The $352 million Rookwood Weir is officially underway, with first works and first jobs happening on Thirsty Creek Road just 60 km outside Rockhampton.
Member for Rockhampton Barry O'Rourke and Assistant Tourism Industry Development Minister and Member for Keppel Brittany Lauga welcomed the milestone for the project.
"It's great to see our own Rocky Regional Council workers out there in their hi-vis undertaking the first works," Mr O'Rourke said.
"This is boots on the ground for Rookwood, and most importantly, they're even more local jobs."
Ms Lauga said she was looking forward to the government's Buy Queensland procurement policy delivering for more local workers and businesses.
"The Thirsty Creek works will generate the equivalent of 25 jobs and that's just the beginning as more contracts are awarded leading to more jobs," she said.
"I'd encourage our local CQ businesses to sign up at the online suppliers' portal for the opportunity to be part of this landmark project."
Natural Resources Minister Dr Anthony Lynham announced today that Rockhampton Council crews commenced work this week on the $7.5 million upgrade of Thirsty Creek Road.
"This is a landmark day for Central Queensland," Dr Lynham said.
"We are building Rookwood Weir, and it is locals from Central Queensland who are breaking first ground and benefitting from even more jobs."
The Thirsty Creek Road works are needed to improve access into the weir site to accommodate higher traffic volumes, work crews and heavy equipment. It involves:
- widening 16.2 km of Thirsty Creek Road to 6.5m from the intersection of Riverslea Road to the Rookwood Weir site
- applying a bitumen seal to some road segments
- upgrading existing culverts
- drainage works to allow the widening.
Works are expected to be completed by July 2020.
Two other tenders are also underway and another is to open next month.
Bids are currently being assessed for the main construction partner and tenders are open to build a new Riverslea Bridge.
Tenders for the multi-million dollar upgrade of the Capricorn Highway intersection upgrade at Gogango is due to be announced in late December.
More than 100 businesses already have registered at an online portal at https://rookwoodweir.icn.org.au to supply goods or services to the project.
The Palaszczuk Government is investing $1.1 billion in Central Queensland Infrastructure in the Central Queensland region supporting 3600 jobs this financial year.
Latest ABS figures show 4400 more jobs have been created in the Central Queensland district in the past year.
About Rookwood Weir
Rookwood Weir is being constructed on the Fitzroy River, 66 kilometres south-west of Rockhampton.
It will create up to 100 jobs.
The thousands of megalitres of water it will make available will underpin agricultural growth and supply industrial and urban water in central Queensland.
The Palaszczuk State Government and the Commonwealth continue to finalise funding agreements.
In the interim, the Palaszczuk Government has allocated $149 million over two years to allow detailed planning and design, and on ground works to proceed.
