A truck rumbles down an unsealed section of Peninsula Development Road (PDR) on Cape York. Photo: Cape York Weekly.
Transport and Main Roads (TMR) has provided an update on the Cape York Region Package Stage 2 and work to finally seal all of the vital Peninsula Developmental Road (PDR) on the Cape.
TMR said on 31 July that seven projects had been finished under Stage 2 and four more pave and seal projects were commencing.
“More than 200 kilometres of the Peninsula Developmental Road has now been sealed under Stages 1 and 2,” the department said in a statement.
“Cape York Region Package Stage 2 road upgrades are continuing to improve connectivity and resilience along the Peninsula Developmental Road for remote communities, freight operators and essential services across Cape York.”
TMR said work was underway on the first of the last four paving projects along the PDR before the end of 2029, with two more projects set to begin later in 2026.
Work includes 2.4 km between Yarraden and Coen, 2.4 km between Laura and Musgrave and two projects covering 9.3 km between Musgrave and Yarraden. The Archer River and Saltwater Creek bridge upgrades are two of the seven Stage 2 projects completed.
Sealing work has also been completed by councils on Aurukun Access Road, Portland Roads Road (Lockhart River Access Road) and Strathgordon Road (Pormpuraaw Access Road) through the Community Access Roads Program. Work is also continuing to seal a 20.3 km section of Northern Peninsula Road.
TMR acting regional director Brendan Clancy said the package delivered a wide range of direct, indirect and ongoing benefits for local workers, businesses and residents.
“With more than 200 kilometres sealed to date under stages 1 and 2, the PDR is an access lifeline for some of Australia’s most remote communities,” he said.
“Each additional kilometre of bitumen seal improves connectivity between communities and accessibility to essential services, while improving safety and travel times.
“Each new section of sealed road helps improve year-round access, reduce maintenance requirements and shorten travel times for Cape York communities.
“Stage 2 set a target of $17 million for Indigenous economic opportunity and I’m proud to say we’ve exceeded that by investing almost $50 million with Indigenous businesses and communities.”
PDR work is carried out under an agreement with traditional owners known as the Peninsula Developmental Road Indigenous Land Use Agreement, which sets out targets for economic opportunities, training and local industry participation.
TMR noted that it was planning for Stage 3 of the package “subject to negotiations with the Australian Government”.
At a Regional Development Australia Tropical North community forum at Cairns Council Chambers in early May, TMR district director (Far North) Darryl Jones said about 160 km of the road would remain unsealed after Stage 2.
The Queensland Government has earmarked $60m for Stage 3 and it’s expected the Commonwealth will ultimately pay for 80 per cent of the work with $240m.
But the latest Federal Budget did not include mention of Stage 3 funding, or improvements to the PDR and access roads.
Leichhardt MP Matt Smith told the Cape York Weekly he was aware of the importance of Stage 3 and working to advance funding.
“The thing about the PDR is that even if we were given four and a half, five billion dollars tomorrow to do it, it will still take five to 10 years to complete,” he said in late May.
