October 19, 2020
South Burnett councillor Kathy Duff may be smiling in the photo, but she’s not happy with the state of the Mundubbera-Durong Road.
Cr Duff took the opportunity on Saturday to show southburnett.com.au the narrow, one-lane stretch near Boondooma which, unbelievably, carries multiple B-doubles and other heavy transport vehicles daily.
Travelling south from Mundubbera, the road is a smooth, double-lane blacktop with clear line markings.
But then it suddenly switches to a narrow, unmarked single lane … just before the “Welcome To The South Burnett” sign greets drivers.
Not surprisingly, motorists blame the South Burnett Regional Council for the sudden drop in road quality, but the Mundubbera-Durong Road is actually a State Government responsibility.
Local residents formed the Mundubbera to Jandowae Roads Working Group in 2017 to push for upgrades to this vital transport link.
They lobbied successfully and the State Government allocated funds for the road.
Since then a lot of work has been done on various sections, but not on the two most dangerous single-lane stretches north of Boondooma Homestead.
Transport and Main Roads recently graded the edges, removing dangerous drop-offs.
But that hasn’t fixed the hazard of suddenly meeting a large truck head-on.
Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington expressed her disappointment when she addressed the South Burnett Regional Council last Wednesday night.
“I was very disappointed to see funding go to an area (of the road) that wasn’t as dangerous as other areas,” Mrs Frecklington said.
“But, you know, that’s what happens when someone from George Street makes a decision because they want to quickly make an announcement and they don’t talk to locals …
“Every centimetre of that road needs upgrading but surely to goodness we could have started on the single-lane bit where, if you’re coming towards a truck, it’s bloody dangerous to get off.”
Cr Duff told Mrs Frecklington at the meeting that the expected cost for the upgrade was $20 million and she sought a commitment for the upgrade from the Opposition Leader should the LNP win government at the State election.
Mrs Frecklington pointed out that without a State Budget being handed down this year, the LNP didn’t know what the State Government had already committed to that road.
“No Budget, no planning, (we) can’t see what we’re going to spend on roads,” she said.
But she would “certainly be fighting” for the Mundubbera-Durong Road, and praised Cr Duff for constantly advocating for the upgrade.
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On Monday, Mrs Frecklington also singled out other roads in the South Burnett and Gympie council areas as key roads that must be fixed urgently.
She said she would also fight to upgrade Kilkivan-Tansey Road, Byee Road and the Maidenwell-Bunya Mountains Road.
“These are important connecting roads have been neglected by Labor for far too long,” she said.
“The Kilkivan-Tansey Road is a major connecting road between the Central and North Burnett and the coast and locals know how terrible sections of this road have become.
“In fact many often choose to take an alternative route rather than risk travelling on this road.
“The Byee Road is in the same condition. While a short section in the middle has been fixed, the remainder of the single-lane sections need to be widened. This road connects the South, Central and North Burnett and is used by many families to get their kids to Wheatlands State School.
“I have also been fighting for the final section of Maidenwell-Bunya Mountains Road to be sealed, to improve the main connector to the popular Bunya Mountains.”
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