North West Region New concrete sleepers on the Mount Isa rail line 22km south of Mount Isa, June 2009 North West North West Regional profile Overview • Improving quality of life for remote and rural communities Commenced upgrade works on a key section of the Kennedy through projects that improve travelling conditions, access Developmental Road between Hughenden and Winton to North West Region covers an area of approximately 308,044km2, and Indigenous training, employment and development. reconstruct the existing road to a two-lane standard. This project or around 17.8% of Queensland. It extends from the Gulf of was fast-tracked from a 10-year project to a five-year project to Carpenteria in the north to Kynuna in the south, and from Torrens • Continuing to work in partnership with local government to achieve a more efficient and cost effective delivery. It involves Creek in the east to the Northern Territory border in the west. develop and deliver the Transport Infrastructure Development reconstructing a 40km section of road between Hughenden Scheme. and Winton, 20km either side of Stamford. The Kennedy North West Region has a resident population of approximately Developmental Road is a major regional link used by freight and 35,135 people and is home to approximately 0.8% of • Targeting the reduction of accident-prone areas through Safer mining industries to access the Flinders, Herbert and Burdekin Queensland’s total population. Roads Sooner. districts. This project is being delivered through an alliance between TMR and RoadTek with involvement from Flinders Shire The state-controlled road network in the region is 3,574km in Council and Winton Shire Council. length, and includes 1,024km of the National Network. Other Significant achievements 2009-10 transport infrastructure in the region includes one airstrip, and Commenced widening and pavement rehabilitation on a 5.15km one port. section of the Burke Developmental Road between Cloncurry and Objective 1: A sustainable transport system which Normanton, about 40km south of Normanton. The transport and road network supports a diverse array promotes economic growth and enhances liveability of industries including tourism, manufacturing, freight and Continued widening and sealing on a 7.5km section of the Wills construction; agriculture including beef cattle and fisheries; and Commenced concept planning to improve access at a floodway Developmental Road between Julia Creek and Burketown, as part mining including copper and gold. and rehabilitate the pavement on the Burke Developmental Road of the Nation Building Program, jointly funded by the Queensland between Normanton and Dimbulah at Corduroy Creek, north of Government and Australian Government. North West Region has one office located in Cloncurry. The Normanton. region includes the local governments of Burke Shire Council, Carpentaria Shire Council, Cloncurry Shire Council, Doomadgee Completed flood damage and restoration works on two sections Objective 2: A transport system leading to improved Aboriginal Shire Council, Flinders Shire Council, McKinlay Shire of the Barkly Highway between Cloncurry and Mount Isa. Works health and wellbeing for Queenslanders Council, Mornington Shire Council, Mount Isa City Council and involved stabilising, constructing subsoil drains and asphalt Richmond Shire Council. profiling, which will create a stronger, smoother and more Completed level crossing upgrade at two sites, as part of the resilient road surface. Boom Gates for Rail Crossings Program, funded by the Australian Government. Major challenges Continued the Mount Isa Priority Works rail project, which will provide infrastructure upgrades of the Mount Isa rail line between Provided projects through Safer Roads Sooner: • Developing a long-term transport and road network which Mount Isa and Hughenden. supports the North West Regional Plan. • commenced safety improvements along a 90km section of Completed the sealing of the Karumba Airport airstrip and Cloncurry-Dajarra Road • Supporting regional development by upgrading key freight lighting upgrades at Karumba Airport and Normanton Airport. and passenger routes to meet the transport needs of the • commenced installation of route lighting on Mount Isa- mining companies. Duchess Road, 4.7km west of Mount Isa • Optimising capacity and safety on transport and roads. • commenced and completed widening and sealing on Wills Developmental Road, between Julia Creek and Burketown North West | Regional profile Queensland Transport and Roads Investment Program 2010-11 to 2013-14 | Page 215 North West | Regional profile Queensland Transport and Roads Investment Program 2010-11 to 2013-14 | Page 216 • completed planning of a heavy vehicle turning facility at Objective 4: Transport-related impacts on the natural, cultural Objective 5: Support the capability and capacity of Critter’s Camp on Gulf Developmental Road, 3.6km east and built environments managed for the community Queensland’s transport and logistics-related industries of the Norman River Bridge. The facility will provide road train operators with a sealed area to safely manoeuvre their Continued to maintain North West Region’s commitment to Completed rehabilitation and widening on a 12km section of vehicles when the bridge is closed. managing its transport and road network in a manner that the Flinders Highway at Jardine Valley. The Flinders Highway is optimises environmental outcomes for natural, human and built a major traffic route in North Queensland carrying significant environments. Continue to ensure that all road projects involve volumes of heavy transport and passenger vehicles between Objective 3: An accessible transport system linking working with other appropriate departments and traditional Townsville and Cloncurry. It is also the major freight route people to employment, education and services landowners to ensure all necessary environmental approvals are connecting the sea ports of Darwin and Townsville. in place. Continued to help local government upgrade and maintain roads Completed the construction of two heavy vehicle rest areas in their areas, as part of the Transport Infrastructure Development Collected data as part of the Regional Weed Spraying Program to on the Flinders Highway at Hughenden and the Landsborough Scheme: focus on community-based pest management initiatives, state- Highway, at Fullarton River, to reduce fatigue-related road declared weeds, and weeds of national significance, through crashes, as part of the Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity • completed sealing on a section of Doomadgee East Road, collaborative weed spraying projects to maximise the attack on Program, funded by the Australian Government. between Burketown and Doomadgee weeds and minimise the cost to the department. Commenced the construction of a heavy vehicle rest area on the • continued sealing and widening on Richmond-Croydon Road, Continued to complete reviews of environmental factors for Landsborough Highway in the township of McKinlay to reduce north of Richmond. all projects and help contractors to prepare site-specific fatigue-related road crashes, as part of the Heavy Vehicle Safety environmental management plans. and Productivity Program, funded by the Australian Government. Commenced upgrade of various sections of the Gregory Downs- Camooweal Road to a new unsealed standard, as part of the Continued to provide advice and training to contractors and Commenced three projects to upgrade the Flinders Highway Sustainable Resource Communities Initiative. This project is local governments, through the environmental unit, on site to better facilitate access to the road network for excess mass being delivered through an alliance between TMR, RoadTek environmental management practices, legislative requirements, and dimension vehicles, pilot and escort vehicles, as part of and Myuma, an Indigenous training organisation based in and licenses and permits. the Nation Building Program, jointly funded by the Queensland Camooweal. Government and Australian Government. Completed planting 200 Acacia ramiflora saplings as part of a Commenced flood immunity improvements on the Flinders site revegetation project at the Burra Range Rest Area, 135km Highway between Julia Creek and Cloncurry, as part of the west of Charters Towers on the Flinders Highway. The project was Objective 6: Enhanced leadership and stakeholder Sustainable Resource Communities Initiative. Works involved a joint effort between TMR, James Cook University in Townsville relationships improving transport outcomes for Queensland widening the highway and upgrading culverts at Holy Joe Creek and Flinders Shire Council. and Box Creek to improve drainage. Upgrading the floodways will Continued to use creative, innovative and collaborative reduce flooding during wet weather events and allow the water to Five road corridor cultural heritage agreements were signed, mechanisms to deliver successful infrastructure projects. recede more quickly. and a further two are in the process of being finalised with local traditional owner groups. Continued strong relationships with maintenance contractors Commenced paving and sealing on a 12km section of Cloncurry- (RoadTek and local government). Dajarra Road, as part of the Sustainable Resource Communities Continued implementation of the region’s fire management Initiative. strategy to identify high risk areas while considering burn Continued to deliver improved road infrastructure through open regimes against fire-sensitive ecological communities.