Councils unite to seek $20 million for forest road upgrades
Published on 27 August 2018
Councils unite to seek $20 million for forest road upgrades
A meeting of the Softwoods Working Group (SWG) at Holbrook on Friday 24 August saw Snowy Valleys, Greater Hume and Cootamundra-Gundagai Councils unite to support an application by the group for $20 million to upgrade local roads identified as being priorities for timber haulage.
SWG represents the interests of stakeholders in the south west slopes of NSW softwood forest industry including growers, processors, councils and Regional Development Australia - Murray and Riverina.
The group recently received approval to proceed to Stage 2 of its application under the NSW Growing Local Economies program to apply for $20 million in funding to upgrade local roads prioritised by the SWG 2015 Road Haulage Study.
Chairman of the SWG, Peter Crowe, said it was imperative that the upgrades take place as the roads identified in the study would carry one million tonnes of logs per year for the next 10 years.
“Wood supply in the region is extremely tight and continuity of wood flow is crucial,” he said.
Mr Crowe said local roads identified in the Road Haulage Study as being priorities for upgrading were Bombowlee Creek Road and the Taradale/Broadleaf Park Complex within Snowy Valleys Council; Coppabella Road within Greater Hume Shire; and the Northern Road complex (Nanangroe, Adjungbilly, and Redhill Roads) within Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council.
“Collectively, these roads provide for the annual cartage of around 50 per cent of all logs produced in the region,” he said.
Mr Crowe said the 2017 Industry Impact Study, completed on behalf of SWG and Forest and Wood Products Australia, has confirmed the undoubted importance of the softwood plantation-based industry for the continued social and economic wellbeing of the south west slopes region.
“This integrated industry supports the employment (direct and indirect) of more than 50 per cent of the workforce in the Snowy Valleys Council and contributes more than $2 billion to the gross value of regional output,” he said.
Mr Crowe commended Snowy Valleys Council for agreeing to take the lead role in the application.
Media contact: Peter Crowe on 0428 609 910.
Photo caption:Snowy Valleys Council Mayor James Hayes, Peter Crowe, Great Hume Shire Mayor Heather Wilton and Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council Mayor Abb McAlister at the SWG meeting in Holbrook.