The prime minister has pledged to seal the final missing link of an inland freight route amid community frustration over grocery shortages in north Queensland.
Widespread flooding that began in the state’s north almost a fortnight ago left the Bruce Highway blocked and badly damaged in parts with trucks unable to deliver fresh produce to replenish bare supermarket shelves.
The coastal route closure shone a light on the lack of a reliable alternative inland freight route to the north and brought focus to a 10.8-kilometre stretch of the Kennedy Developmental Road that remains unsealed.
The remaining 10.8 kilometres of the road will now be sealed. (Supplied: Advance Cairns)
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Thursday vowed to complete that project in response to a question in parliament from Kennedy MP Bob Katter.
“It’s a great example of, frankly, stuff that needs to be done better,” Mr Albanese said.
“Ten kilometres of that road is still dirt, and that has meant that it hasn’t been able to be used.
“We have funding provided for it.
“That will be fixed.”
A long-awaited commitment
Nick Trompf chairs the lobby group Advance Cairns. (Supplied: Advance Cairns)
Sealing the road, also known as the Hann Highway, has been a key priority for Far North Queensland lobby group Advance Cairns.
Chairman Nick Trompf said supply transport into north Queensland could have continued during the floods had the road between Hughenden and the Lynd been sealed.
“In this current event, the Hann Highway … it didn’t go under until a couple of days after the Gregory and the Bruce [Highways],” Mr Trompf said.
“But of course [with] 10 or 11km of gravel it’s a bog, so you won’t be getting any semis or road trains through at the moment.”
Mr Trompf estimated it would cost about $30 million to seal the road.
The prime minister has committed to sealing the remaining 11 kilometres of unsealed road. (Supplied: Flinders Shire Council)
The rest of the route’s upgrade was progressively funded under the Coalition up until December 2023, with about $120 million spent to seal roughly 80km of road.
“The fact [the prime minister’s] announced it is brilliant,” Mr Trompf said.
“What we say now is get on with it and get it done this dry season, so we’re not sitting here next year having the same conversation.”
Need for Bruce Highway alternative
Part of the Ollera Creek Bridge, between Townsville and Ingham, was washed away during floods. (ABC News)
Mr Katter said the work would provide north Queensland with a way out in emergencies such as the ongoing floods.
“500,000 people have been trapped [with] no way of getting out. Helicopters can’t get in, planes or boats can’t get in,” he said.
“There are three roads utterly impassable.
“There is a great urgency, and we shouldn’t have to go into a calamity of this nature.
“We should be prepared for it and sadly our community has lost two lives.”
Flinders Shire Mayor Kate Peddle said her region had long pushed for a viable inland alternative route to the Bruce Highway.
Flinders Mayor Kate Peddle says locals have long been pushing for the remaining section of the road to be sealed. (Supplied: Kate Peddle)
“We could have supplied that, and it was so frustrating for us sitting out here inland, having 10.8km left to seal. That to us is so minimal but will create a huge benefit,” she said.
“I could not be happier.”
Too late for some
Mareeba papaya grower Gerard Kath welcomed the announcement, even if it came too late to prevent his losses during this flood event.
He has had about 80 pallets of fresh fruit waiting on trucks or in storage to transport to Brisbane for 10 days.
Trucks queued along the Bruce Highway, south of Ingham. (ABC Far North: Christopher Testa)
It finally made it to market on Thursday morning — although he expected up to 30 per cent of stock would have to be dumped.
“There is a bit of carnage amongst them. They are sorting through them and some of it has been sold,” he said.
“You can send product out, but if it’s got questionable legs, a lot of times it will boomerang back.
“It will come back to the wholesaler … and we replace it.”
