Infrastructure

Back in 2019, Do Nothing on Dams Dan Andrews, in answer to a direct and simple question put to him by ABC Radio about why his government was committed to doing nothing on dams, provided one of his usual glib responses: “Well dams don’t make it rain.”

“Relentless rain and flooding has led to many regional roads falling into severe disrepair and the expected deluge this week will only exacerbate the problem. I have driven on many regional roads recently and have spoken to several regional Mayors and they all agree the roads have never been worse – anywhere you go": Federal Member for Riverina Michael McCormack.

The Clarence Way is close to breaking point, Kyogle Council general manager Graham Kennett said. “Despite the best efforts of our maintenance crews, the road is literally falling apart in sections behind them,” Mr Kennett said.

Work on the Nelligen Bridge Replacement project is steaming ahead with the new bridge now expected to be open to traffic by early 2023 ... “The final deck pour on the concrete bridge deck was completed in July to create a solid base for the asphalt layer, which will start going down in November, weather permitting": Parliamentary Secretary for the South Coast Shelley Hancock.

The Australian Government has announced the appointment of Dr Kerry Schott AO to lead an independent review into the Inland Rail project ... The review will consider the process for selecting the Inland Rail route, including stakeholder consultation, and assess the project’s scope, schedule and cost.  

Lockyer Valley Regional Council says recent quotes attributed to the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) regarding the proposed Inland Rail route through the Lockyer Valley region are both incomplete and misleading. Lockyer Valley Mayor, Cr Tanya Milligan is calling for transparency from the ARTC, saying it is vital they tell the full story so impacted communities have a realistic understanding of the impacts.

A proposal to raise the Warragamba Dam wall by 14 metres has been declared Critical State Significant Infrastructure (CSSI), as it is deemed essential to NSW for economic and social reasons. Premier Dominic Perrottet said the proposal to raise the Dam wall would save lives, save properties and would help future-proof Western Sydney from flood risks.  

Emma Pritchard. While the Grafton Olympic Pool will remain closed for the 2022/23 season, Clarence Valley Council (CVC) has approved the commencement of a two-stage selective tender process for the redevelopment of the site, with councillors voting 6-3 at the monthly meeting on September 27 to endorse the proposal ... “This is a major piece of infrastructure for our valley”: Councillor Debrah Novak

The community of Lord Howe Island is now better prepared for emergencies and natural disasters following the installation of backup NBN Sky Muster satellite services at the Lord Howe Island State Emergency Service unit ... The satellite will mean that services are more resilient during natural disasters.

A NSW parliamentary inquiry into the granting of a contract to resurface two arenas at the Sydney International Equestrian Centre has found the tender process managed by the Office of Sport was flawed and that “robust probity standards” were not applied.

The impact of a series of major landslips caused by recent weather events has been assessed with a dozen Sunshine Coast roads now facing significant repairs. Heavy rain hit the region between February and May with the worst affected areas being Bald Knob, Wootha (west of Maleny), Glenview, Eudlo, Coolum, Peachester, Montville and Towen Mountain.

The myths about water are many. They range from Australia being the driest continent on earth, to all of our rivers dying from overuse, right up to the government being required to return water to the environment ... here are some not-so-well-known facts that should be shouted out in the present flood of misinformation about our water resources.

Catastrophic floods and droughts are currently being experienced across the world. Paul Wyrwoll and Quentin Grafton argue that our existing approaches to managing water are not working. We need a new paradigm for how we manage water, a rethinking where human societies work with and nurture the hydrological cycle, instead of trying to master it.

A  Maldon resident recently shared concerns regarding a ban on fake flowers at the Maldon Cemetery that will come into effect on 1 January 2023. The ban will include plastic toys and ornaments and breakable containers.

The last of the 42 culverts and floodways that were severely impacted by the Southern Queensland Heavy Rainfall and Flooding event during February 2020 have now been replaced by Toowoomba Regional Council ... “Closing out the February 2020 Flood Recovery Works Program means that our teams can now turn all their attention to the Flood Recovery Program from the more recent flooding events”: Cr Carol Taylor.

Farmers and landholders in the Riverina are having their say on Inland Rail, according to NSW Farmers. NSW Farmers Treasurer and Inland Rail Taskforce chair Peter Wilson said there must be benefit for landowners and the broader farming community if railway lines were to cut properties in half.

A small South East Queensland council holds grave concerns over the future of their community as Inland Rail proceeds full steam ahead with plans to rip through the heart of their towns ... “We have been raising our concerns since this project was first announced and continue to advocate for our community in our ongoing objection to the unreasonable impacts of Inland Rail": Lockyer Valley Regional Council Mayor, Cr Tanya Milligan.

Gingin council went behind closed doors this week to consider entering a deed of agreement relating to Lot 601 Brockman St, which is prime land with residential, town centre and parks and recreation reserve zonings. What proposal was put forward by the applicant Acumen Development Solutions for the 17.7ha lot owned by George Gifford has not been made public but after the confidential session the shire said the councillors had given in-principle support for what had been proposed in relation to public open space.

Like a shining beacon of fun and entertainment, the new cluBarham bowling facility lit up the night sky at the official opening on Friday, September 16. Members, invited guests and bowling dignitaries made up the 170 strong crowd in attendance ... What unfolded was a team of local trades and services that shared a common goal of building a facility that can attract regional, state and even national competition.

Outback road condition information will be even easier to access for travellers on SA unsealed tracks thanks to new QR code signage being installed at key locations across northern South Australia. The large QR codes are being installed on existing road condition signs, within mobile phone range, across the state’s unsealed road network to provide direct access to the Outback Roads Warnings webpage.

As Australia moves towards a renewable energy future, a growing number of agricultural landholders are being approached to host electricity transmission infrastructure on their land. The  Energy Charter  is collaborating with the ag sector and transmission businesses to co-design practical guidelines for co-existence between transmission infrastructure and agriculture.