Building our Regions opens up Biloela industry opportunities

Further development of the Biloela industrial estate will be unlocked with $450,000 through Round 4 of the Palaszczuk Government’s successful $295 million Building our Regions (BoR) program.

Funding for a new sewage pump station for the industrial estate will be matched by $450,000 from Banana Shire Council, bringing total funding to $900,000.

Minister for State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning Cameron Dick said the project will unlock a new wave of industry investment in Biloela.

“The pump station is needed to connect Stages 3 to 6 of the estate to the sewerage network, enabling continued development at the site,” Mr Dick said.

“Without this project, 30 proposed industrial lots cannot be connected to the Biloela sewerage scheme, which is a condition of their development.

“The project includes delivery of a pump station, rising main, emergency overflow storage and emergency generator, with council estimating the works will support five jobs.

“Stages 1 and 2 of the Raedon Street Industrial Estate, with a total of 20 blocks including services, access and drainage, were approved in 2010. Stage 1 sold out almost immediately, and of the 14 industrial lots created to date, 13 have been sold, which is a great result we want to build on.”

In previous BoR funding rounds council has received $250,000 towards the upgrade of the Biloela Pool, $250,000 for safety and security improvements at Thangool Aerodrome, $690,000 towards $1.4 million improvements to drainage in Biloela’s CBD, and$1.7 million towards the $3.6 million Moura raw water supply upgrade.

Banana Shire Council Mayor Nev Ferrier welcomed this latest share of funding from the state’s Building our Regions program.

“With Stages 1 and 2 mostly occupied and the mining sector steadying and agriculture and sustainable power generation on the rise, council plans to push forward with Stages 3 and 4,” Mr Ferrier said.

“We have received strong enquiries in relation to one large block and a second block for emerging industries to be established in Biloela.

“These industries could also lead to expansion in the shire’s current agricultural production, in addition to the value-adding processes proposed.”

Round 4 of Building our Regions will see the Palaszczuk Government partner with 37 councils on 49 projects – work which will create an estimated 657 jobs.

Under previous rounds, the program has allocated $225 million to 174 critical infrastructure projects across the state, generating 1762 jobs and attracting additional investment of $353.5 million from councils and other organisations.

Learn more about the Building our Regions program.

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