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29 November, 2016 14:13
Queensland Urban Utilities has started construction of a $6.5m trunk water main connecting the Beaudesert Water Treatment Plant to the Bromelton State Development Area (SDA).
Scenic Rim Regional Council and Queensland Urban Utilities are each contributing $1.7m to the project, while the State Government is contributing $3.3m from its ‘Building our Regions’ (BoR) program.
Queensland Urban Utilities Executive Leader of Planning, Paul Belz, said the funding was a catalyst investment to enable the private sector to develop this major economic growth area for the Scenic Rim.
“Water supply is a key ingredient to the development of the local area, job creation and economic growth,” he said.
“Construction has started along Beaudesert Boonah Rd, Bromelton and at the Logan River in Beaudesert where the pipe will be connected to an existing main near the water treatment plant in Helen St. The pipeline will stretch nearly 7km when completed.”
The 15,000 hectare site – located in the Scenic Rim Regional Council area, 6km west of Beaudesert and 75km south of Brisbane – was one of two industrial areas identified by the State Government in 2007 to provide jobs and infrastructure for future population growth.
Scenic Rim Regional Council Mayor, Cr Greg Christensen, said the council was pleased to partner with Queensland Urban Utilities and the State Government to deliver this important piece of infrastructure.
“The Bromelton SDA is set to become an economic engine for new employment and business opportunity in the Scenic Rim and wider South-East Queensland. We are talking about the creation of literally thousands of new jobs over the coming decades,” he said.
“Access to trunk water main infrastructure will provide a further catalyst for the activation of the SDA which will soon be home to a new $30m regional rail freight terminal, currently under construction.”
During the planning phase, Queensland Urban Utilities, as part of its duty of care under the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2003, engaged Turnstone Archaeology and Mununjali Traditional Owners to survey the site.
Turnstone Archaeology director and principal archaeologist, Michael Strong, said his team identified three culturally important areas and uncovered more than 5000 Aboriginal artefacts, some about 4000 years old, including barbs and points.
“These artefacts give us a better understanding of Mununjali country and its heritage, dating back to between 1500 and 4000 years ago, long before European settlement occurred,” he said.
Each artefact has been photographed, documented and returned to the Mununjali people.
Work will occur from Monday to Friday between 7am and 6pm, with the pipeline construction expected to be completed by April 2017.