CopperString 2032: Richmond Mayor John Wharton welcomes workforce accommodation site

Powerlink will officially break ground in Richmond today on CopperString’s second workforce accommodation site, bringing big bucks to the small town.

Richmond QLD mayor John Wharton.

Powerlink will officially break ground in Richmond on Monday on CopperString’s second workforce accommodation site, bringing big bucks to the small town.

Richmond Mayor John Wharton welcomed the start of construction after personally advocating for CopperString for more than a decade.

“The economic injection for our town is enormous and the projects that CopperString 2032 will unlock is endless,” he said.

The massive 840km transmission line, which runs through Richmond, is set to tap into a $500 billion worth of critical mineral deposits in the North West Minerals Province.

Richmond and nearby Julia Creek sit on one of the world’s largest vanadium deposits – a mineral key to renewable energy storage.

Townsville MP Scott Stewart, Minister for Critical Minerals and Resources, said it had been less than three months since the Miles Government broke ground the project’s first workforce accommodation site equipped for 550 in Hughenden.

He said Richmond’s accommodation facility would house up to 250 construction workers.

“This is the largest ever expansion to the state’s publicly owned energy system and requires a workforce of more than 800 to deliver,” he said.

The CopperString plan which is significant for North West Minerals Province.

“The North West is rich with critical minerals and today we are one step closer to unlocking this huge potential and future economy.”

As in Hughenden, ATCO Structures will deliver the workforce accommodation that is due for completion in mid to late 2025.

The workers will construct the nearby substation and progress the transmission line west towards Mount Isa.

Mundingburra MP Les Walker said CopperString would create jobs in Townsville and across the north.

“It’s only the Miles Labor Government that backs this project,” he said.

“This next boom for the resources industry is at risk from the LNP because we know David Crisafulli does not back our progressive coal royalties, which means CopperString is at risk of being cut, which in turn puts our boom in critical minerals at risk.”

Minister for Resources and Critical Minerals Scott Stewart at the official opening of the CopperString Experience Centre in Townsville last month. Picture: Shae Beplate

Thuringowa MP Aaron Harper said there were huge opportunities for Townsville people and local companies to secure work through CopperString.

“It is our progressive coal royalties that are funding this project and we have now passed laws to protect all Queenslanders’ interest in the resources that belong to them.”

CopperString 2032 Project Director Tom Dockray said six accommodation facilities to be built along the corridor would provide a “comfortable home away from home”.

“The locations for the workforce accommodation sites have been chosen to ensure construction efficiencies as well as shorter travel distances, making it safer for our workforce along the transmission line and substation locations,” he said.

“In July, we commenced construction in Hughenden and launched our Supplier Capability Development Program, in August we opened the Experience Centre in Townsville and now in September we have broken ground in Richmond.”

He said the project was progressing rapidly and on track for completion by 2029.

Originally published as CopperString 2032: Richmond Mayor John Wharton welcomes workforce accommodation site