$350m Mackay Port Access Road business case set for 2024 release

Mackay Ring Road Stage 2 could revolutionise mining, shipping and travel but it will take longer for it to get going than previously stated.

A preliminary map showing the Mackay Port Access Road. Picture: Department of Transport and Main Roads.

A massive new road project for Mackay’s miners, port operator and northern residents has been delayed, even as coal wealth booms and congestion tightens.

The business case for the $350m Mackay Port Access Road, also known as Mackay Ring Road Stage 2, was originally listed for release in 2023.

But a Department of Transport and Main Roads spokesman confirmed this week the case would not be delivered until mid-2024.

Even then, the assessment process means construction could not begin until 2025 at the earliest.

“Timelines for detailed design and construction will be determined once the business case is approved by the Australian and Queensland governments in late-2024,” the spokesman said.

A preliminary map showing the Mackay Port Access Road. Picture: Department of Transport and Main Roads.

“The revised time frame for completion of the business case accommodates requirements to complete additional environmental investigations.”

The project would deliver a new 9.5km two-lane road connecting the Port of Mackay with the Mackay Ring Road, which connects in turn to the Peak Downs Highway and the coal-rich Bowen Basin.

A spokeswoman for North Queensland Bulk Ports, which operates the port, said the road would enhance efficiency and safety by separating heavy vehicles from residential traffic.

“(The) Port of Mackay is one of the largest multi-commodity ports in Queensland in terms of cargo throughput and is already a major hub serviced by heavy vehicles, providing break bulk and fuel connectivity to the Bowen Basin,” she said.

“NQBP continues to collaborate with all levels of government and other stakeholders to further improve the connectivity and efficiency of Mackay‘s transport corridors and support the growth of industry in the region.”

The project is currently funded on an 80:20 split, with $280m coming from the federal government and $70m from the state government.

The Port of Mackay. The Mackay Port Access Road project would provide a seamless connection for heavy vehicles between the port and the coal-rich Bowen Basin. Picture: Facebook

TMR has released a map of the project, which shows the road branching off from the Mackay Ring Road at Glenella and snaking east alongside the existing Erakala-Mackay Harbour railway line to a connection point near Harbour Road.

Some in the Mackay community have expressed reservations about the project.

The road’s trajectory cuts straight through three of Mackay Touch Association’s playing fields near Norris Rd, as well as the neighbouring PCYC block.

MTA president Jason Miller said his organisation had tried appealing to local, state and federal representatives for help but the project’s geotechnical work signified the route was a “done deal”.