Could the long talked about Outback Highway – which would stretch from Laverton in Western Australia to Winton, Queensland, via central Australia – really finally be a happening thing?
The Laverton Shire is certainly hoping so. It is pushing for the proposal to be discussed at the next Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting. Indeed, a delegation of shires from Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland are heading to Canberra this week to lobby for the idea.
Early plans for the project involve sealing roads between Laverton and Winton in outback Queensland at a cost of $700 million over 10 years.
Laverton Shire president Patrick Hill says the highway could release billions of dollars worth of minerals in the country’s interior.
“There’s a big minerals province that hasn’t been touched in the central desert just yet, with nickel, cobalt and iron ore,” he said. “We see this as one of the major factors.”
Hmmmm!
There is no doubt that a new transport corridor traversing Australia from the south west to the north east would open up the Centre. A lack of safe and predictable road routes inland have significantly restricted opportunities to populate and develop the potential of inland Australia.
As things stand, what is known as the Outback Way, is made up of seven inter-connecting roads including The Great Central Road (WA); Tjukaruru Road, Lasseter Highway, Stuart Highway and Plenty Highway (NT); and Donohue Highway and Min Min Byway (QLD).
It is currently a combination of 1700 kilometres of unsealed gravel road and 1100 kilometres of bitumen.
Laverton’s Patrick Hill, who is also the Chairman of the Outback Highway Development Council, says the proposed new road link will change this. He says it will significantly reduce costs for local communities, and create new opportunities for business, industry, tourism and access to health and education facilities for people living there.
The Outback Highway would travel through Warburton, Uluru, Alice Springs, Boulia, and on to Winton where it would rejoin existing sealed roads.
