Federal government joins WA government in funding $678m Outback Way project

The Western Australian government has partnered with the federal government to seal the remainder of the remote highway Outback Way as part of a $678 million project.

This project is set to create thousands of local jobs and provide a new strategic freight route that will shore up supply chains with the Eastern States. It will also become the third major road transport link in and out of WA.

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Outback Way extends 2,720 kilometres from Laverton in WA to Winton in Queensland, which will see the WA section of the highway sealed by 2030.

The federal government has allocated $400 million towards the project, while the WA government has committed $100 million.

“We are very pleased to partner with the Commonwealth to completely seal Outback Way and I thank the Federal Government for their major contribution to this important project,” WA Premier Mark McGowan said.

“My Government is pleased to allocate $100 million towards the upgrades, with significant benefits for our freight links, the tourism industry and the safety of everyone who travels on this stretch of road,” he said.

The remainder of the funding will help seal the road in the Northern Territory and Queensland.

The WA section of the route is formed by the Great Central Road and extends 872 kilometres from Laverton to the WA/NT border, with 736 kilometres currently unsealed.

In WA, about $52 million has so far been spent to upgrade the route, with an additional $112 million already allocated for works over 147 kilometres through to 2025-26.

The route is expected to be fully sealed over the next seven years.

“Outback Way is also known as ‘Australia’s longest shortcut’, linking Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia by road,” Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said.

“When complete, this project will see 872 kilometres of road throughout WA fully sealed, providing better access to remote communities, better links from east to west and exciting new tourism prospects,” Saffioti said.

“With the recent flooding of the Trans-WA rail line, we know how important it is to have alternate routes for freight to come into WA,” she said.

“The SA floods demonstrated the need for more resilient transport options into the future and Outback Way is clearly one of them.”

The road is critical in providing access to remote Aboriginal communities, with sealing to improve access to health and other services, while opening up rich mineral deposits east of Laverton.

Source: Hon Mark McGowan & Hon Rita Saffioti BBus MLA joint media statement