March 25, 2013
The much-promised sealing of the Maidenwell-Bunya Mountains Road may be getting closer after discussions between Transport Minister Scott Emerson and South Burnett Mayor Wayne Kratzmann.
The two met in Brisbane last week to discuss the long-standing problem which was identified as long ago as 2006 as a priority by the then-National Party (see below).
The road is one of only three access roads into the National Park but is unsealed at critical locations which makes it unsuitable for caravans.
Mayor Wayne Kratzmann told southburnett.com.au the State Government recognised the problem and was willing to look at fixing it.
But a key sticking point was that the Transport Department had identified that a realignment of a section of the road would be necessary as part of any upgrade.
This would significantly increase the cost and complexity of any road sealing work, the Mayor said.
“I’m of the view that a realignment isn’t necessary,” Cr Kratzmann said.
“What we need – and what tourists need – is an all-weather, eight metre wide standard sealed road in and out of the mountains.
“If people have to drive slowly over some parts of it because there are a few curves, that’s no different to many other tourist roads in Queensland.
“We don’t want a super highway to the Bunya Mountains. Just reliable, all-weather access.”
The Mayor said he’d put this view to the Transport Minister and the two have agreed to continue discussions on the project.
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On June 1, 2006, southburnett.biz reported: While the national media was in a spin about merger talk, Nanango Shire residents will probably be more interested in another result from the gathering of National and Liberal Party politicians in Kingaroy yesterday.
If elected at the next State poll, they’ve promised to seal the “missing link”, the gravel gap in the Maidenwell-Bunya Mountains Road which has been discouraging tourists from visiting the Bunya Mountains from the Nanango side.
National Party candidate John Bjelke-Petersen has been pushing for some time for the Coalition to look at including this in their election package.
Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg confirmed last night that this was now the case.
- Related article: Bunya Mountains Road ‘A Disgrace’
