Community & Business
20 February, 2025
Bridge works spark accusations
ACCUSATIONS have been levelled at Tablelands Regional Council over an upgrade to the approaches of a bridge on Hemmings Lane which, landowners say, will only benefit an expanding commercial operation that has been at odds with its neighbours for the past three years.
The council is undertaking a $425,000 upgrade to the approaches of the bridge but the works are being questioned by property owners living along Hemmings Lane at Upper Barron who say other roads such as Plath Road and its bridge should be upgraded as a matter of priority.
Landowner Jeff Strazzeri, whose family have lived on their Hemmings Lane property for more than 40 years, has written to the council demanding answers and accusing the council of misusing public funds to benefit the controversial Old Mates Farm (OMF) operation.
Last year, OMF owners Tony Freeman and Louise Livingstone won an appeal in the Planning and Environmental Court against a decision by TRC that would have allowed them to build new facilities on their property but not to increase the number of visitors and banning any day visitors.
The court decision came with conditions that OMF upgrade and seal 120m of Hemmings Lane at their own cost, installing mirrors to improve sight lines, installing signage to instruct vehicles to give way at the bridge and vegetation slashing.
The road upgrade has not yet begun by OMF, but council has embarked on the upgrade to the bridge approaches.
Council rejects any suggestion the works are being done to benefit OMF, saying the works were generated from a councillor request in 2020, and then included in the 10-year Capital Plan by resolution of council.
“This councillor witnessed a truck with roof trusses attempting (and failing) to cross the bridge. Trucks shipping cattle also cannot cross, or have trouble negotiating the approaches to the bridge,” Infrastructure Services general manager Mark Vis said.
“The intent is to improve truck access and is unrelated to any property development applications.”
Mr Strazzeri has also questioned the council about why Plath Road and its bridge have not received similar attention to Hemmings Lane.
“Hemmings Lane already underwent major roadworks in 2024, yet additional DRFA (disaster)-funded works are now planned,” he said.
“If DRFA funding is only for restoring roads to pre-event condition, why is Hemmings Lane receiving multiple rounds of work while other roads are ignored?
“Why has TRC prioritised repeated investment in this road while more dangerous roads like Plath Road remain neglected?”
Mr Vis said Hemmings Lane had been graded as a part of council’s annual maintenance grading program and had also been the subject of DRFA funding due to damage caused by a weather event between December 2022 and April 2023.
“Appropriate treatment was included in the TRC funding submission and was approved by the Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA),” he said.
“Plath Road was included in TRC’s REPA Submission for the DRFA event Tropical Cyclone Jasper, Associated Rainfall and Flooding, 13-28 December 2023. These works have not yet been assessed by the QRA and are subject to their review and approval.
“TRC acknowledges Plath Road requires maintenance works regardless of whether or not the works are approved for DRFA funding, and has proposed Plath Road in future years of TRC bitumen reseal program.”
Mr Strazzeri has also raised concerns about the removal of “critically endangered habitat” within the road reserve along Hemmings Lane for the bridge’s southern approach works.
“This area includes vegetation classified as critically endangered habitat, as indicated by the Vegetation Management Supporting Map. Clearing this habitat poses a severe threat to biodiversity and contravenes the intent of the Vegetation Management Act 1999, which seeks to protect Queensland’s most vulnerable ecosystems,” he said.
“The council is prioritising the interests of a single individual over the community and the environment. Critically endangered habitat is set to be destroyed, and ratepayers - who gain nothing from this project - are the ones footing the bill,” he said.
“It is deeply concerning that TRC is willing to misuse public funds and exploit community resources for private gain. The council’s decision-making process in this matter reflects a lack of transparency, accountability, and respect for the community it is supposed to serve.”
Council says there is protection under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act for all known patches of Mabi Forest and that it will not proceed with finalising a design or any construction works until the outcome of the EPBC referral and necessary approvals.
