Extra trucks on the road as grain harvest begins
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Posted on August 31, 2022
As the region rolls into spring, trucks piled high with wheat, barley and chickpeas will roll down our roads, transporting some of the Central Highlands’ hottest agricultural commodities to local facilities for processing.
A GrainCorp facility during harvest season in 2019.According to data from the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences, winter crop production in Queensland is forecast to be 32% above the 10-year average to 2021-2022, with approximately 2.3 million tonnes expected to be harvested across the state this financial year.
GrainCorp’s Regional Operations Manager for Queensland Brad Foster is optimistic about the season ahead in Central Queensland.
‘The winter crop harvest in CQ is shaping up to be the best we’ve seen since 2016-17 – perhaps even better,’ he said.
‘While there’s still about a month to go between now and harvest, crop conditions are looking really good and so we’re expecting our sites in the cluster to take the most grain they have in some time.’
The region’s grain harvest season brings with it a value of almost $100 million, but it also brings a significant increase in heavy vehicle traffic on highways and most minor roads leading into Emerald, Capella and Gindie.
With Queensland Road Safety Week finishing last Friday, Central Highlands’ Deputy Mayor Christine Rolfe said it was timely to remind motorists to be extra vigilant and patient around road trains.
‘Much like the cane train season on the coast, we need to take care on our roads and spread awareness over the next few months,’ she said.
‘Our harvest doesn’t have high visibility like the sugarcane season and, unless you’re connected to the land, most people would be unaware of the grain harvest cycle.
‘Often the trucks and harvest machinery will be moving in and out of paddocks directly onto minor roads and this is when motorists need to be alert and mindful.
‘Usually towing two or more trailers, grain transporters are also slow-moving, so exercise patience and allow an extra few minutes when travelling around the region or to Rockhampton.’
Some tips from the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads for sharing the road with heavy vehicles:
Stay out of the truck driver’s blind spotsTravel at a safe following distanceAllow trucks sufficient room to negotiate turnsFamiliarise yourself with how to safely overtake a heavy vehicle.Mr Foster said the favourable outlook for the CQ season would give Yamala, the newest site in the GrainCorp network (and part of CQ Inland Port), the chance to ‘flex’ its muscles after taking its first ever receivals during the 2020-21 harvest.
‘Yamala has the capacity to transport grain direct to export at our Gladstone and Mackay terminals within a 24-hour cycle and, due to the favourable outlook, we expect to see a constant stream of exports from CQ in the next 12 months,’ he said.