sealing sections of the Gulf all road users, particularly heavy vehicles Airport. Developmental Road, east of Mount Surprise, to improve safety and travelling conditions between Cairns and communities in the • completed upgrade of McLeod Street and Anderson Street Continued to help local government upgrade and maintain roads Gulf of Carpentaria. intersection in Cairns City, which included installation of in their areas, as part of the Transport Infrastructure Development traffic signals, pedestrian crossings and bicycle facilities to Scheme: Continued sealing on a 13km section of Kennedy Developmental improve safety for all road users. Road, south of The Lynd Junction, known locally as the Hann • continued skills development initiatives to support Highway. Completed work to upgrade all nine roundabouts on the Captain Indigenous training and employment on road projects Cook Highway between Machans Beach and Kewarra Beach, 7km Continued extending the bitumen seal and upgrade of floodways north of Cairns, to improve safety for all road users, particularly • completed sealing, drainage and pavement upgrades, on the on the Peninsula Developmental Road, as part of the Nation cyclists. Works included shoulder widening and kerb separation Lockhart River access road, between Tozers Gap and the Iron Building Program, jointly funded by the Queensland Government to provide a 1.5 metre-wide bicycle lane at the roundabouts and Range rainforest. and Australian Government. This will complete sealing of the approaches. road to Laura. Continued to help local governments upgrade and maintain Completed roundabout upgrade at Trinity Beach, as part of the remote access roads in the Cape York area, as part of the Nation Completed the final stage of Mulgrave Road upgrade, in Cairns Black Spot Program, funded by the Australian Government. Building Program, jointly funded by the Queensland Government city. This five-stage project included upgrading intersections, and Australian Government. widening sections to six lanes, upgrading route lighting and Completed installation of bicycle facilities on Mulgrave Road. providing pedestrian and cyclist facilities to improve road safety, This project included the first one-way Copenhagen lane (a lane Completed sealing on a 27km section of Peninsula traffic flow and intersection capacity. located between the footpath and parking bays from Lyons Developmental Road east of Lily Creek, as part of the Strategic Street to Brown Street) to provide a safe connection for cyclists in Regional Program, jointly funded by the Queensland Government Completed widening and sealing on the Kennedy Highway, Cairns. and Australian Government. between Ravenshoe and Mount Garnet. This included widening a 3.3km section of road to an 8.5 metre sealed standard between Completed upgrade of pedestrian facilities at Barr Street and Commenced a new causeway on Burke Developmental Road, Big Dinner Creek and Mount Garnet, improving

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