Bruce Highway Works Begin as Tourism Plans Advance in Mirani

A series of infrastructure, tourism and planning developments across Central and North Queensland have been welcomed by Member for Mirani Glen Kelly, who says the initiatives reflect growing momentum for regional investment and community consultation.

Mr Kelly recently welcomed the start of safety upgrades along sections of the Bruce Highway between Rockhampton and St Lawrence after seeing crews working near St Lawrence and Marlborough.

The works form part of a $9 billion, 10-year upgrade program aimed at improving safety, flood resilience and capacity along Queensland’s main coastal transport corridor.

“The electorate of Mirani is home to approximately 430 kilometres of the Bruce Highway, so what happens on this road matters enormously to our communities,” Mr Kelly said.

“Travelling through St Lawrence and Marlborough on Friday, it was great to see these safety works now underway. This highway carries our families, our tourists, and our freight operators every single day.”

Key works planned for the corridor include pavement strengthening, road widening, wide centre line treatments and audio-tactile line markings to reduce the risk of head-on crashes, particularly involving heavy vehicles.

Recent upgrades to bridges north of Rockhampton, including Twelve Mile Creek and John Murphy bridges, are also expected to improve freight efficiency. Flood mitigation works are continuing in vulnerable areas, where road levels are being raised to improve resilience during major weather events.

“There is no question that fixing the Bruce Highway has a long way to go,” Mr Kelly said.

“But this is an important start, and it’s happening thanks to the commitment of the Government to prioritise regional road safety and critical infrastructure.”

Meanwhile, attention is also turning to tourism opportunities in the Eungella and Pioneer Valley regions following the first meeting of the Eungella and Pioneer Valley Tourism Strategic Advisory Committee.

Mr Kelly, who chairs the committee, said the inaugural meeting brought together tourism operators, small business owners, representatives from Mackay Isaac Tourism and community organisations to help shape the region’s tourism future.

“It was fantastic to bring everyone around the table for the first time. The discussion was constructive, forward-looking, and confirmed what many of us already know, there are enormous opportunities for Eungella and the Pioneer Valley,” Mr Kelly said.

The committee discussed improving long-term access to Eungella, including the possibility of a second access route to improve safety, resilience and visitor growth.

Members also raised the need to reduce red tape linked to the Eungella National Park visitor strategy and expressed strong support for continued development of the Finch Hatton Mountain Bike Trail as a major drawcard for nature-based tourism.

“We all share the same goal, promoting our region while protecting what makes it special. Getting that balance right will be critical as we plan for the future,” Mr Kelly said.

In a separate development, the proposed Pleystowe Battery Energy Storage System has been called in for decision by Queensland Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie.

The project, proposed for Pleystowe near Mackay, involves a 200MW/800MWh battery energy storage system made up of up to 288 battery containers.

More than 730 public submissions were received regarding the proposal.

“For a project in a small community to receive over 700 submissions, with 99.5% of those submissions supporting a call in, that makes it pretty clear that this community doesn’t want it there,” Mr Kelly said.

Following the call-in, the final decision on whether the project proceeds will now rest with the Deputy Premier.

CAPTION: Member for Mirani Glen Kelly says the start of safety upgrades along the Bruce Highway is an important step toward improving one of Queensland’s most important transport routes. Photo supplied

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