Bitumen seal finally completed on Aramac-Torrens Creek Road

An unsealed 34km stretch of the north-south link between the Flinders, Landsborough and Capricorn highways, recognised as an essential part of an alternative Cairns-Melbourne route, has preventing year-round travel for a number of years, and was the subject of a 2015 regional roads crisis forum in Hughenden.

CSIRO principal research scientist Dr Andrew Higgins estimated at the time that an extra 1250 road trains would use the highway if it were fully sealed.

Completing the Aramac-Torrens Creek road, plus the Hann Highway north of Hughenden, allows road trains to travel between Cairns and Melbourne without unhooking trailers, drastically reducing maintenance, fuel and fatigue management costs.

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When the funding for the $30 million project, via the Regional Economic Enabling Fund, jointly funded by the federal and Queensland governments on an 80:20 basis, was announced by the Morrison government in June 2021, Flinders Shire Council Mayor Jane McNamara described it as a great win for a combined voice.

"It goes to show, if you tell people often enough how important these roads are, it gets results in the end," she said. "The government has listened to us and we're very happy with the outcome."

According to Queensland Transport Minister Mark Bailey, the council undertook the works and he said its local knowledge was key for the successful delivery of the project.

Queensland Assistant Minister for Regional Roads Bruce Saunders said the pipeline of work had supported suppliers right around the state when it was needed most.

"We will continue to deliver for the regions, because that's what good Labor governments do."

Meanwhile, work on the Prairie Creek crossing, begun in September 2021, is ongoing.