Peninsula Developmental Road sealing rolls on

Work on sealing Cape York Peninsula’s only major access road – the Peninsula Developmental Road (PDR) – has reached another milestone with the completion of the Mein Deviation project.

Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester said works on sealing the remaining 10.1 kilometres of the 29 kilometre stretch of the PDR between Wolverton and the Bamaga turn-off, were completed at the end of July 2016.

“Completion of these works provides local communities, tourists and freight transport operators with safer, more reliable access to Cape York over this section of the road, particularly during the wet season,” Mr Chester said.

“The Mein Deviation project is part of the Cape York Region Package, a major programme of works jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland governments to upgrade critical infrastructure on Cape York.

“The Mein Deviation project completes the 2015 programme of works on the PDR which included three other sealing projects in Sourayas Hill, south of Hann River and south of Morehead River.

Queensland Minister for Main Roads and Road Safety Mark Bailey said about 78.5 kilometres of the PDR has been sealed since Cape York Region Package works began in 2014.

“Weather permitting, a further 51.6 kilometres of the PDR will be sealed this year at Coen South, Archer to Wolverton, Musgrave, and Little Laura to Fairview,” Mr Bailey said.

“Tenders submitted for the Coen South and Archer to Wolverton projects have been approved and RoadTek has commenced onsite preconstruction activities for the Musgrave project with the establishment of camp and site office facilities, construction of side-tracks and cultural heritage clearances.

“Construction of the Musgrave project will involve extensive use of Indigenous business sub-contractors to boost Indigenous employment opportunities and build road construction capability in Cape York.

“Tenders for the Little Laura to Fairview project closed on 4 August with a strong contingent of local tenders from North Queensland understood to be bidding for this work.”

Federal Member for Leichhardt Warren Entsch said employment and training opportunities for local Indigenous and non-Indigenous workers, businesses and suppliers was an important facet of the PDR projects.

“In 2015, around 20 Indigenous trainees were employed, around 15 Indigenous businesses gained work through the PDR projects, and at the peak of construction more than 80 Indigenous workers were employed,” Mr Entsch said.

Queensland Treasurer and Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships Curtis Pitt said an average 180 direct jobs will be supported over the life of the four projects being delivered this year.

“Last year this infrastructure program led to a significant boost in employment and business opportunities for Indigenous people around the Cape and Western Queensland.

“We identified successful tendering aspects of the 2015 program to retain in this year’s program of works to focus on: Indigenous and non-Indigenous training and upskilling, the implementation of an Indigenous Economic Opportunities Plan and local industry participation.

“The Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships has already surpassed the jobs targets outlined in its Service Delivery Statement but I’m confident we can do even better, so I encourage Indigenous businesses to put in competitive tenders to be involved in this work.”

For more information on the projects, including project delivery timeframes and up to date news, please visit: http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Projects/Name/C/Cape-York-Region-Package-Peninsula-Developmental-Road.

The $260 million Cape York Region Package is jointly funded with the Australian Government providing $208 million and the Queensland Government providing $52 million.

Media Contacts

Minister Bailey:                                  Zoe Russell                         0428 079 640