Council brings Springsure-Tambo Road advocacy back to the table

Central Highlands Regional Council has brought sealing the Springsure-Tambo Road back to the table at this week’s Roads of Strategic Importance consultation.

Mayor Kerry Hayes and Deputy Mayor and Chair of the Bowen Basin Regional Roads and Transport Group Christine Rolfe attended the Townsville meeting.

‘We’re grateful for the $40 million in ROSI funding already allocated to seal sections of this stretch of road, but the time to seal the whole deal is now,’ Mayor Kerry Hayes said.

‘There are established gravel pits along the road and work crews from two councils, who currently spend a combined $1.2 million in annual maintenance, on standby.’

Mayor Hayes said the call for further funding was echoed by the Blackall-Tambo Regional Council and producers during a recent inspection along the road.

‘The investment that needs to happen for our future starts on regional roads in our country,’ he said.

‘And the irony is that agriculture has moved on, the industry has moved on, and travellers keep moving on, all of these economies use this important road on a regular basis and it’s just never been completed.’

Winding through some of the region’s best scenery and access to Salvator Rosa National Park, the 148-kilometre flood-prone gravel road connects two western towns with a rich history and untouched tourism potential, whilst connecting $300 million worth of livestock product with consumers. It is one of Queensland’s largest agricultural supply chains from west to east.

Also known as Dawson Developmental Road, the Springsure-Tambo Road has been on the advocacy list of local governments and the Central Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils under the tagline ‘reef to red ridge’. It is also part of the visionary west-east corridor ‘outback to ocean’ or ‘red dust to reef’, connecting the Diamantina channel country with the Port of Gladstone.