Albanese Government’s $7 billion Bruce Hwy fix welcomed by widow of truck crash

The promise of $7 billion to fix the deadly Bruce Highway is welcome news for a widow, who can’t bring herself to visit the intersection where her husband died in a horrific truck collision.

Betty Stuart, whose husband Daniel was killed in a crash on the Bruce Highway near Maryborough in 2024. Picture Lachie Millard

A grieving widow has welcomed the federal government’s announcement of more funding to the Bruce Highway, on the day of her 25th wedding anniversary.

Betty Stuart’s husband Daniel, 50, and Tim Hickey, 62, died in March at a notoriously dangerous intersection along the highway in Maryborough, when a car failed to give way, causing the two trucks to collide.

Since the incident, Ms Stuart repeatedly called on both the state and federal government to commit to funding the Bruce Highway and creating a long-term plan.

Ms Stuart was pleasantly surprised when she heard the government’s announcement, on Sunday, the day of Ms Stuart’s 25th wedding anniversary which had been quite difficult for her.

“I think it’s a good start to the New Year to be quite honest. It’s nice news to hear,” she said.

“It’s just unfortunate that it’s taken so long but let’s move ahead and just be thankful that at least they’re taking ownership

“It really has made my day, the fact that they are actually looking at going ahead and doing some work on the motorway, that makes a big difference.”

Ms Stuart said she still refuses to travel the Bruce Highway in the state it is in, and hoped the improvements would be made soon, especially in the spots worst rated at the moment, including the one her husband was killed in.

Betty Stuart, whose husband Daniel was killed in a crash on the Bruce Highway near Maryborough in 2024. Picture Lachie Millard

“I wanted to go up to the crash site before Christmas and I wouldn’t go,” she said.

“My daughter said “you have to go sometime” and I said no, the highway was really busy and everyone was going on holiday.

“I didn’t go up. I do want to go up but when we go up, I think about my family and my grandchildren.

“It’s just hard. I just fear that five cars out of six could go up there but the doubt of not coming back is constantly on your mind.”

Ms Stuart said despite the good news from the government it didn’t bring back her husband who she misses daily.

“Christmas was really hard,” she said.

“I wasn’t actually going to have Christmas but my daughter reminded me, Daniel and I have all our grandchildren, and to not have it at our place was a bit too much for them to try and understand so we did have Christmas and it was great.”

Despite losing her husband, Ms Stuart, said she still feels his presence with her.

“He’s here, I have his urn here and I think personally having his urn here completes us as a family but also that we all go past and the candle burns 24 seven and my grandchildren come over and talk to him,” she said.

“So it’s like he’s still here but he’s not here. There’s still a lot of things, we still have to do, and most of them included him.”

Originally published as Albanese Government’s $7 billion Bruce Hwy fix welcomed by widow of truck crash