Works to run utilities from the Lockhart River township to the beachfront are nearly complete.
Ministerial Champion for Lockhart River Mark Bailey with mayor Wayne Butcher at the new-look airport last week.
Lockhart River draws MP’s praise By MATT NICHOLLS
MARK Bailey says he is blown away with the progress of the Lockhart River community every time he visits the place. The Minister for Main Roads and Transport was unable to visit the Cape community last year because of COVID restrictions but said he walked away impressed after dropping in last week. “What they are doing there is
absolutely trailblazing,” he said on Friday after his visit. “They are the leading community in the Cape in what they are doing in terms of having a vision and getting it done.” As Lockhart River’s Ministerial Champion, Mr Bailey keeps in close contact with mayor Wayne Butcher, council CEO Dave Clarke and various community groups. “They are the dynamic duo,” he said of the council leaders.
“You only have to see the new airport to see some of the stuff they have achieved. “When you arrive it’s welcoming and there’s the sense of care. It’s a great entry statement.” Mr Bailey said the council’s push to create a cultural dance site near the beach was making fast progress. “They are working on a line of utilities from the town out to the beach. There’s probably about an-
other 250 metres to go before they get there,” he said. “They have already cleared the site where the dance ground will be and it’s going to be a beautiful space.” The Minister said the town now needed support from Telstra and the federal government to fix the telecommunications problems that plague the community. “I wrote to Telstra earlier this month raising the issue,” he said.
“It’s got to be sorted out. The state government and the council are moving mountains and making progress and there’s a big ball and chain around their ankles with the feds and Telstra not getting it fixed. “I’ll keep raising it until it is solved. The people of Lockhart River deserve the same level of telecommunications that people in Cairns enjoy. “The federal government needs to pull its finger out.”
Greg Stallan
07 4047 6600 0417 606 851
Mark Bailey inspected some of the roadworks on the Peninsula Developmental Road last week.
TMR gets ready to tackle tougher sections of PDR MINISTER for Transport and Main Roads Mark Bailey says the department is preparing for the hard slog of sealing Cape York’s toughest stretches of road. The MP flew into Weipa last week and drove down the Peninsula Developmental Road to check out some of the roadworks before heading to Lockhart River. “Every time I come up here there is more of it done,” he said of the sealing works. “There’s now more sealed than unsealed.” Mr Bailey admitted the hard work was just about to start, with the tough sections of the PDR left last. “The priority was to get as much tarmac as possible to make it safer,” he said.
“The harder bits cost more per kilometre and there’s a lot more work involved.” Sealing works have begun on a stretch just south of the Archer River Roadhouse. There’s also an explanation why a sealed stretch of road near the Archer is full of bends and curves. “We work with the Traditional Owners and there are some culturally significant landforms near the road,” he said. “So the arcing goes around them and that’s best practice.” Work on the Archer River bridge will start this year, with the project currently out for tender. The bridge should be finished next year.
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www.qpf.com.au Tuesday, June 15, 2021 – Cape York Weekly – Page 9