CocoBrew owner explains impacts of Rockhampton Ring Road delay on businesses

Local businesses are calling for a start date for the Rockhampton Ring Road after it was delayed due to cost blow outs. Here’s why they want answers.

Business owners in Rockhampton are begging for clarity on the Rockhampton Ring Road start date, with their plans to cater for workers on the project down the gurgler.

It comes after the Federal Government announced the billion dollar project, which has been dubbed one of the biggest road infrastructure projects in regional Queensland, would be delayed following a cost blowout of $700 million.

The works were expected to get underway in the coming months, and were expected to be complete by 2026, bringing hundreds, if not thousands, of people to the region.

The news of the delay has been labelled as “disappointing” by local state and federal politicians, stakeholders and business owners - as well as the community.

Rockhampton Ring Road - New Fitzroy River bridge. PIC: TMR

Owner/manager of CocoBrew Rockhampton Robin Adams said they had enjoyed the benefits of having more people in the region working on the Shoalwater Bay project.

He said they had been planning ahead to build on their business and add more accommodation, but with a cloud now over the project’s start date, planning had been brought to a halt.

Mr Adams said businesses in the region had spent a lot of money on planning for things such as being able to provide for more people in the community.

“We were really looking forward to the Ring Road going ahead, it was going to bring anywhere from 400 to 1000 workers to the community and that brings people into accommodation and our streets, and brings people spending,” he said.

“That (the Shoalwater Bay works) has been really good for us over the last couple of years, it’s really created a buzz in Rockhampton.

Robin Adams from CocoBrew Rockhampton.

“With that coming to a close and the ring road coming on board, we had a start date for it, we knew it was coming and we could plan for that.

“We need a date to know when this infrastructure is going ahead.”

Mr Adams said knowing a date would allow them to plan their own budgets in the future.

Queensland Senator Matt Canavan said major projects would be coming “offline” in the next few months.

“Over the next 12 months the Rookwood Weir project will finish, the Shoalwater Bay project will almost be complete,” he said.

Queensland Senator Matt Canavan.

“If we don’t have another construction job to soak up that workforce, those workers will go elsewhere and we will lose that business from Central Queensland.”

On Friday a rally will be held at Parkhurst in a bid to get the ring road project back on track.

Mr Canavan said the “grassroots” rally had been organised by locals so they can have their voices heard.

“If we get a couple of hundred people there at Parkhurst, our voices will be heard 2000km away in Canberra,” he said.

“I know we will get lots of people coming out for this because it is something people care about, we’re proud of Rockhampton, we’re proud of the wealth we produce for our area and we deserve our fair share of that wealth to be invested back into our region.”

In the wake of the Ring Road delay confirmation last week, Rockhampton MP Barry O’Rourke and Keppel MP Brittany Lauga highlighted a pipeline of other major Central Queensland’s projects.

Mr O’Rourke pointed out work was ramping up on the $44 million Lawrie St duplication in Gracemere, which was supporting 56 local jobs, and using local contractors.

“The federal budget delivered $200 million in new funding for the Bruce Highway between Rockhampton and Gladstone, and $400 million in new funding for beef and cattle corridors which will include roads in Central Queensland,” he said.

“Along with another $400 million towards the Inland Freight Route, the second Bruce Highway – taking the total to $800 million, plenty of which will go towards key roads in Central Queensland.

“This means there is a heap of work on the way for our local contractors, and suppliers, and there’ll be lots of jobs going to tender over the next 12 months.

“There’s also been some exciting applicants from the Rockhampton Railyards expression of interest process – and I’ll have an update on that soon.”

Mr Lauga highlighted projects such as the $80 million Rockhampton – Yeppoon Road upgrade and the $19 million upgrade of Rockhampton – Emu Park Road.

“We’re also a month away from completing the third package of works in a $33 million Bruce Highway upgrade project from Nielsen Avenue to Plentiful Creek which has supported an average of up to 50 jobs,” she said.

“The federal budget also confirmed more than $235 million in road upgrades for the Rockhampton to Mount Isa road corridor – more key improvements for Central Queensland.

“It shows there’s a strong pipeline of work for Central Queensland contractors and workers.”

While a date was not confirmed, Mr O’Rourke and Ms Lauga both reiterated their intentions to “fight to bring the Rocky Ring Road project forward”.