SOUTHERN Downs Regional and Tenterfield Shire councils have thrown their weight behind a push for federal funding to upgrade the Mt Lindesay Road between Legume and Woodenbong.
The campaign is being spearheaded by the Legume to Woodenbong Road Alliance for a funding commitment as part of the “Northern Growth Corridor”.
Following a resolution at the recent Legume to Woodenbong Road Alliance (the ‘Alliance’) meeting, a formal communique was issued last week to Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, MP, and Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester, MP.
The communique highlighted the strategic significance and urgent need for funding to be allocated by the Federal Government towards the Mt Lindesay Road upgrade.
Southern Downs Regional Councillor and Alliance chairperson Neil Meiklejohn said the Deputy Prime Minister made commitments during the previous election, that the funding of Mt Lindesay Road was one of his two highest priorities for his electorate.
“The intent of the communique issued to the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport is to reiterate the importance of this road issue, and to get it on the agenda for a commitment of funding during the current Federal Election campaign,” he said.
Cr Meiklejohn pointed out that the Mt Lindesay Road is a key freight and tourist route connecting the Southern Downs region in Queensland (QLD) with the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales (NSW), and requires funding to upgrade, reconstruct and bitumen seal a key section of the road between Legume and Woodenbong, a distance of about 44 kilometres.
“Funding in the order of $24 million is urgently needed from the Federal Government to bring the Legume to Woodenbong section of the road up to the required safety standards for use by heavy transport and the travelling public,” he said.
“Since 2014/2015, funding of around $5.35 million has been sourced for various capital works projects from both Queensland and News South Wales state and local governments, but there has been a resounding absence of any funding whatsoever from the Federal Government.
“The upgrade of the Legume to Woodenbong section of Mt Lindesay Road offers enormous benefits for this northern growth corridor.
“It would support and stimulate interstate trade between the Darling Downs and Northern Rivers, particularly for transport businesses such as Wickham’s Freight Lines and Fraser’s Transport, the Northern Meat Co-operative and numerous rural producers,” he said.
Tenterfield Shire Council Mayor Peter Petty, deputy chairperson of the Legume to Woodenbong Road Alliance, strongly endorsed Cr Meiklejohn’s comments.
“This road is of utmost importance for the safe transport of freight and for the development of tourism in the northern reaches of our shire,” he said.
“The State Government has provided much of the funding so far, and now it’s the Fed’s turn to stand up and be counted,” Mayor Petty said.
