A boggy section of the Lockhart River access road will be upgraded this year, improving access for local residents.
LOCKHART River mayor Wayne Butcher says an upgrade to the West Claudie River crossing on the town’s access road will make a huge difference to community access.
At this month’s Cook Shire meeting, the council awarded a $1.9 million contract to Burketown-based company Gulf Civil to complete the works.
The section of the road is around 5km from the Portland Road-Lockhart River junction and approximately 16km from the Lockhart River township.
The upgrade will start this month and is scheduled to be completed this year, with a two-lane culvert crossing replacing the section which has been described as a “small dam” for part of the year.
“That’s the worst section of the whole access road,” Cr Butcher said.
“It’s a 3-4km section that is always challenging, even after the wet season when the Pascoe and Wenlock rivers are down and we should be able to get out.
“This upgrade will do us a world of good.”
Cook Shire mayor Peter Scott said the boggy section, which is in Cook Shire but provides access to the communities of Lockhart River and Portland Roads, had been identified by the Torres and Cape Indigenous Councils Alliance as a priority.
“Every year the West Claudie River floods and that section of road stays a bog for months at a time,” Cr Scott said.
“This upgrade will improve all-weather access to the Portland Roads and Lockhart River communities.”
The project was funded under the joint federal and state government Cape York Region Package – Stage 2.
