$830m worth of infrastructure identified for Bundaberg

MORE than $830 million in infrastructure projects were identified to begin planning in the Bundaberg area this financial year.

Over $830 million in projects have been identified to begin in the Bundaberg council area this financial year

MORE THAN $830 million worth of consolidated infrastructure projects have been identified for the Bundaberg region alone in Regional Development Australia’s July-December Project Status Report.

A total of 58 projects will use this money, scheduled to begin at least planning stages this financial year.

Just over $2.5 billion worth of projects were identified for the Wide Bay Burnett region, with Bundaberg, North and South Burnett, Gympie and Fraser Coast councils all being listed for projects.

By far the most expensive project will be the $180 million Gastons & Bucca Rds Renewable Energy Facility, followed by the $150 million Kent Tobin Road Solar Farm at Bullyard and the $140 million Three Chain & Hummock Rds Renewable Energy Facility.

The report shows the energy, gas, water and waste services industry employed nearly 1000 people fewer than it did in 2012/13.

The focus for the Bundaberg region was the expansion of Bundaberg Brewed Drinks into a $156 million “super brewery”.

The expansion is a future-proofing project predicted to create 360 jobs: 213 during construction and 147 once the facility is completed.

In Maryborough, the focus was on the Rheinmettall – NIOA munitions facility, with an aim to produce 30,000 artillery shells a year.

The focus in Hervey Bay was on the 400 jobs expected to accompany a $26 million upgrade to infrastructure at Hervey Bay Airport.

Major projects identified at Gympie were the Traveston Service Centre and Smerdon Road Units Stages 1-6 with a value of $10m apiece.

Both these projects were dwarfed by the $35.5m David Drive Commercial & Community Development project.

The most expensive project in North Burnett was the Mundubbera Sewage Treatment Plant valued at $1m.

In South Burnett the Kingaroy North Development was valued at $100 million, the biggest single project for the region.

However, the South Burnett Coal Project was split into four smaller projects: one to establish mining infrastructure, another to established a site & infrastructure, another for the Coal separation plant and another to construct an overland conveyor.

All up these three projects represent a value of $230m.

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