Central, western Queensland mayors want money to seal roads

One of the state’s biggest industries is being hamstrung by roads that predate Federation, with mayors in central and western Queensland calling for a $400m government investment.

One of Queensland’s biggest industries is being hamstrung by roads that predate Federation, the mayors of a swath of Queensland say, calling for $400 million to be spent sealing routes to help graziers, rebuild towns and open up tourism.

Beef producers and mayors representing a slice of the industry worth $1.7 billion a year and covering a quarter of Australia’s cattle herd are taking their desperate push for better roads to Beef Week in Rockhampton on Wednesday in their bid to get the state’s feeder roads sealed and brought into the present century.

The Gladstone, Isaac, Banana, Central Highlands, Woorabinda, Barcaldine and Blackall-Tambo mayors have joined forces to call for action from the state and federal governments to upgrade Queensland’s Beef Corridors – a strategic supply chain of roads stretching more than 2000km across central and western Queensland that are vital to ensuring the crucial industry can grow.

They argue filling in the missing links will not only help the beef industry, but also help rebuild towns and communities across the region.

A road train truck driving on Clermont Alpha Rd, Queensland Picture Supplied

“We already have a strong commitment from the state and federal governments to improve key freight routes and connectivity between agricultural regions and ports,” Central Highlands Mayor Kerry Hayes said.

“But on a local level, our producers are suffering daily because there are too many neglected links in our transportation network.

“They experience the flow-on effects of these gaps every day. It is detrimental to locals effectively running their businesses and it is holding our industry back.

“These feeder roads are our missing links and to get them sealed and up to a standard, we are asking for a staged, $400 million investment to give our communities and the industry the confidence it needs.

“Our council areas and communities are the beating heart of the central and western Queensland beef industry and these strategic routes are its arteries.

“If we want this industry to grow and generate much-needed jobs and economic activity then we need to ensure the future health of this critical road network.”

Lawson Paine and Grace Paine on the road outside their parents Matthew and Bernadette Paine's Springsure cattle property Picture Supplied

Grazier Bernadette Paine, whose husband Matthew is the third generation of his family on their Springsure property, said sealing the roads would do more than just help cattle producers.

As well as improving safety, it would create jobs and help open up tourism in the regions in a sector that relied heavily on self-drive holiday-makers and grey nomads.

She said the graded road her farm relied on could deteriorate from graded to “talcum powder” bulldust in the dry or to impassable mud in the rain in less than a fortnight.

Mrs Paine said sealing feeder roads would help connect east and western Queensland, create jobs and increase food security.

“It’s value adding we can do for the state and for the nation,” she said.