‘Long paddock’ wins $1 million makeover as state comes to the rescue
Queensland’s crumbling stock route network is to receive a $1 million State government cash injection ahead of a new revenue raising shake-up to shore up its future.
Resources Minister Scott Stewart announced the funding last night, allocated to nine local councils from McKinlay in the state’s north-west to Goondiwindi on the NSW border.
The million dollar investment comes days before public consultation on a new management strategy closes on Friday, September 3.
The background to the proposed overhaul of Queensland’s 72,000 km stock route network, which supports more than 330,000 head of cattle each year, was detailed by InQueensland in this story last week.
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Councils which received funding were Balonne, Banana, Central Highlands, Goondiwindi, McKinlay, Maranoa, Murweh, Western Downs and Winton.
Stewart said the capital investment was part of more than $42 million being invested into Queensland’s resources sector and land programs in 2021-22.
“These funds will allow councils, the network’s primary caretakers, to carry out the works they have nominated as a priority so that Queensland graziers can continue to rely on the network,” he said.
Stewart said the annual injection of capital and maintenance funds would be shared across projects submitted by nine local governments, ranging from de-silting dams to replacing or installing solar-powered water pumps.
