Next step in Yamala grains handling facility

The Yamala Rail Siding Project will get $2,600,000 from Graincorp and $1,690,000 from CQ Inland Port.

The ALP announcement, delivered by State development minister Dr Anthony Lynham was welcomed with open arms by LNP’s member for Gregory Lachlan Millar who has been a strong supporter of the project for the last two years. 

“This is fantastic – it’s just great news to see investment in critical infrastructure,” he said. 

“We’ve seen the State Government recognise that this is a major issue for our grains industry.

“One of the biggest issues we have is logistics, and getting grain from paddock to port, this allows a totally new site to be established… and be able to load trains in two hours instead of twelve hours.”

Central Highlands Regional Council Mayor Kerry Hayes said the funding for the Yamala Enterprise Area would result in long-term economic benefits, freight efficiencies and employment growth for Queensland and the Central Highlands. 

“The initial stage involves a major upgrade to the intersection of the Capricorn Highway and Bonnie Doon Road, construction of a 1.5 kilometre rail siding and an upgrade to Bonnie Doon Road for access to the site,” he said.

“This infrastructure is a critical enabler to allow the intermodal port to proceed.” 

Mr Millar said last year, it was disappointing to see high-value chickpea crops trucked in, and then one month later seeing empty trucks come in to pick up the same crop and take it to port.

“If we can move coal to port, we can definitely move grain to port,” he said. 

AgForce Queensland’s Central Queensland representative Sharon Howard said the announcement would be of relief to Gindie growers.

“Gindie growers will be very relieved to hear that there is a 12 month deadline for that road to be built, and that will make a big difference to the access they have to this new infrastructure,” she said.

“Road and rail are very important because it gives Graincorp the business case to go forward and invest millions of dollars into the industry, which will be of the benefit of everyone.

“We want to see work happening – get it started, get it happening, and sort out how we can benefit from it.”

In a case of credit where credit is due, Mr Millar recognised Dr Lynham’s involvement in the funding. 

“I congratulate the Central Highlands Regional Council, but I also congratulate Anthony Lynham for recognising this as an important piece of infrastructure that we need here,” he said. 

“We need to have the roads coming into the inland port to put the grain onto rail.

“There’s more work to be done, we need to continue to invest – let’s look at it five years down the track, or ten years down the track, when we see it completed.” 

See AgForce’s fully reaction to the announcement yesterday here.