WORK is finally underway on the $352 million Rookwood Weir in central Queensland.
Upgrades have begun on Thirsty Creek Road, about 60klm outside Rockhampton and should be finished by July, 2020.
Assorted upgrades will cost $7.5 million and include widening part of Thirsty Creek Road to 6.5m from the intersection of Riverslea Road to the weir, applying a bitumen seal to some road segments and improvements to existing culverts.
The work has been deemed necessary to accommodate higher traffic volumes, work crews and heavy equipment.
Queensland's Minister for Natural Resources, Dr Anthony Lynham, hailed the start of work as a "landmark day" for the region.
State MPs Barry O'Rourke (Rockhampton) and Brittany Lauga (Keppel) welcomed the project with the latter adding: "The Thirsty Creek works will generate the equivalent of 25 jobs and that's just the beginning as more contracts are awarded leading to more jobs."
The weir is being constructed on the Fitzroy River and is being jointly funded by the Federal and State governments.
According to the Palaszczuk Government, it will provide "thousands of megalitres of water" to underpin agricultural growth and supply industrial and urban water in CQ.
But one of its champions, Federal MP Michelle Landry, remains disappointed adjustments could diminish the effectiveness of the weir.
Originally the weir was meant to store 76,000 megalitres of water but cost blowouts have prompted design changes and a possible cut of 22,000 megalitres in capacity.
"We want Rookwood Weir built at full capacity at 76,000 megalitres. It's simply not good enough," Ms Landry said.
In an earlier report, LNP Queensland senator Matt Canavan said about 30,000 megalitres of the weir's water would be reserved for the future growth of Gladstone, with about 20,000 megalitres reserved for future growth in Rockhampton and Yeppoon.
"You can do the numbers - if you take 20,000 megs off that 76,000, you're not left with any long-term necessarily for agriculture," Senator Canavan said.
He said the Federal Government would consider another budget proposal from the State Government if it outlined how the money was being spent.
"We don't write blank cheques. If they want us to consider an additional proposal in good faith, send us the details send all the information, give us access to your data."
Alan Welburn
Lover of sport, particularly horse racing and all things Olympic. Have spent my entire working life in journalism, mostly with News Corp on its major metro mastheads. Done plenty of things but the best by far is having a teenage son who calls me dad.
Lover of sport, particularly horse racing and all things Olympic. Have spent my entire working life in journalism, mostly with News Corp on its major metro mastheads. Done plenty of things but the best by far is having a teenage son who calls me dad.
