QLD
Cloncurry Shire Council has awarded just over $7.9 million in tenders to local
contractors, who are set to deliver projects across the Shire’s rural road network.
As part of the Council’s 2024 Flood Program, four tenders were awarded for over 257
kilometres of DRFA-funded road remediation works.
Now that these tenders have been awarded, works will commence on the following roads, the Council said:
- Burnham Road
- Selwyn-Toolebuc Road
- Toolebuc-McKinlay Road
- Selwyn-Chatsworth Road
- East Leichhardt Road
- Corella Park Road
- Antion Downs Road
- Zingari Road
Council will also be delivering 34 kilometres of complementary maintenance works to ensure a “whole of road” approach to reconstruction and maintenance is achieved.
It secured more than $6 million in funding through the Queensland Reconstruction Authority for the road remediation works.
Mayor, Greg Campbell said he was excited to see the funding being injected back into the local economy.
“The Queensland Reconstruction Authority plays a vital role in enabling Council to deliver essential road reconstruction and rehabilitation works on flood-impacted areas of the Shire’s rural road network,” he said.
“The condition of these roads has a huge impact on our remote residents and their businesses. The ripple effect of this funding though supports more than our pastoralists, it also supports local contracting businesses.
“It is great to see so many local businesses submitting competitive tenders for projects within the Shire. Cloncurry Shire Council has a great track record of local spend.”
The Mayor said Council’s purchasing policy provides for a “local advantage”, which is provided to a local business or supplier based on a percentage of the quoted price (currently in two bands set at 5% or 10%).
The tender for the Duchess Phosphate Reseal Project was also recently awarded.
The contract was awarded to RPQ who will deliver 52.8 kilometres of reseal by 30 November. Nine submissions from five tenderers were received for the project.
“This extensive reseal project is just one example of the Council’s investment in infrastructure that sustains and enables economic growth,” said Mayor Campbell.
The Duchess Phosphate Road is a key transport corridor for copper, gold and phosphate mines in the south of the Shire, who rely on the road for their operations.
Council says it was also encouraged by the number of respondents to their Weed Management Cloncurry Tender.
The scope of work includes the management of weeds along:
- the Cloncurry River, from the railway bridge to Hensley Drive causeway;
- the Coppermine Creek, from the Coppermine Creek Bridge to the Cloncurry River;
- and the Chinaman Creek Dam levee wall and fuse plug.
The contract was awarded to Biodiversity Australia. Though not a local contractor (no local submissions were received) they have on-ground experience in Cloncurry off the back of their successful work in managing a large population of Little Red Flying Foxes roosting in town, Council said.
Mayor Campbell said the weed management project will build on recent works in One Mile Creek and around the Cloncurry township as well as works completed along the Cloncurry River over the last few years.
The latest weed management campaign will also deliver important vegetation management outcomes for the Chinaman Creek Dam levee and fuse plug, he said.
“Weed management is an ongoing challenge for any Council. We want to make sure we are
continuing to do our best to contain and reduce weeds in the Cloncurry Shire.”
