The District Council of Mount Remarkable in rural South Australia received funding of $985,079 over the four years of the current Roads to Recovery program. Of this, $219,765 was allocated for the first year.
With some 3,200 residents, spread over an area of 3,422 square kilometres, it has an extensive network of unsealed roads.
At its December 2000 meeting, Council decided that the 2000-2001 funding would be used to seal the Top Track in Baroota Ward.
“Top track was selected as it is the highest usage district road in the Council area and services a large number of landowners living along it,” said Acting CEO, Phyllis Robinson. “It is also designated as a tourist drive through the Lower Flinders tourist area. The road was totally sealed in the Pirie Council area but the sealed section ended at the boundary with Mount Remarkable.”
In April last year, Council decided that the remainder of its Roads to Recovery grant would be spent equally across its three other Wards on priority road sealing works within each. Roads were strategically selected based on complaints received from residents over a number of years regarding dust problems and other hazards.
Shortly after, Council successfully applied to the Commonwealth Department of Transport and Regional Services for accelerated funding. This meant that the full four years of its grant money would be received by September 2001. Council took this course of action so the benefits of the road works could be delivered to the community as soon as possible.
Additionally, by speeding up completion of the works, the inefficiencies of ‘stop start’ road works is avoided ensuring the community receives best value from its grant allocation. To date most of the road works have been completed, with all sections expected to be finished by the end of March.
