State Forests to spend $1.175 million on Billapaloola Road

The NSW Minister for Planning Infrastructure and Natural Resources Craig Knowles has approved State Forests expenditure of $1.175 on the reconstruction and sealing of 6.8 kilometres of Billapaloola Road, Honeysuckle Section, in the Hume Region.

State Forests executive general manager based at Albury, Mr Peter Crowe, said the road upgrade was a big investment in the region’s timber industry - an industry that directly employs more than 2000 people and generates $700 million a year for the south west slopes.

“This upgrade is part of a budgeted State Forests plantation road program of $13 million this financial year,” he said.

The road will service approximately 10 000 hectares of State-owned pine plantation and approximately 1300 hectares of privately-owned pine plantation.

“The upgrade is crucial to the servicing of an estimated 3000 loaded and unloaded truck movements each year until 2015,” Mr Crowe said.

Major customers to be serviced by the upgraded Billapaloola Road include Visy, Weyerhaeuser, Hyne Timber, Ausply and Carter Holt Harvey.

“The upgrade will also benefit local road users as there is significant public use of this road, with people using it to access Tumorrama, Adjungbilly, Wee Jasper and Yass,” Mr Crowe said.

The Billapaloola Road upgrade is due to start in late January.

Media contacts: Peter Crowe on (02) 6043 6307 or Sarah Chester on (02) 6036 2110 or 0417 207 669.