Three councils with a shared vision have jointly delivered a $12.52 million upgrade to their local road network on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsular.
The project required the District Councils of Kimba, Cleve and Tumby Bay to combine efforts to seal 97.03 kilometres of the Balumbah-Kinnaird Road.
With the Australian Government contributing $8.23million to the much-needed upgrade through its Special Local Roads Program, the councils injected more than $4.25 million to ensure the project could be completed.
District Council of Kimba Mayor, Dean Johnson, said, “This is a significant occasion for all three Councils involved in the project, because getting to this point has taken a lot of advocacy, planning and resourcing to ensure the Balumbah-Kinnaird Road was able to be sealed to the standard those using it every day expect.
“To be able to declare the project officially completed speaks volumes about what can be achieved when councils work together for the benefit of the entire region, and not just within the boundary of their local government area, and I’d like to congratulate everyone who has been involved on the journey.”
District Council of Cleve Chief Executive Officer Peter Arnold described the road as an ‘important freight and social route’ for the Eyre Peninsula, and explained the project had been on the organisation’s agenda for more than three decades.
“Given the importance of the road, the District Council of Cleve has been lobbying both levels of Government for funding assistance to seal this road since the mid-1980s.
“When Councils’ application for Special Local Road Program funding was successful in 2008, it was the culmination of many years’ work by a number of administrations.
“To see the road now sealed in its entirety is very satisfying for Council and I am sure it is appreciated by all road users.”
