The development of the Gladstone Heavy Vehicle Transport Corridor and an Inland Rail extension to the Port of Gladstone are among the infrastructure priorities the local council is pushing in the lead-up to the State election.

Gladstone Regional Council has released a Strategic Priorities document to raise awareness of strategic infrastructure and policy initiatives for the region.

It said it would use this document to support discussions with the Queensland Government regarding investment.

The Gladstone Heavy Vehicle Transport Corridor would provide improved heavy vehicle freight access from Central and Western Queensland to the Port of Gladstone, incorporating the Gladstone Port Access Rd Stage 2 extension.

The council said the improvements would allow Type 1 road train access via the corridor – rather than the current requirement to decouple road trains on the Dawson and Capricorn Highway network.

Linking the Inland Rail to the Port of Gladstone would unlock long-term regional economic benefits and improve road safety while reducing land and sea transport congestion in South East Queensland, the strategic document states.

It says the proposed inland rail extension to the Port of Gladstone is supported by all the councils on the corridor and associated development agencies.

Other key infrastructure priorities identified by the council include:
• Upgrade to Gladstone Coal Exporters Sports Complex (Marley Brown Oval)
• Boyne Tannum Aquatic Recreation Centre (BTARC)
• Boyne Burnett Inland Rail Trail (BBIRT)
• Jumpstart City Heart Harbour Arbour
• Round Hill Creek channel access improvement

Mayor Matt Burnett said the Strategic Priorities document also outlined GRC’s strategic policy when it came to the aging population, a return of water dividends to the community and Distribution Priority Areas
(DPA) for general practitioners.

“Investment in the identified strategic projects and endorsement of policy priorities will see the industrial powerhouse of Gladstone be a leading region in the economic recovery of Queensland and Australia,” Cr Burnett said.