Friday, October 24, 2025

CATEGORY

Roads

The Swan River mahogany paves an empire

Deep in the forests of Western Australia, jarrah has left a remarkable legacy. In the late 1800s, this mighty hardwood—then called Swan River mahogany—revolutionised city life. The noise on London's streets changed from the familiar harsh clang of hooves on cobblestones to the softer clippity-clop of horses trotting over wooden blocks. Those blocks were made from jarrah, and soon that timber paved an empire.

Major road safety boost – Transforming hundreds of kilometres of regional roads and extending their life by decades: Aitchison

...Forming part of the government’s focus to improve the safety, resilience and reliability of NSW roads, Transport for NSW is now undertaking a 10-month spray sealing program. The initiative is targeting more than 20 state road corridors from Broken Hill to Byron Bay and as far south as Eden.

Paralysed by neglect: the road council won’t fix until 2029

When does the cost of human life and injury tip the scales and become the first priority? John Hanckel used to start his mornings with a jog, breathing in the fresh country air around Hay ... All of that changed on one terrible day in October 2008...

New community group launch a triumph

There was a full house at the launch of Mount Alexander Wildlife Watch incorporated Sunday 31 August. Local Councillors Rosalie Hastwell, Lucas Maddock and Deputy Mayor Toby Heydon turned up in support of the group's inaugural event – a key note talk by Prof. Darryl Jones of Griffith University on the subject of wildlife crossings.

Blown tyres and scam

Have you ever driven the stretch between Naracoorte and Bordertown and feared the next bump might leave you with a blown tyre or bent rim? If so, you’re not alone. Locals say the road has become notorious for sudden drop-offs, crumbling shoulders, and dangerous edges—some as deep as 15 centimetres—that have left motorists with costly repair bills and a lingering sense of frustration.

Wildlife isn’t our biggest killer

You won't hear it. You won't see it. Not until it's too late. Australia's deadliest predator isn't found in the wild. It's on our roads. Speeding is the killer. A confronting new exhibit popped up in central Melbourne last week, the centrepiece of a Transport Accident Commission (TAC) initiative aimed at changing relaxed attitudes to the deadly consequences of speeding.

Floodway upgrade complete on rural road

Upgrades have finished on the Jimna Springs Road Floodway over Umbiram Creek at Southbrook, completed by Toowoomba Regional Council. The upgrade was delivered through Betterment funding as part of the broader 2022 Flood Recovery Program.

Police driving home road user awareness

The Queensland Police Service is reminding road users of their shared responsibility in helping to reduce the number of lives lost on local roads as part of this year's Queensland Road Safety Week. This year has been one of the worst in living memory for the local area, with crashes at Greenmount, Cambooya, Vale View and Wyreema tragically claiming lives.

Work begins on installing rumble strips on Pacific Highway

Work begins on the Pacific Highway to install audio tactile line marking ... The audio tactile line marking, also known as rumble strips, will be installed between Harwood and Tweed Heads.

Roadside tree hazard

After surviving a head-on collision on the Riddoch Hwy, Maaoupe farmer Neil Engler wants to know why the Transport Department plants its trees so close to our main roads and highways. “It’s dangerous for everyone, not just me,” he said after arriving home from hospital 24 hours after the accident.

Mayor talk with Louie Zaffina: Everything’s ticking along well

Balranald Shire moving forward with key projects and community initiatives. Mayor Louie Zaffina has been keeping busy since taking office, with significant progress on several fronts across the Balranald Shire. From major infrastructure projects to community health initiatives, Council is delivering on multiple priorities while actively seeking solutions to regional challenges.

Thanks for not a lot

Yorke Peninsula was left behind by the 2025-26 state budget, with no specific funding announcements for the region. The budget invested $1.9 billion in health, but none was specifically earmarked for Yorke Peninsula, despite the recent parliamentary inquiry into health services in the area.

Regional view: State budget

The Victorian Treasurer Jaclyn Symes MP handed down the State Budget on Tuesday 20 May and it is now available for public scrutiny — it is presented more like an illustrated, online brochure than a spreadsheet. It came after the government sent a flurry of announcement emails to the media (evidently scheduled one-per-minute over the Tuesday lunchtime period).

Police concerned at graffiti outbreak

Allora Police are unimpressed with a spate of graffiti across the Allora district. "Over recent months, there has been an increase in the instances of graffiti occurring about the area; not so much in town, but on the outskirts and around Hendon, Deuchar and Mount Marshall," … By-and-large the "tags" are being made on the roadway, but also over road signs.

Westbrook-Wyreema Road works complete

Floodway replacement and improvement works have been finished on Westbrook-Wyreema Road over Westbrook Creek. The $1.3 million project was the third to be delivered by Toowoomba Regional Council under the Betterment Program as part of the wider 2022 Flood Recovery Program.

Turning the pressure up

Hugh Schuitemaker. A Riverlander says it is imperative the State Government is reminded about the need for a heavy vehicle bypass to be constructed at Truro, following the recent Federal Election result. Labor’s victory at the 2025 Federal Election earlier this month means the State Government will need to provide 50 per cent of funding for the proposed Greater Adelaide Freight Bypass...

Call your councillor

Cr Crash Downward has queried the impact of a 5 per cent rate rise on the district’s farmers already paying thousands of dollars each week to feed their livestock. Naracoorte Lucindale Council relies on the district’s farming families to fund around 60 per cent of its proposed $12.726m rate revenue. An average 5 per cent rate rise is projected by the council’s administration as part of a draft 2025-26 budget and business plan.

War of words over bypass funding

A political war of words has erupted over funding for the Greater Adelaide Freight Bypass, with opposing parties accusing the other of holding up the project. Last week, Barker MP Tony Pasin and SA Liberal colleague, Ben Hood MLC, labelled Labor’s $525 million funding announcement a "cruel hoax", because the State Government had failed to commit any money to the project.

Street works impact bakery

The small profits achieved by the Upper Murray Community Bakery in January and February have been offset by a decrease in custom caused by the streetscape project. "The bakery is currently operating at deficit of approximately $4000 per week, which is completely unsustainable,"...

Budget is vanilla ice cream for the bush: GrainGrowers

The budget delivered ... is like a single, small scoop of vanilla ice cream for the bush – predictable and lacking the flavour to truly satisfy regional Australia, industry body GrainGrowers said ... it had missed the opportunity to deliver on a range of regional investment opportunities that would strengthen grain-growing regions and bridge the gap between urban centres and the bush.

$25 million to drive the next stage of Barton Highway: King, McBain

The Barton Highway has undergone significant upgrades over the past few years. The first stage of works opened in early 2024, and duplicated the highway from the NSW side of the ACT Border to Kaveneys Road in NSW ... Detailed planning work to deliver Stage 2 of the Barton Highway upgrade is currently being finalised.

A seat with a story: honouring history

A breathtaking 360-degree view now comes with a deeper connection to history at Gorman's Gap in Preston/Upper Flagstone, thanks to a newly installed seat that pays tribute to one of Queensland's most significant early transport routes.

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