Two projects in Mareeba Shire have been shortlisted for a share of $70 million in the latest round of the Queensland Government’s Building our Regions (BoR) program.
Mareeba Shire Mayor Tom Gilmore said Council submitted an expression of interest to expand the already thriving Mareeba Industrial Park and the upgrade the sewerage pump station at Barang Street in Kuranda.
“The fact we have been shortlisted to apply for funding for these two projects is a vote of confidence from the Government in the progress of the Shire,” Cr Gilmore said.
“Past experiences prove that we are able to deliver projects of this magnitude and can see the benefits the BoR program generates through job creation, economic and social benefits.
“We thank the Queensland Government for this opportunity to apply in the latest round of the Queensland Government’s Building our Regions program and we will certainly be proactive in lodging an application in the next stage of the process,” Cr Gilmore said.
Stage 3 of the Mareeba Industrial Park Development at Keegan Street Mareeba which will make available heavy industry-zoned industrial land for large-scale development of commercial and industrial agriculture services.
“The Mareeba Industrial Park is exceeding our expectations and we are delighted about that. Stage 3 is desperately needed to meet the demand that is escalating in response to increased agriculture production and value-added manufacturing in Far North Queensland,” Cr Gilmore said.
Councillor Gilmore said the Barang St pump station had not had sufficient capacity for some time. “The storage has to be increased to meet the current demand with additional capacity to meet future loading,” he said.
Council has committed to funding up to its portion of the project costs to increase the capacity of the pump station under the 2018/19 capital works program, subject to the approval of BoR funding.
Member for Barron River Craig Crawford said the Mareeba Shire Council’s Barang Street Sewerage Pump Station Upgrade was much needed in Kuranda.
“There’s a growing population and plans for expanded tourism in the region, which makes this project very important to support Kuranda’s future growth,” Mr Crawford said.
Member for Cook Cynthia Lui said any of the 11 projects shortlisted from her electorate would deliver great benefits to their respective communities. “I look forward to seeing many of these projects become a reality,” Ms Lui said.
Other major projects completed under the Building our Regions program include the upgrade of the Mareeba Wastewater Treatment Plant which was opened in 2017, the construction of two new water reservoirs in Kuranda and the recently completed upgrade of the Kenneally Road sewer main.
