Thursday, 18 March, 2021
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Wind farm project update
Livestock markets report
What’s in the diary
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Motor racing legends on centre-stage After being cancelled in 2020 thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic, this year the famous Leyburn Sprints is well and truly back on track, with organisers hitting top gear to deliver one of the biggest events in Sprints history. The small town of Leyburn north-west of Warwick is set to roar into life in August, in the proud motorsport tradition of the 1949 Australian Grand Prix – the first time it was held in Queensland. Get your engines started. More on page 3
Flower Show winners are blooming
Get ready for Show
The Warwick Horticultural Society – one of the oldest in Australia – last week hosted its annual Autumn Flower Show at St Mary’s Hall, with local gardeners showing off the results of their labour despite the varying – and rather limited – rainfall the region has enjoyed. It’s testimony to the passion of our local gardeners, and the amazing results which can be achieved even in a time of drought. Results – page 10
The 2021 Warwick Show is on - from Friday 19 to Sunday 21 March - and a band of tireless volunteers has been out in force this week behind the scenes, setting the stage at the Warwick Showgrounds. Preview - pages 8 & 9
Gap tenders due OLSEN’S
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the highway through the Gap, but to date has failed to answer numerous questions from Warwick and Stanthorpe Today about sections of the cliff which are currently unstable. Rockfalls at the Gap are always a considerable risk during heavy rainfall, particularly concentrated falls over short periods. Full story page 5
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Cunningham Highway at the Gap have caused major traffic disruptions for decades, with the road the only genuine passenger and freight highway link between the Southern Downs and south-east Queensland. Over recent months TMR has been conducting extensive “geotechnical investigations” and inspections of the cliff face above
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A long-term solution to highway closures at Cunningham’s Gap remains a regional pipedream - but work to install new rockfall ‘barriers’ is scheduled to commence in January of next year. The Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) says it ex-
pects to call for tenders to construct the new barriers in July of this year, with “detailed design” completed in September. The project itself will likely commence in January 2022 but the department says it will conduct community consultation on the project around the middle of this year. Landslides and resultant closures of the
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By Jeremy Sollars