The Brumby Labor Government is providing more than $1.9 million for local road upgrades in the Green Triangle Region to support export industries, Member for Western Victoria, Gayle Tierney MP announced today.
The funding is being provided to Glenelg, Moyne, Southern Grampians, Warrnambool and West Wimmera councils through the Local Roads to Markets Program for projects worth around $4 million that will directly support the timber, livestock and dairy industries.
“There is an estimated $8.7 billion worth of private investment set to occur in the Green Triangle Region over the next five years in the mining, timber, energy, agriculture and dairy industries,” Ms Tierney said.
“This investment in local roads by the Brumby Government – in partnership with local councils – will help ensure we’ve got the right infrastructure in place in the Green Triangle Region to support these industries to continue to grow and create new jobs for our communities.”
The need for local road upgrades to support industry development was identified in the Green Triangle Freight Action Plan, which was developed by the Victorian, South Australian and local governments in partnership with industry and released in April 2009.
“Local Roads to Market funding goes to regional and rural councils for projects that better link farms with processing centres and markets such as in the dairy, timber and grain sectors,” Ms Tierney said.
“It is about improving the efficiency and competitiveness of agricultural and horticultural producers and related industries by strategically upgrading local roads for large vehicle access.
“Today’s announcement brings to more than $23 million for 119 projects that we’ve helped fund through this popular program as well as the former Dairy Local Roads Program,” Ms Tierney said.
“Upgrading local roads improves the efficiency and competitiveness of industries by providing large vehicle access. This is critical in the Green Triangle Region where the freight task, particularly with timber and mineral sands, is growing enormously.”
Projects in the Green Triangle Region to receive State Government funding through the Local Roads to Markets program are:
Glenelg Shire
Strategic Local Timber Road Improvement Project – Condah-Hotspur Upper Road Stages 1 & 2 $327,500
This project will upgrade an important west-east link to the new timber processing plant at Myamyn.
Moyne Shire
• Boggy Creek Road (RIDF grant) $131,000
• Terang-Framlingham Road – Final Stage $312,000
Bartons Road $122,700
• Rowans Road $170,900
• Sisters-Noorat Road $110,000
These projects will upgrade key dairy supply routes to support B-doubles.
Southern Grampians Shire
• Cavendish Coleraine Road Widening and Pavement Strengthening $187,500
This project will support the timber and livestock industries.
Warrnambool City
• Lindsay Street and Drummond Street Pavement Rehabilitation and Strengthening for Higher Mass Limit B-doubles $133,660
This project will upgrade key local roads to support the dairy industry’s use of B-doubles.
West Wimmera Shire Council
• Broughton Road (RIDF grant) $243,840
• Charam Wombelano Road $164,570
These projects will provide improved access for B-Double vehicle use to support a broad range of agricultural industries, including livestock and grain.