Remainder of Outback Way to be sealed

The WA State Government has partnered with the Commonwealth to seal the remainder of Outback Way as part of a $678 million project to deliver a new strategic transport and tourism route with the Eastern States.

The Federal Government has allocated $400 million to complete the 872 kilometre seal through Western Australia, with the McGowan Government committing a further $100 million towards the project.

The remainder of the funding will help seal the road in the Northern Territory and Queensland.

The State Government put a proposal to the Federal Government late last year for the joint funding arrangement which will see the WA section of the highway sealed by 2030.

Outback Way extends 2,720 kilometres from Laverton in WA to Winton in Queensland.

The WA section of the route is formed by the Great Central Road and extends 872 kilometres from Laverton to the WA/ NT border, with 736 kilometres currently unsealed.

In WA, about $52 million has so far been spent to upgrade the route, with an additional $112 million already allocated for works over 147 kilometres through to 2025-26.

The funding announcement means there is an additional $500 million to complete the final 589 kilometres over the next seven years.

The road is critical in providing access to remote Aboriginal communities, with sealing to improve access to health and other services, while opening up rich mineral deposits east of Laverton.

The project will also see a new road link to the Eastern States, which will provide a new freight and tourism route.

Work on the project is providing ongoing employment and training opportunities for local Aboriginal people.

WA Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said, "Outback Way is also known as 'Australia's longest shortcut', linking Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia by road. "When complete, this project will see 872 kilometres of road throughout WA fully sealed, providing better access to remote communities, better links from east to west and exciting new tourism prospects. "With the recent flooding of the Trans-WA rail line, we know how important it is to have alternate routes for freight to come into WA. "The SA floods demonstrated the need for more resilient transport options into the future and Outback Way is clearly one of them."

Helping farmers in WA affected by natural disaster

Agroup of Esperance based farmers have helped their wider community with much needed hay and feed donations for those affected by drought and natural disaster.

An estimated 40,000 hectares of West Australian land including feed, stock, fencing, homes and sheds have been lost due to the recent bushfires.

Sam Starevich, President of Farmers Across Borders told Australian Broadcasting Corporation the notfor-profit charity has access to large quantities of donated oaten, wheat and barley straw.

Farmers Across Borders coordinated a convoy of road trains as part of its Corrigin Hay Run which rolled out from Esperance late February with a load up to 1500 bales

According to the hay run organisers, 13 road trains headed off on Saturday 19 February from Esperance and the fleet travelled along the South Coast Highway through Ravensthorpe, Lake King, Hyden to Corrigin.

One company who made a huge donation to the bushfire recovery was Rio Tinto who donated 2000 bales.

As always, WA transport companies helped with moving the feed – the organisers thanking Pilbara Transport and Matic Transport.

In addition to calling on volunteers and supporters to donate feed, time, trucks and fuel Starcevich also called on the Government of Western Australia to contribute.

Shire of Corrigin President, Des Hickey, told Fairfax Media he was humbled by offers for help following devastating bushfire which impacted the region.

In addition to the hay run Hickey said people have assisted with euthanising livestock and helping with the general clean-up.

“It’s fortunate, as the recovery period is going to take a lot longer than any of us initially envisaged, so it will take many hands,” he said.