Building a Bigger Rig: construction to start in 2020

Maranoa Regional Council has outlined dates for work to begin on Roma's biggest tourist attraction.

Meryl Eddie, Cr Puddy Chandler, Ray Howson and Cr Cameron O'Neil at the Big Rig. Picture: Contributed

A NEW Big Rig is projected to earn $3.3 million for the local economy, and it will start taking shape in the coming months.

The project itself will start in June 2019, and construction will officially kick off in 2020, Maranoa Regional Council has confirmed.

The Bigger Big Rig project has received $1.23 million in through the Queensland Government's Outback Tourism Infrastructure Fund, and will bring jobs to town from start to finish, said Maranoa Regional Council's Portfolio Chair for Tourism, Puddy Chandler.

"The project will benefit the entire Maranoa, boosting tourism and generating jobs for local residents,” she said.

When completed, the new Big Rig will include an observation tower featuring highlights of outback Queensland on the ascension, and a tree walk from the Big Rig, which will wind through the vegetation of Bungil Creek, to the Adungadoo Pathway.

It is expected that the new Bigger Big Rig and Tree Walk will increase visitation to The Big Rig and Roma Visitor Information Centre by over 50 per cent once the construction is complete.

Tourism Industry Development Minister, Kate Jones, said the announcement is a win for Queensland's outback tourism sector.

"We're committed to partnering with local councils to deliver projects like this in the outback because we know how important tourism is when it comes to supporting outback communities during tough times,” she said.

"This is what the Premier's 'Year of Outback Tourism' initiative is all about.

"The Palaszczuk Government is investing more in infrastructure and marketing for tourism in the outback than any government in Queensland's history.

"We'll continue to work with councils and operators to grow the tourism industry in outback Queensland.”

It is expected that the new Bigger Big Rig and Tree Walk will increase visitation to The Big Rig and Roma Visitor Information Centre by over 50% once the construction is complete.

Originally published as Building a Bigger Rig: construction to start in 2020