Australian Government funding secured by projects in the Central Highlands will boost operational development of the CQ Inland Port in the Yamala Enterprise Area and help get local business owners export ready.
Member for Flynn Ken O’Dowd visited the CQ Inland Port site at Yamala on Monday morning, to announce funding of $2.9 million towards the construction of an intermodal freight terminal.
A further $23,000 will go towards delivering export-ready programs to the region’s businesses, delivered in partnership between the Export Council of Australia and the Central Highlands Development Corporation (CHDC).
Central Highlands Regional Council Mayor Kerry Hayes said the funding is a tremendous endorsement for the Central Highlands.
‘It is critical to deliver logistics that add value for businesses in this region,’ he said.
‘Investment in this port creates a logistic connection between the broad-acre farming in the region right to the Port of Gladstone.
‘We’d like to thank Ken O’Dowd for his continuing advocacy of the project.
‘It is very significant and shows a real direction from the Turnbull Government that there is going to be some real investments in regional Australia.
‘We need to invest in the places that will give a return and the Central Highlands is that place.’
In 2016, the council rezoned twelve properties surrounding the special industry zone in Yamala from the rural zone to industry investigation zone to identify potential further special industry development.
Currently, there are three development applications approved in the special industry zone at Yamala including the construction of a multi-user rail siding and the intermodal freight terminal.