Vital QLD, NT and WA road projects given $360m funding support

More than $360 million has been granted to fund various road projects under the Northern Australia Roads Programme (NARP). According to Deputy Prime Minister of Australia and Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources Barnaby Joyce, the NARP was established to fund high-priority projects which are vital to the North’s economic development.

“The Australian Government has worked with the northern jurisdictions to identify priority projects to support economic development and regional communities, making it easier for people and freight to travel vast distances.

“We’re unlocking the significant untapped potential of the north which will benefit the region and the national economy,” Minister Joyce said.

Three States – Queensland, Northern Territory and Western Australia – have each been allocated funds for varying road projects. The list below shows the various road projects for each State and their fund allocation.

Queensland has been granted a total of at least $141 million for the following projects:

• $33 million for two projects along Flinders Highway – between Townsville and Torrens Creek, and the other is between Charters Towers and Richmond
• $43 million for works on the Kennedy Developmental Road
• $5 million for upgrades on the intersection at Barkly Highway in Mount Isa
• $60 million for the Capricorn Highway expansion between Rockhampton and Gracemere

A total of almost $130 million has been granted for Northern Territory for four projects, including:

• $8 million to seal the 8.4 kilometres of unsealed section of Tjukaruru Road
• $20 million to upgrade the unsealed sections of the Plenty Highway, making it a two-way sealed standard road – his includes flood immunity works and sealing further sections of the highway
• $40 million to upgrade the Keep River Plains Road in order to support the Project Sea Dragon as well as the development of Ord Stage 3
• $62 million for the Arnhem Highway upgrade which will improve flood immunity along the Adelaide River floodplain

Western Australia was granted at least $87.5 million for three road projects, including:

• $24 million for the widening of an 18.6 kilometre section on the Great Northern Highway-Wyndham Spur Stage 2
• $20 million to improve the road alignment as well as build new passing lanes on the Maggie’s Jump Up section on the Great Northern Highway
• $43.5 million to realign as well as build a section of Marble Bar Road which passes through Coongan Gorge

These projects are jointly funded by the Australian and the corresponding State’s Governments on an 80:20 agreement.

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Source: Minister for Infrastructure and Transport (1, 2, 3)