Great Southern farmers frustrated by Budget allocation for ‘death sentence’ South Coast Highway upgrades

Great Southern farmers are frustrated the full $50 million promised prior to the State Election to upgrade nearly 12kms of the “death sentence” that is South Coast Highway was not released in the State Budget. Labor committed $25m to upgrade 12km of South Coast Highway — between Cheyne Road and Kojaneerup Road West in the Great Southern — as part of the State Budget, released on June 20. A State Government spokesman confirmed it planned to seek the remaining $50m required from the Federal Government, but was unable to commit to when works might start. The nearly 600km road connects Walpole and Esperance, via Denmark, Jerramungup and Ravensthorpe, and is a popular road for both agricultural freight and tourists travelling along the South Coast. Wellstead crop and sheep farmer Rob Davy described the highway as “diabolical” and said it needed to be upgraded for the long-term, because its current state is “ridiculous”. “Some of the new road that has just been put in a couple of years ago — there are patches of that that have deteriorated, and I don’t think they are constructed as well as they possibly could,” he said. “Driving the road train from Wellstead to Albany, it’s very noticeable on the bad stretches of road and when you get onto a good stretch of road you just notice the difference. “It amazes me, with the amount of trucks, that there are not more accidents and problems. “It’s the skill of the drivers and also probably knowing where the problems are.” A State Government spokesman said the further $25 million, as promised prior to the election, would be sought after as part of “future Federal Budget processes”. “As outlined when the commitment was made, the State Government will seek a matching contribution from the Federal Government, which is standard for road projects in the regions,” he said. “The timing ensures we continue a strong pipeline of job-creating projects in the region.” The spokesman did not commit to a start date for the beginning of the South Coast Highway upgrades, saying only that it would commence once the $60 million Menang Drive and Chester Pass Road flyover had begun. West River crop farmer and Shire of Ravensthorpe vice president Mark Mudie said he was disappointed only $25 million was set aside in the latest Budget for the highway, which regularly has vehicle rollovers. “It’s very, very narrow, and to have those triple road trains and caravans, I don’t drive a truck on it, but they don’t have a lot of room to pass each other when they’re heading in opposite directions,” he said. “If they’re going to do $50 million over four years, it’s going to take 100 years to finish 200km off and it’s going to cost well over a billion dollars at that price.” Mr Mudie said widening the shoulders of the majority of the highway would make the road “a lot safer”. “Not all of it, but most of it is just triple road trains on it with caravans,” he said. “It’s the main tourism route around Australia — there’s a lot of caravaners on the road. “It’s extremely narrow and dangerous — it just seems to be forgotten about.” Mr Davy said the amount of money spent on roads in Perth and Bunbury was “unbelievable” and sections of the highway often felt like a “death sentence” when driving a road train. “It’s typical — promise the earth during an election . . . and then comes budget time, it gets all forgotten about,” he said. “The South Coast area is totally forgotten and there’s million and millions of dollars worth of produce that are shipped out from the regions to the Albany Port. “It worries me in the future of how we’re going to do the logistics if there’s not some serious work done.” Albany MLA Scott Leary said the Budget allocation was “not sufficient, but it’s better than nothing”. “That particular piece of road — I would like to take other politicians out and have them drive it when there’s a B-double coming the other way, so they can fully comprehend as a national one highway it’s just not up to standard,” he said.