Ground is being broken tomorrow on the next stage of the $352 million Rookwood Weir project.
Natural Resources Minister Dr Anthony Lynham said local workers from Civil Mining and Construction started tomorrow on the $2.2 million-dollar Capricorn Highway intersection upgrade at Gogango.
“This is more progress on Rookwood Weir – still only funded by the Palaszczuk Government,” Dr Lynham said.
Member for Rockhampton Barry O’Rourke welcomed the local jobs and the latest milestone.
“That’s 15 more CQ people who are part of a region-building project,” he said.
Assistant Education Minister and Member for Keppel Brittany Lauga said locals could expect ongoing jobs to flow, with a multi-million-dollar bridge contract to be awarded next month.
“Rookwood Weir is delivering for CQ already with jobs for locals, and tangible progress on site,” she said.
The Gogango project will upgrade the road to provide safe access for large earth-moving machinery and construction vehicles travelling to the weir site.
Meanwhile, Rocky the 25-strong Rockhampton Regional Council crew is making good progress on the $7.5 million upgrade at nearby Thirsty Creek Road.
Work on culverts, floodways and cattle crossings two-thirds complete, while final road widening works are underway. The overall project is now nearly 30 per cent complete and on track for completion in June this year.
Dr Lynham said the benefits of Rookwood Weir will extend well beyond the jobs.
“It will provide opportunities for increased agricultural and industrial development, and jobs, as well as water security for the region,” he said.
The successful tender for the main weir package is due to be announced in mid-2020, while the contract to upgrade Riverslea Bridge will be awarded in April.
Sunwater CEO Nicole Hollows said work at Gogango was scheduled to be completed by mid-2020, weather permitting.
Local businesses continue to register their interest to supply goods and services on the project’s dedicated web registry. About 136 Central Queensland businesses have already registered.
About Rookwood Weir
Rookwood Weir is being constructed on the Fitzroy River, 66 kilometres south-west of Rockhampton.
It will create up to 100 jobs.
The thousands of megalitres of water it will make available will underpin agricultural growth and supply industrial and urban water in central Queensland.
The Palaszczuk State Government and the Commonwealth continue to finalise funding agreements.
In the interim, the Palaszczuk Government has allocated $149 million over two years to allow detailed planning and design, and on ground works to proceed.
