The month in review: Toowoomba
By Herron Todd White
November, 2009
The major infrastructure projects for the Toowoomba
region include the Toowoomba Highway Bypass, Airport
runway extension, Wivenhoe dam water pipeline and
Melbourne to Gladstone rail link. The region is well
positioned to capitalise on such projects and will have a
profound economic and infrastructure benefit.
• To date funding by the Federal Government’s Building
Australia Fund was not granted for the Toowoomba
Highway Bypass. The mayor indicated that the ‘project
would provide up to 3,800 direct jobs on the Darling
Downs and as many as 16,000 jobs for South-East
Queensland during construction. It would add more
than $300 million to the Darling Downs economy
and almost $1.3 billion to the Gross State Product of
Queensland in direct and flow-on effects.’
• The Council is currently examining a runway extension
to 1,470 metres which could accommodate larger
aircraft.
• The Australian Transport and Energy Corridor Ltd
(ATEC) have control of some 200 ha at Charlton for
development of a major freight hub. In April 2008,
the Federal Government requested the Australian Rail
and Track Corporation (ARTC) undertake a $15 million
scoping study of the Melbourne to Brisbane Inland Rail
Link to determine the preferred route. The study is to
be completed by August 2009.
• The pipeline from Wivenhoe to Cressbrook Dam was
reported to be 60% complete and due for completion
in January 2010. To date the local dam levels was
reported to be 9%.
Other projects having profound economic and
infrastructure benefits in our local region include;
• Gatton Gaol,
• Local university and school infrastructure expansion
and refurbishments,
• As part of the Force Disposition Program (FDP), the
Government was considering whether to remediate
existing and/or construct new facilities at the current
location or relocate the functions of the Borneo
Barracks to Edinburgh Defence Precinct in South
Australia in 2013. Local Council made representation to
the Defence Minister seeking to ensure the continuing
operations of Borneo Barracks as ‘the regional economy
would lose 845 jobs; $105.3 million per annum; and a
serious short-term downturn in the property market
may result.’
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