Infrastructure Planning, Works, Water and Wastewater

across the sealed and unsealed networks” said portfolio Councillor Gavin Jones.

Budget highlights in the Roads and Drainage portfolio including the following:

• Bitumen Reseal Program - $2.1M to extend the life of roads and streets including the following:
  • Bushnells Road, Nanango
  • Friebergs Road, Warnung
  • Gatto Road, Booie
  • Kumbia Road, Brooklands
  • MaCauley Drive, Booie
  • MacDiarmid Street, Kingaroy
  • McConnel Way, Mondure
  • Memerambi Barkers Creek Road, Wattle Camp
  • Mondure Wheatlands Road, Silverleaf
  • Silverleaf Road, Byee
  • Stuart Valley Drive, Haly Creek
  • Transmitter Road, Charlestown
  • Wellers Road, Wooroolin
  • Darcie Street, Booie
     
• Pavement Rehabilitation - Council’s sealed road network will receive a major boost this year with $1.9m allocated to pavement rehabilitation. The road identified for this year’s rehabilitation project is Tingoora Chelmsford Road – Stage 1. This will be a multi-year project and is partially funded through the Australian Government’s Roads to Recovery program.

The safety of students travelling to and from school is one of the most important issues for school communities. One way this is achieved is by providing the safest possible journey to and from schools within our region. This year, Council has secured funding for works for:

• Wooroolin State School – footpath and children’s crossing
•  Tessmanns Road Kingaroy – new footpath
•  Murgon State School – crossing upgrades along Angel Street and Gore Street, and footpath upgrades along Krebs Street and Dutton East Street
• Murgon State High School – parking upgrades along Gore Street from Cooper Street to Harm Street
• Kingaroy State High School – bus interchange upgrade along Markwell Street
• Saint Mary’s Catholic College – new footpath along Fitzroy Street to Albert Street.

• Wondai CBD & Roundabout Upgrade - As part of the 2023-24 Budget, Council will be revitalizing a portion of the Wondai CBD through secured funding of $700,000 from the State Government’s ‘Works for Queensland’ program, as well as upgrading the Scott Street/Haly Street roundabout. These developments boost the town’s aesthetic appeal and leveraging off increased tourism in the South Burnett.
• Shoulder Resheeting Program - $500,000 for Denmark Road, Wooroolin, Liesegangs Road, Crawford, Parker Road, Ellesmere, Reedy Creek Road, Benair, Couchmans Road, Memerambi.
• Bridge Rehabilitation - $770,000 for timber bridge replacement on Homecreek Loop Road.
• Footpath renewals – $100,000 for Drayton Street, Nanango.
• Council Contribution to Flood Damage Restoration Works - To support Council’s extensive flood damage works which are primarily funded by the State and Federal governments, Council is committing $2M of funding to vulnerable infrastructure to increase resilience during extreme weather events, predominantly in road floodways and water crossings which are particularly susceptible to damage.
• Sealed Roads Major Mechanical Repairs – This year we have allocated $1M for a targeted rehabilitation program on our sealed road network. This initiative aims at undertaking permanent repair works to some of the higher priority defects on the network.

Water and Wastewater

Key water and wastewater infrastructure will receive a $2.9m boost in the Council’s 2023-24 budget with a $7.9m capital expenditure program. The operating expenditure budget of $17.3m which will support the delivery of key services and maintenance programs.

Town water residential consumption charges will increase by 6% across the three tiers, with the tier 1 residential charge increasing from $1.75 per KL to $1.86 per KL. The town water residential access levy will change from $695 to $737, a 6% increase of $42. The wastewater (sewerage) first pedestal charge for private residences will change from $761 to $784, a 3% increase of $23.

Portfolio Councillor Gavin Jones said, “During Budget deliberations, Council endorsed a strategic program of $87.4m in capital renewals and identified upgrades to water and wastewater networks across the region for the next 10 years”.

 Key Works for 2023-24 include:

• $279,000 - Gordonbrook Off Stream Storage detailed design and costings to determine project scope. This project is proposed to ensure water supply availability to Kingaroy for up to six weeks should the Boondooma water pipeline have a failure or substantial shutdown period. With Council’s requirement for future management of both financial and environmental sustainability in mind, this project aligns with current and future needs of engineering and sustainable asset management.
• $786,000 – Continued replacement of the ageing water main programme in Wondai Mackenzie Street - (Osborne Street - End Street), Mackenzie Street - (Osborne Street - Scott Street), Markwell Street (Youngman Street - Glendon Street), Alford Street (William Street to Burnett Street), Glendon Street (Alford Street to Markwell Street), Jubilee Street (End to Ian Street) to ensure reliable service delivery onto the future.
• $2,350,000 for regional Switchboard and SCADA renewals ensuring compliance and safety for infrastructure with the goal of providing reliable treatment plants and capable reticulation networks, Council will deliver safe and secure outcomes. Council is determined that management of sustainable services will include a combination of maintaining existing assets, upgrading existing assets and providing new assets that meet current and new demands, and increasing customer service requirements.
• $1,600,000 for regional sewer relining to ensure continuing service of existing pipelines.
• $1,750,000 for new Mount Wooroolin Reservoir