Qld Department of Transport, Main Roads buys Pittsworth properties for combined $1.73m

The state government has been busy gobbling up regional properties over the past 12 months, and it’s all in service of a significant project. See details here.

The state government has revealed why it paid more than $1.7m for two rural properties just outside a small town in the Toowoomba region this year.

The Department of Transport and Main Roads has been shown as the buyer of both 108 French Road worth 38 hectares and a nine-hectare site on Oakey Road — both in Pittsworth.

The combined $1.73m purchases in May are close by and a department spokesman has revealed it’s in service of the upcoming Inland Rail.

“The State Government is acquiring land on behalf of the ARTC, which is required for the Inland Rail project in Queensland,” the statement said.

“The property at 108 French Road, Pittsworth was purchased in May 2022.”

French Road, which features a lovely five-bedroom home, has since been listed for rent.

The department also paid a whopping $4.3m in December last year for a 570-hectare rural site at Yandilla, just east of Millmerran.

While it follows the same path as the Inland Rail, TMR did not confirm it was also purchased in service of that project.

The Queensland portion of the route has become the largest sticking point in the Inland Rail, with an independent review to be completed.

It follows a “damning” senate report into the Australian Rail Track Corporation’s adherence to hydrology studies that underestimated water heights along the Condamine flood plain.