Bundaberg Regional Council has confirmed plans for a Bundaberg-Gin Gin Rail Trail will not proceed due to a cost blowout to the project.
The initiative aimed to convert an old rail corridor between Bundaberg and Gin Gin into a recreational trail for walking, cycling, and outdoor activities
Finance portfolio spokesperson Cr Deb Keslake stated Council’s current financial realities paired with a significant inflation to the project costs meant it could no longer be prioritised.
“After undertaking a detailed business case it was estimated a basic level rail trail would be $39.799 million to deliver,” she said.
“With current funding commitments between the State Government and Council sitting at $19.112 million, there was a project funding shortfall to Council of $20.687 million.
“Unfortunately, we are not in a financial position to move forward with the Bundaberg-Gin Gin Rail Trail at this time.
“Our primary responsibility is to ensure the long-term financial sustainability of Council, and that means making some difficult decisions about what projects we can realistically deliver.”
Council remains committed to exploring alternative opportunities for community infrastructure as budgetary circumstances allow.
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It’s time we moved our rates in line with Frazer coast this is around $13.50/week more. The unemployed & pensioners would get much of it back from rent assistance increase. We now have a much lower unemployment rate so I feel we could afford the increase.
If there’s 30k rate payers in our region this could generate $20 million/year more. It’s clear that we need to get some of these projects that were announced completed. Especially the CBD rework, cultural precinct & flood mitigation. It’s clear our CBD has been struggling sense the GFC how long are we going to leave it as a shadow of former self.
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We could probably even put up a go fund me page for those who want to put larger amounts up to really kickstart the development in our region.
No,no more overpriced projects.i think the council is finally on the mark,everybody is feeling the pinch and it’s clear the council has recognised this.
When times are better,sure look at other projects,but not now.
What a disappointment. Surely some other useless project or spending could be cut back. Why wouldn’t council prioritise this project that will connect rural communities as well as contributing to emotional and physical well being.
People in Gin Gin area pay rates and get little for it. This would provide a safe way to travel by bike between Gin Gin and Bundaberg. The road is definately not safe. Surely a concrete or gravel path cannot cost this amount. Cut back the expectations, get new quotes. We want that bike path.
we do not need the rail trail,to high rates increases will effect pensioners,self funded retired people,the old council(which the new one has of them still) wasted money. in our street lathouras court at end of it is falling apart. the only time you see the council member for our area is election time.
How on earth would it cost 800k per 1km of simple pathway? Insane.
It doesn’t even need to be paved the whole way. Just a flat dirt track with some access signs would make me happy!
I too am very disappointed. Rail trails are wonderful attractions for tourists and would generate lots of money for Bundaberg and the surrounding small towns. They give families a healthy and fun filled activity to enjoy with their children and would take car traffic off our busy roads. The section from Sharon School to Sharon Gorge would only need some upgrading but would be a start. I have ridden the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail and I would highly recommend it.
So, what happens to the $19 million that they actually have available for the project? Surely they could complete a couple of key sections with the available funds then come back to the project as more funding becomes available. Most of the rail rails in southern Qld have a combination of rough and finished sections.
We need to look at how the cost can be reduced rather than cancel the project. There will be other options.
If we flood the new aquatic center with customers when it opens it could add a significant amount to council coffers I could go just about everyday myself. It could be open all year round if enough us use it & help pay for other projects without increasing costs to pensioners or retires.
The potential for it to generate much more revenue is there. We just need to go as much as possible. It could easily generate more then both Anzac & Norville combined that have tiny visitor rates for a City this size.
Surly the rest of you could try going once a week or maybe more? Instead of an average of 1 time a year that our older pools got combined. Imagine the improvement in your health & fitness.
This is not Jack Dempseys doing. Remember Jack did not raise rates last year & doubled the pensioner rebate so you were still paying the same amount as in 2022 or less if you were a pensioner & he had a history of delivering extremely low rate increases & operational surpluses. Helen has over spent…
She wants
$30 million more for recurrent expenses then what we raised in 2022
$114.2 million Capital Budget with likely nothing banked up hopeing to get alot of it from the state & federal government.
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Yes Jack spent alot on projects last year but he banked $41.7 million in 2022 to offset it. What he banked is likely spent now & not available to her.
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Helen if you want to have a spend thats ok like many my rent went up 25% last year with no rate increase you should be able to have some of this… it shouldn’t all go to the land lord. Put the rates up 25% to match what the landlords did.
With the news that her budget is still in deficit even after the rate raise I’m also in favor of them increasing rates more then what they did next year. The rates in Bundaberg have hardly moved since 2013 & Pyefinch had to pay for flood repairs twice. We have had a great run our previous councilors did a fantastic job for as long as I can remember even Pyefinch era considering what they faced.
At the moment we workers have free electricity for likely a year, low rent, mortgage prepayments are low as well because of lower borrowing required, fee free kindy, record low unemployment. We are about to get a rate cuts as well predicted starting in February with 1 extra rate cut expected each quarter.
I suggest adding another rate rise after February for next years budget to allow her to get rid of the defect & pay off what was owed. This would set her up to do building in her 3rd year & 4th year of her term nicely while eliminating the defect & debt.
If done right there might be no need to cancel projects at all just defer starting the ones we can’t afford until 2026 this will also give more time to get more money from the new state & federal governments who ever gets in…
If the federal LNP & or state LNP get in in hit them up for funding to expand our housing market as soon as you can they are both running on platforms to help expand housing in regional areas. Extra houses means extra rates payed without having to increase rates to the individual. We might even be able to get a rate cut in a few years.
We all know we need the accommodation. 5k extra dwellings would be fantastic. We have a new shopping Center & a new hospital to build around there’s plenty of land you just have to make it available.
We don’t need a gold-plated rail trail (estimate $39.799 million) between Bundaberg & Gin Gin, a well-constructed dirt/gravel one for $19 million! would suffice until funds were available to upgrade it in stages each year.
There is a 3.4 kms trail from Ging Gin to Tirroan Village already open with a fine gravel trail – https://www.railtrails.org.au/trails/bundaberg-to-gin-gin-watawa-rail-trail/ and if you look at – https://www.railtrails.org.au/trails/?trail_state%5B%5D=80 you will see there are various trails with different surfaces in Queensland.
Then once that is up and operating another one could possibly be constructed to Bargara and down the coast to Elliott Heads. How awesome would that be – Gin Gin to Elliott Heads.
Could the council please tell us what the $19mil is going to be used for?