New train station to be built as State Budget spend revealed

It’s been a mixed bag for regional and rural communities as the Queensland government delivers this year’s state budget. Here’s where Fraser Coast region stands.

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - NewsWire Photos - JUNE 15, 2021. Queensland Treasurer Cameron Dick speaks during a state budget media briefing at Parliament House. Mr Dick will today deliver his second state budget. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

THE Fraser Coast region is one of the state’s big winners in this year’s Queensland budget with Treasurer Cameron Dick confirming a raft of announcements during the annual lockdown in the state parliament.

The Chronicle can confirm that schools and infrastructure projects are high on the budget agenda with $35m set aside for local education providers across the Wide Bay area and another $26.2m to support the delivery of job-creating infrastructure, maintenance and minor works via the state’s Covid Economic Recovery Strategy.

Closer to home though, the Bruce Highway (Maryborough to Gin Gin) Saltwater Creek upgrade of bridges and floodways project has snared a $31.7m of its total $103m spend.

The $107m Bruce Highway (Gympie to Maryborough), Tiaro Bypass project gets $2.5m in 2021-22.

At Maryborough West, $12.4 million will be spent on a new railway station.

The state government has recommitted to the $600m Rollingstock Expansion Program that will result in 20 six-car passenger trains being manufactured in Maryborough.

The Fraser Coast Inpatient Mental Health Service will get $11.4m from a total $39.6m spend for its new adult acute mental health inpatient unit at Hervey Bay Hospital and its subacute older persons mental health unit refurbishment at Maryborough Hospital.

Maryborough Hospital has $1.5m for its roof replacement and remediation works.

About $1.1m is set aside for nursing and allied health upgrades at Hervey Bay Tafe.

Other budget highlights include:

• Urangan State High School has $1.3m to put towards its new hall facility and a security fence while Urangan Point State School has $280,000 for its new hall.

• Hervey Bay State High School will get $3.6m next financial year to help pay for vital infrastructure.

• Parke State School has $1m to upgrade an existing amenities block.

• The $3.8m Hervey Bay replacement water police facility project gets $1m this year.

• Fraser Island (K’gari) Central Station day use area upgrade has $909k confirmed for its $4.2m upgrade of the Central Station day use area.

• The K’gari Cultural Tourism project receives $346,000 to deliver cultural experiences and services under the Year of Indigenous Tourism banner.

• Maryborough police facility upgrade receives $200,000 in 2021-22 out of a $4m total spend to start the upgrade works.

Seasonal workers and agriculture businesses in the Wide Bay area will also benefit from the statewide four-year $71.4m Drought Assistance and Reform Package and the $2.6m Pacific Labour Scheme and Seasonal Worker Program.

The state government said 310 Wide Bay district businesses would benefit next financial year from its higher payroll tax threshold.