The Strzelecki Track is to be sealed from one end to the other under a deal reached between the Federal and State Governments the Member for Grey Rowan Ramsey announced today.
“This is an exciting project and one which I have been campaigning for for more than six years. It gives a certain degree of satisfaction to achieve such a positive outcome after a long effort,” he said.
“Both governments had already made commitments on sealing parts of the 472km track, but this announcement provides the resources to get the whole job done.
“The Federal Government is providing $100m and the State $25m, with the 80:20 formula echoing a string of partnerships we have signed with the State Government, now representing a $700m Federal Government investment in the electorate of Grey alone.”
“These deals are underwritten by our decadal $100bn commitment to transport corridors across the nation. Never before have we seen anything like this level Commonwealth support back into transport corridors in Grey. It’s a remarkable performance!.
Mr Ramsey said the sealing of the Strez should see the very lucrative supply contracts for the Cooper Basin return to South Australia after a period of time when the majority of supplies have come from the east coast despite it being half as far again, simply because the Strez is so rough it wrecks trucks.
“It also stands to become one of the great tourist routes of inland Australia,”he said. “Driving out of Brisbane, it will soon be bitumen all the way to Innamincka, where a tourist can easily access Cooper Creek and the Coongee Lakes, from there they will be able to travel the 472 km on a first class road to Lyndhurst where they have a choice between Lake Eyre or the Flinders Ranges.
It will be busy!
Media Contact: Leonie Lloyd-Smith 08 8633 1744
