Northern Australia Roads Program
About the program
The $980 million Northern Australia Roads Program is delivering upgrades to high priority roads in northern Australia essential to the movement of people and freight to support the North's economic development.
There are currently 20 projects funded under the Northern Australia Roads Program. Future projects will be determined following engagement with stakeholders and project delivery partners.
Works include upgrades and safety and productivity improvements, such as road widening, overtaking lane construction and pavement renewal.
See below for a list of projects:
Projects
Queensland
- Flinders Highway (Townsville – Torrens Creek): Pavement strengthening and rehabilitation (Package 1).
- Flinders Highway – (Charters Towers to Richmond): Replacement of culverts.
- Capricorn Highway (Rockhampton—Gracemere): Duplicate the section of the Capricorn Highway between Rockhampton and Gracemere.
- Kennedy Developmental Road (Mount Garnet – The Lynd): Widening a section of road from a single lane seal to a two-lane seal between Mount Garnet and The Lynd.
- Kennedy Developmental Road (The Lynd – Hughenden): Upgrading sections of the Kennedy Developmental Road known locally as the Hann Highway.
- Barkly Highway (Cloncurry – Mount Isa): Intersection upgrades in Mount Isa urban area.
- Bowen Developmental Road: Progressive sealing and minor drainage improvements.
- Landsborough Highway (Longreach – Winton): Pavement widening and strengthening.
- Peak Downs Highway (Clermont – Nebo): Logan Creek to Nine Mile Creek: Pavement widening and strengthening.
- Rockhampton (Bajool – Port Alma Road): Pavement widening and safety upgrades to the port access road.
Northern Territory
- Plenty Highway: Progressive sealing and flood immunity improvements.
- Tjukaruru Road: Sealing and upgrades to an unsealed section of the road.
- Keep River Plains Road: Upgrade and seal sections of the Keep River Plains Road and construct two new bridges over Keep River and Sandy Creek.
- Adelaide River Floodplain Upgrade Arnhem Highway: Upgrades to the Arnhem Highway, improving the flood immunity at the Adelaide River floodplain to provide all-weather access between the Stuart Highway and Mount Bundy.
- Buntine Highway Road Upgrading: Pavement strengthening, widening and sealing on priority sections.
Western Australia
- Great Northern Highway Upgrade – Maggie Creek to Wyndham: Widening and reconstruction works and improvements to road alignments on the Wyndham Spur.
- Marble Bar Road (Coongan Gorge): Realignment and reconstruction works.
- Great Northern Highway (Bow River Bridge): Replacement of the existing low-level single lane bridge with a new two-lane high-level bridge.
- Broome-Cape Leveque Road: Road re-construction and re-alignment.
- Great Northern Highway Upgrade Ord River North Section (Stage 2): Widening and reconstruction works, including building a new bridge over Tickalara Creek.
Benefits
The Northern Australia Roads Program will help improve the North's transport network and as a result support economic development and improve safety for all road users.
Funding
The Australian Government has agreed to fund up to a maximum of 80 per cent of the total project cost for the current projects in partnership with the state, territory and local governments.
Timetable
Funding is currently available from 2016-17 until 2030-31. Of the 20 projects funded under this program, 16 have completed construction and four are under construction.
Map
Map of current Northern Australia Roads Programs and Beef projects PDF: 15603 KB
Northern Australia Beef Roads Program
About the program
The $100 million program made targeted upgrades to key roads necessary for transporting cattle to improve the reliability, productivity and resilience of cattle supply chains in northern Australia, thereby reducing freight costs and strengthening links to markets. The program is now nearing completion.
Projects
Queensland
- Rockhampton Road Network—Road Train Access (Stage 2): Upgrading between Gracemere saleyards and the Rockhampton abattoirs to provide access for Type 1 Road Trains.
- Burke Developmental Road: Chillagoe to Almaden (Package 1): Progressive sealing works.
- Burke Developmental Road: Chillagoe to Almaden (Package 2): Progressive sealing works.
- Clermont: Alpha Road (Package 1): Progressive sealing works.
- Clermont: Alpha Road (Package 2): Progressive sealing works.
- Clermont: Alpha Road (Package 3): Progressive sealing works.
- Ootann Rd: Almaden to Kennedy Hwy (Gunnawarra) (Package 1): Progressive sealing works.
- Ootann Rd: Almaden to Kennedy Hwy (Gunnawarra) (Package 2): Progressive sealing works.
- Gregory Developmental Road (South of Charter Towers): Widening a section of the Gregory Developmental Road, approximately 2 kilometres south of Cape River.
- Richmond-Croydon Road (Package 1): Progressive sealing works.
- Richmond-Croydon Road (Package 2): Progressive sealing works.
- Cloncurry: Dajarra Road: Progressive sealing works.
- Diamantina Developmental Road (Boulia: Dajarra): Rehabilitation and widening works.
- Richmond: Winton Road (Package 1): Progressive sealing works.
- Richmond: Winton Road (Package 2): Progressive sealing works.
Northern Territory
- Barkly Stock Route: Upgrading a section of the Barkly Stock Route to a two-lane standard seal.
- Tablelands Highway: Upgrading selected sections of the Tablelands Highway to a two-lane sealed standard.
Western Australia
- Great Northern Highway Ord River North (Stage 1): The project is Stage 1 of the upgrade of the Great Northern Highway Ord River North Section. It widened, overlayed, reconstructed and realigned 8 kilometres on the Great Northern Highway.
Benefits
The Northern Australia Beef Roads Program aimed to improve the resilience of cattle supply chains in northern Australia by upgrading key cattle roads, improving safety, whilst reducing vehicle operating and maintenance costs, and seasonal road closures.
Funding
The Australian Government will fund up to a maximum of 80 per cent of the total project cost in partnership with the state, territory and local governments.
Timetable
As of May 2023, all 18 projects under this program have completed construction.
Map
Map of current Northern Australia Roads Programs and Beef projects PDF: 15603 KB .