ENABLING INFRASTRUCTURE ADVANCE CAIRNS PRIORITIES 2019/20 BRIEFING NOTE UPGRADE GULF SUMMARY • The Gulf Savannah Way stretches for 3,700 km and is considered to be one of the top 10 Great Australian SAVANNAH WAY Drives, linking Cairns in COUNCIL: BURKE, CARPENTARIA, DOOMADGEE Tropical North Queensland to Broome in Western STATE ELECTORATE: TRAEGER FEDERAL ELECTORATE: KENNEDY Australia’s Kimberley. • Drive tourism delivers $69.8 million into the Gulf region THE ISSUE annually, with 38% of visitors entering the Savannah Way The Gulf Savannah Way traverses Northern minor realignment of substandard curves, via Cairns. Australia, linking Cairns in Tropical North concrete causeways and four major river • Large segments of the Queensland to Broome in Western Australia’s crossings. Queensland section of the Kimberley. The route is approximately 3,700 As large sections of the Savannah Savannah Way are unsealed km long, crossing 15 National Parks, five Way remain unsealed and flood prone, and flood prone, isolating World Heritage areas and a variety of natural communities become isolated during the communities during the wet season and limiting routes across the Top End. annual wet season which limits the economic the economic value of this Considered to be in the top 10 greatest value of this northern road link. Upgrading northern road link. road trips of Australia, the self-drive tourism the Queensland segment of the Gulf • Sealing the Queensland market delivers $69.8 million annually into Savannah Way will require replacing existing section of the Gulf Savannah the Gulf region, with 38% of visitors starting substandard infrastructure with a 7.5m wide Way is estimated to require a total investment of $186 the journey in Cairns. bitumen sealed pavement, with concrete million, split 80:20 between The North West Queensland section of causeways through creek crossings and the State and Federal the Gulf Savannah Way takes in 313km with raised floodways (using 1.2m high culverts) Governments. almost 60% of the road already sealed, through major river crossings. • Federal investment of $50 however there are critical missing links that million was allocated in 2019 through the Roads of require pavement upgrades, bitumen seal, Strategic Importance – next priorities initiative. To ensure this funding is matched 80:20 by the State, sections of the Savannah Way require formal declaration as a State- controlled road. NEXT STEPS Sealing the remaining Queensland sections of the Gulf Savannah Way is estimated to require a total investment of $186 million. Completing the project over a 10-year period with funds made available to local councils each year will allow the retention of a local workforce. The estimated investment breakdown is as follows: BACKGROUND • Normanton to Burketown - $100 million to be constructed progressively Normanton to Burketown is approximately and concrete causeways plus a major river over 10 consecutive years. 221km with about 50% unsealed. This crossing at Branch Creek. • Burketown to Doomadgee - $30 section requires pavement augmentation In recognising the need to seal the million funded over 4 consecutive and bitumen sealing to 7.5m wide, some Gulf Savannah Way, in 2019 the Federal financial years (equally in years 1-4). minor realignment, concrete causeways Government committed $50 million • Doomadgee to NT Border - $56 million and a major culvert crossing at the to road upgrades through the Roads of to be provided in equal instalments Leichhardt River. Strategic Importance – next priorities over the 10-year project period. Burketown to Doomadgee is initiative. However, large sections of the • The project will extend across North approximately 88km long and fully sealed Savannah Way have a Regional road West Queensland, travelling along the but has two major river crossings at the designation, meaning formal declaration Gulf of Carpentaria from Normanton to Gregory River and Nicholson River which as State-controlled road is required to the Northern Territory boarder, passing require some minor pavement, alignment ensure this funding is matched by the through Burketown, Doomadgee and causeway improvements. Doomadgee Queensland Government under the 80:20 and Hell’s Gate in Queensland and to NT Border is approximately 104km long Commonwealth State Roads funding model. connecting to Wollogorang in the with only 30% sealed. This section requires Northern Territory. pavement augmentation and bitumen sealing to 7.5m wide, minor realignment OUR RECOMMENDATION • That the Queensland and Federal Governments support the sealing and improved flood resilience of the western Queensland section of the National Highway by providing 80:20 project funding in ESTIMATED PROJECT 2020- 2021- 2022- 2023- accordance with the Commonwealth State Roads funding model. COST $136M 2021 2022 2023 2024 • That during 2019-2020 the Queensland Government work with local Councils to amend the Queensland Transport Infrastructure Act Recommended $14.88m $14.88m $14.88m $14.88m (1994) to declare all Queensland sections of the Gulf Savannah Way Federal Investment as State-controlled road. • That allocation of funds be distributed to the controlling Local Recommended $3.7m $3.7m $3.7m $3.7m Government Authorities in equal portions over a 10-year period State Investment from 2019-2020. PATHWAY TO PROSPERITY.