Cape York - freeway approved

[Frostd]

Came across this article today.
http://www.news.com.au/national-news/queensland/cape-york-roads-to-get-250m-upgrade/story-fnii5v6w-1226663393091

Approval has come from the federal government to bitumen large sections of the Cape and also install bridges. Talk of replacing the Jardine Ferry with a bridge.

[Wazza2]

What a bland existance we will have if everything is blacktop....

[moseyroc]

I agree, I read that in the courier mail today & have had the sh#ts ever since

[muzza01]

Yep, some call it progress, used to take between 8-10 hours from Cairns to Cooktown, now it is 3.5  hours. I liked it the old way.

[Tjupurula]

What a bland existance we will have if everything is blacktop....

Don't worry, the Canning Stock Route will never be black top.  All the residents on and near it, including us, would not stand for it ever.
Tjupurula

[Frostd]

Look out the International Tourist Buses will be doing a Cairns to the top and back in two days.  Get off the road!!

[xcvator]

There must be either a sh@t load of money there or a sh@t load of votes 

[GeeTee]

Who here remembers the 44-gallon drum ferry on the Wenlock?

[Symon]

Good for the locals as it will help rake in the tourist dollar.  As long as they stick to certain areas and don't go anywhere else I'm quite OK with it.

[rodsswag]

Good for the locals as it will help rake in the tourist dollar.  As long as they stick to certain areas and don't go anywhere else I'm quite OK with it.

X2 Symon
Bring in the money for the locals
But keep them on the track...


Rod..........

[gclan]

I can understand why the locals would want a bridge...it's even $50 each way for them according to this report
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/cape-york-trip-hijacked-by-price-hike-for-jardine-river-ferry/story-fnihsrf2-1226663013173

[SteveandViv]

And it is not the OTL etc from reading it is only on the Western side. I wouldn't worry about it to much as who knows what the next government will do and the fun parts on the Cape are off that main road.

[edz]

Sooo does this mean that the big developer companies that were eyeing the place of back in the 80's are finaly pushing to open up area's for new coastal  towns / cities, as our population is expanding fairly rapidly now .
Seem to remember a couple of four corner type  shows way back, being shown around up there by corporation execs .. If you build it they will come ..

[Draggin]

They can't be serious.

There are so many far more deserving projects requiring funding - where the hell would the money come from anyway ?

Ah ha - the money comes from taxpayers !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We are all tax payers - are you with me so far?

We the  tax payers may have a say in this - yeah?

AAAARRRRGGGGHHHH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    NOOOOOOOO    !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Gummint will be getting the money from the MINING - huge increase in infrastructure - might have to keep an eye out for a block of land, the sub-divisions will be next. I can see a casino, KFC, Macca's - won't need a long range tank to visit the "remote" places, won't need a fridge/freezer, won't need storage space. Oh, come to think of it a Corolla would be cheaper to run than my "Cruiser - could still get to the Cape.

Maybe them Gummint people are on my side for a change, they are trying to make my Cape adventure cheaper and easier. Now I'll have more disposable income to prop up the fast food industry and tour companies - I won't need to do it myself.

I know - I won't even need to have it in my bucket list

[Jenko67]

i'm trying to picture the M1 going from Cairns to the tip.  Don't think it would be anything like a freeway....

[letsgo]

Glad we are heading up this year before it gets done.

[achjimmy]

It's a federal government pork barrel election promise. Look at how many promises thy have delivered in the last 5 years, I wouldn't be to concerned about this happening anytime soon.

Plus have they consulted the landowners up there?  This seems to be on the back of a rash of complaints about the raise in the ferry charges, which is a source of income for the council.

[Andrew_C]

If they upgrade it to Bruce highway standards, they will have to go and dig bigger pot holes in it.

[achjimmy]

X2 Symon
Bring in the money for the locals
But keep them on the track...


Rod..........

Once a highway is through and the greenies can get there in their 76 kombi wagons and prius's they will start to Complain about the big bad 4x4s and all the poo tickets and beer cans left behind , soil erosion on the tracks and damage done to the local cane toad and rare feral cat population. Watch the gates go up then!

[MR MAC GU]

What a waste of money.
The Cape will be grey nomad city.

The Cape York experience is about the challenge of getting there and not really so much the destination itself. There will be a lot of tourists taken by crocodiles if this goes ahead as no doubt the uneducated will fall victim as they become complacent.


Sent from Behind you...BOO

[TOPNDR]

I reckon you're all banging yer gums about nothing!

The press release mentions nothing about a freeway, and does mention upgrading two roads to all-weather status, as well as a bridge over the Jardine.

I'll bet we'd all be p!ssed off if we had to get locked in our home town on a regular basis because the road went out, and the road couldn't be upgraded because some interest group wanted it left that way for their occasional use.

The press release

MINISTERIAL MEDIA RELEASES
Jun 13, 2013

Investing in Cape York roads and infrastructure

The Federal Labor Government will provide up to $210 million to upgrade roads and essential community infrastructure including power and sewerage in the Cape York region of Far North Queensland.

Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Anthony Albanese said this is a significant investment in the Far North and would help unlock future economic opportunities.

"There is significant economic activity in the Cape York region.  However, a lack of vital infrastructure means that many Indigenous communities are unable to take advantage of the opportunities this activity brings," he said.

"This investment is about putting in place good infrastructure that will unlock the region's full potential. This will improve accessibility to the Cape York region, create new jobs and support mining and tourism in the area."

The funding will deliver:

• Upgrades to the road between Mapoon and Weipa and the road connecting Aurukun to the
• Peninsula Development Road to an all-weather standard.
  
• Improvements to the Jardine River crossing;
  
• The redevelopment of the Seisia Wharf.
  
• Improvements to the raw water pipeline from Bamaga to Seisia.
  
• Small scale improvements to community drainage.

Minister for Regional Services, Catherine King said the investment would make people's lives easier and businesses more competitive.

"Upgrading these roads to an all-weather standard will mean fewer disruptions for locals as well as business owners and tourists during the Far North's renowned wet seasons," she said.

"The upgrade to the Jardine River Bridge will enable large trucks to travel to the region improving development opportunities and access for the delivery of food and other necessities."

Senator McLucas said the infrastructure investments would make economic development opportunities available to communities in Cape York.

"These improvements to key infrastructure will make an immense difference to people and business in Cape York. The redevelopment of the Seisia Wharf will open the region up to further economic opportunities," Senator McLucas said

For a region supported by mining and tourism, well planned and modern infrastructure is the key to economic growth and future productivity

This new funding is part of the record $16.6 billion the Federal Labor Government is investing in the State's road and rail infrastructure.

[SteveandViv]

I reckon you're all banging yer gums about nothing!

The press release mentions nothing about a freeway, and does mention upgrading two roads to all-weather status, as well as a bridge over the Jardine.

I'll bet we'd all be p!ssed off if we had to get locked in our home town on a regular basis because the road went out, and the road couldn't be upgraded because some interest group wanted it left that way for their occasional use.

The press release

Exactly.

[WeLDIN]

Hahaha , it's all about the mining!!! If you think the government gives a $&@$ about indiginous communities or tourism in the cape, you'd better wake up to yourself.... The reason the is so much tourism is because it is so remote, which is what the average Aussie needs these days to get away from all the B.S. goin on in the city!!  It's no secret that mining and resources is the Gillard governments ATM and the cape is chock a block full of bauxite with easy access to coastal areas for export... I'm with the Irwin's ....... Don't mine the cape!!!!!

AJ

[moseyroc]

Exactly right, bloody greedy mining companies (& gutless government) drive all of this, I should know I deal with these a##holes every day. They want sealed/bitumen roads for easy access everywhere yet they dont contribute bugger all to the rest of the highways we all use, & there heavy vehicles use. Ever wondered why the road from Dalby to Chinchilla got so stuffed in so short of time given the stretch to Mcalister is relatively new, its there damn heavy vehicles & we pay to the have the road repaired, if were lucky. For the amount of OHS crap that gets driven down small business owners throats its disgraceful what people have to go through with the current bypass, its dangerous & meets no legislative standards but nothing gets done & no-one aside from the locals/tourists gives a stuff. This subject really makes my blood boil, sorry for the rant but I deal with Crown law regularly, all pollies are still full of sh@t & we are getting well & truly shafted no matter what political party is in power. Wherever theres CSG/Coal/Bauxite etc, it''s happening, disgraceful.

[SteveandViv]

Hahaha , it's all about the mining!!! If you think the government gives a $&@$ about indiginous communities or tourism in the cape, you'd better wake up to yourself.... The reason the is so much tourism is because it is so remote, which is what the average Aussie needs these days to get away from all the B.S. goin on in the city!!  It's no secret that mining and resources is the Gillard governments ATM and the cape is chock a block full of bauxite with easy access to coastal areas for export... I'm with the Irwin's ....... Don't mine the cape!!!!!

AJ

Well if you came over here you would see that the only sealed road to Cape Leveque is actually on Indigenous land funded by the state government. Maybe that's what happens over there but it's not quite as bad here. I will say though, that had the Gas Hiub gone ahead here it would have been the miners that sealed the rest, so in that respect you are right