Petition garners 1000 signatures against Gin Gin driver reviver site closure

A grassroots campaign to save the Gin Gin Driver Reviver from closure is heating up with fears its axing could add to Queensland’s rising road death toll.

Community rallies at Gin Gin Driver Reviver site, in protest against its closure.

Volunteers and residents fear there will be more road deaths after the state government closes a Gin Gin driver reviver which has been a spot for commuters to refresh for decades.

The area is one of 23 driver revivers to be axed and has been the subject of a community petition which has gained more than 1000 signatures.

Gin Gin CWA president Pam Rebbeck launched the petition three weeks ago in a desperate bid to save the driver reviver.

The community-led site is a space where drivers “can relax and have a chat, where kids and dogs can have a stretch and run around”, according to Mrs Rebbeck.

“There’s not a lot of room for people to park in town, there’s plenty of space here,” she said.

Residents face ‘undrinkable’ water during upgrade works

Members for Burnett Stephen Bennett and for Callide Bryson Head have backed residents and called on the state government to keep the sites open.

Driver Reviver Gin Gin volunteer Pam Rebbeck is petitioning for the site to remain open.

It comes as Wide Bay and Burnett mastheads launch a campaign for more funding for rural roads.

“Queensland’s road toll has been the highest it’s been in years. And these days, fatigue is one of the fatal five,” Mr Head said.

“By closing these sites, it put the safety of Queenslanders at risk”.

Mr Bennett said the closure robbed residents of a “critical community asset” and put travellers lives in danger.

“It will cost less than $1m to bring all the driver reviver sites up to code and avoid their closure,” Mr Bennett said.

He said repairs to keep the Gin Gin space open would cost about $40,000.

“The government can put a lot of road safety cameras which is raising over a $100 million dollars, but they can’t put aside $1 million to keep the Driver reviver sites open,” Mr Head said.

Some volunteers have been at the site for up to 30 years and gold coin donations go towards driving and safety training at schools as well as a defibrillator at a hospital.

“Show respect for the volunteers that put so much into trying to make sure people‘s journeys are done safely,“ Mr Bennett said.

A spokesperson for Queensland Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said there were more than 450 rest areas across Queensland, with 43 Driver Reviver sites designated to “help motorists manage their fatigue”.

They said there had been an 80 per cent drop in the use of driver revivers.

“The Gin Gin Driver Reviver site is placed on a rest area, which will remain open to the public,“ the spokesperson said.

“If any local organisations or councils want to take on management and coordination of local Driver Reviver sites they are encouraged to consult with the National Driver Reviver Program.”

In response to Mr Bennett’s comments about camera detected offences, they said all revenue collected was invested back into road safety.