Centenary Motorways Outlined in SEQ $62 Billion Infrastructure Plan

The South East Queensland (SEQ) Council of Mayors has identified the Centenary Motorways Bypass as one of 47 roads and railways that will benefit from its $63 billion infrastructure plan. Released in January, the massive project is expected to ease traffic gridlocks to improve livability in SEQ in the next 25 years.

The Strategic Transport Road Map for SEQ names the Centenary Motorway Bypass as part of its key projects, along with Brisbane Metro, Cross River Rail, North-West Transport Corridor, Fast Rail (Northern, Southern and Western Corridor), North-South Link ((Inner Western Bypass), East-West Link (Toowong on Legacy Way to South East Freeway Tunnel), and other upgrades like various green bridges and pedestrians or cycle cross-river links.



The road map is based on a study the Council commissioned to address traffic challenges in SEQ. The report projected these critical roads, if not upgraded, would reach over capacity by 2031.

To deliver all these projects will require an average of $2.7 billion spending a year, from 2019 to 2041. To upgrade the Centenary Motorway would cost $1.1 billion.

The plan will entail building a four-lane tunnel that will link Sumners Rd interchange to Toowong. This tunnel will run parallel to the Centenary Motorway and bypass the traffic at the Centenary bridge.

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons/kgbo

Another proposed tunnel will link Toowong from the Centenary Motorway going to the Everton Park.

The infrastructure improvements must be undertaken in phases as soon as possible as the projected the population growth for the region will necessitate more transport demands. Current committed infrastructure projects, even if delivered and completed, will not suffice if major corridors like the Centenary Motorway are not improved.



Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said SEQ could not afford project delays as it will trigger higher infrastructure spending and cripple the region. However, there’s still the matter of funding the projects.

“This report is a very important one, but the elephant in the room is we need a Federal Government who is committed to infrastructure in South East Queensland,” Transport Minister Mark Bailey said while commending the mayors’ initiative.

Photo Credit: Council of Mayors SEQ

The Rich History of How Centenary was Formed

Centenary, as it is known today, consists of several suburbs namely, Jindalee, Mount Ommaney, Jamboree Heights, Middle Park, Westlake, Riverhills, Sumner, Sinnamon Park, and Seventeen Mile Rocks.

Do you know how and why Centenary was formed? Let’s take a look back at the historic past of Centenary and the origins of the names of its suburbs.

Photo credit: cshsoc.org.au

In 1959, Queensland’s Centenary Year, a  land developer named Hooker Rex planned the Centenary project. The project was a suburban development proposal that included a number of neighbourhoods with their own services and facilities that are capable of providing for all the needs of its residents.

The development started with the purchase of farmland in 1960. The contract for 1,416 hectare-development was agreed upon by the Council in 1961.

Photo credit: Kgbo/Wikimedia Commons

The Centenary Bridge and Highway were among the most important parts of the development as it provided access to and from the city and the northern suburbs. Officially opened on 14 October 1964, the Centenary Bridge was financed by the developers while the Centenary Highway was built by the Brisbane City Council still at the developers’ expense.

The suburbs and industrial estates that were planned to be a part of the Centenary project were Jindalee, Jamboree Heights, Mount Ommaney, Riverhills, Westlake, Middle Park, and Sumner. Meanwhile, Seventeen Mile Rocks and Sinnamon Park were developed separately.

Photo credit: Facebook/Brisbane Retro

The development was under the management of a public company called the Centenary Estates Limited for six years. In October 1967, the private shareholders were bought out by the Hooker Corporation Limited and the entire project was once again owned by the corporation.

The Establishment of the Centenary Suburbs

Jindalee

Photo credit: Twitter/Property Observer

Jindalee is an Aboriginal word which means “bare hills”. The establishment of the suburb in September 1962 brought the first public transport in the area, a bus going to and from Oxley Station.

Among the earliest establishments in the district were the Jindalee Golf Course, Swimming Pool, Bowls Club and the Looranah St. shopping centre. With its well-established golf course, swimming pool, and sporting facilities, it wasn’t long before Jindalee became a centre for sporting activities.

Jamboree Heights

Jamboree Heights was initially a part of Jindalee. When the Boy Scout held it’s Eighth Australian Pan-Pacific Scout Jamboree in Brisbane, Hooker Centenary provided the site. Later on, the place came to be called Jamboree Heights.

The 50th Anniversary of that historic Jamboree was celebrated in Jamboree Heights in January 2018. During that time, the participants learned more about the first Queensland Jamboree in 1967-1968.


Read: Celebrate Jamboree’s 50th Anniversary in Jamboree Heights  


Mount Ommaney

Mount Ommaney is considerably larger than Jindalee and Jamboree Heights. Despite the sloping nature of the terrain in the area, Hooker Centenary was able to develop a number of “Private Courts” in Mount Ommaney in January 1970, a feat considered a first in Australia.

Photo credit: www.mcleodgolf.com.au

Each private court contains approximately seven homes, each with their own private entrance and shared private ownership of internal roads and nature strips.

Mount Ommaney became a prestige homesite that offers excellent views of the mountains and the city.

The suburb is also home to the first women’s golf club in Australia, the McLeod Country Golf Club, which was completed in 1969. The original golf club was comprised of 9 holes and a clubhouse. It was later extended to a full complement of 18 holes in 1971.

Riverhills

Photo credit: realestate.com.au

Riverhills is named for its ideal location offering sweeping panoramic views of the Brisbane River. In January 1973, it was mainly marketed by the developer as a suburb for young people with young families, designed with a cul-de-sac concept that focuses on having a quiet environment with lots of privacy. Many of its streets were named after rivers, lakes, and other waterways of the world.

Westlake

Photo credit: raywhitecentenary.com

Westlake was named by the developers in June 1973 for its nine-hectare freshwater lake. The developers maximised the landscape to give most of its homesites a view of the vast lake.

Sumner

Sumner was named after the Sumner family who had been farmers and landholders in the area. Though the name was originally given to a road, the suburb later adapted the name in 1969.

Seventeen Mile Rocks

Photo credit: Google Street View

The Seventeen Mile Rocks suburb used to include Sinnamon Park in 1975 as it extended farther west. With the development of Sinnamon Park, the boundaries of the suburb changed and currently, part of the Edenbrooke Estate is in Seventeen Mile Rocks and part in Sinnamon Park.

Seventeen Mile Rocks have gone through several developments under different estate developers namely ECOSSE Investments Pty Ltd, BMD Constructions, Baldwin-Riverlands, and Verandah.

Middle Park

Middle Park was strategically named by the developers in July 1976 to reflect its location in the middle of the Centenary Suburbs. The area offers northerly views of the McLeod Country Golf Club.

Sinnamon Park

In 1989, Sinnamon Park was developed originating from the suburb Seventeen Mile Rocks. The new suburb was named after the family of James Sinnamon and Margaret, who were the pioneer European settlers in the area.

Photo credit: monumentaustralia.org.au

Today, Sinnamon Park houses a memorial dedicated to Thomas Macleod to celebrate his historic flights on 22 December 1910.


Read: Thomas Macleod and the Birth of Queensland Aviation in Sinnamon Park  


These are the historical origins of the names of the Centenary Suburbs. To have a deeper grasp on the history of Centenary, visit Centenary Suburbs Historical Society Inc.

Sumners Road Upgrade Moves One Step Closer, Early Works to Start in Late 2018

With the design process already underway, the upgrade of Sumners Road Interchange moves one step closer to completion.

The Queensland Government Department of Transport and Main Roads recently awarded the design contract to Arup Consultancy in March 2018. The department plans to start early works sometime in late 2018.

Member for Mount Ommaney Jess Pugh is delighted that the project is moving forward.

“This is great news for people who travel through western Brisbane because it will ultimately mean less time spent in the car, and more time spent doing what they enjoy,” said Ms Pugh.

The project is part of the $65-million allocation to decongest Sumners Road Interchange and Centenary Motorway, which registered some of the slowest traffic speed during peak hours, according to a report by RACQ.


Read: Centenary Highway to Get $65-Million Upgrade within 12 Months

Read: Centenary Motorway Registers Slowest Traffic in the City


Overcapacity

The upgrade project is much anticipated as Sumners Road continues to operate beyond its capacity. Every day, up to 35,000 motorists pass through the interchange. Five-percent of the vehicles using the interchange are heavy vehicles.

Decongesting traffic flow at Sumners Road Interchange is essential as it is the main interchange going to the Ipswich-Centenary Motorway intersection. The project would also ease connectivity to Darra train station by reducing bus travel time.

The plan includes adding a second overpass bridge at Sumners Road. This is intended to improve the traffic flow along the interchange. The design will also replace roundabouts at each end of the bridge with signalised intersections.

On-road cycle lanes, shared paths and dedicated crossing facilities will also be added to encourage active transport options.

Preliminary plan for the Sumners Road Interchange (Photo credit: www.qld.gov.au)

Once the project is completed, it should improve efficiency and reliability for public, private and freight vehicles passing through the interchange. The project also aims to promote the safety of active transport commuters.

The upgrade is projected to take around three years, weather and construction conditions permitting.

Centenary Highway to Get $65-Million Upgrade within 12 Months

After a long wait, Centenary Highway could soon see some improvements as Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced that the government will spend $65 million for its upgrade.

The upgrade will involve the upgrade of the Sumners Road Interchange, which is used by 35,000 vehicles every day.

“This intersection has been a headache for commuters for a long time – now my government is committed to fixing it,” said the Premier.

“This upgrade, which will also create 50 jobs, will reduce congestion on the daily commute, and cut travel times for 5,500 heavy trucks that use this interchange daily, improving freight connections and supporting local businesses.”

The project involves adding two signalised intersections in place of the current roundabouts. A new two-lane eastbound bridge will also be constructed as part of the upgrade.

The plan will also see additional bike lanes, shared paths and crossings to provide active transport options to daily commuters.

Development is expected to start within 12 months, after completion of the design and the bidding process. The project should be done after two years.

Preliminary plan for the Sumners Road Interchange

(Photo credit: www.qld.gov.au)

Easing Traffic

The announcement is a welcome development for commuters, considering the importance of the highway to residents driving to the CBD from Brisbane’s western suburbs.

In a recent RACQ study, Centenary Motorway ranked number one on slowest traffic in the city.


Read: Centenary Motorway Registers Slowest Traffic in the City
Read: Left Out of State Budget, Centenary Motorway Will Continue Peak-Hour Crawl – RACQ
Read: Riverhills Still Wants a Bridge to Bellbowrie According to Recent RACQ Survey Results


Steven Miles, who is the Acting Minister for Main Roads and Road Safety, stressed that the project will have a positive impact on traffic flow in other parts of the city’s transport network.

“This is the closest city-bound interchange to the Ipswich-Centenary Motorway intersection, so easing congestion at Sumners road has far-reaching consequences,” said Mr Miles.

“It also improves connectivity to Darra train station through reduced bus travel times. That benefits passengers travelling towards Ipswich, Springfield or Brisbane.”

Centenary Meeting at Jindalee to Discuss NBN ‘Crisis’

Concerned citizens experiencing problematic NBN service are gathering at a meeting at Jindalee Bowls Club on Tuesday, 29 August 2017.

The promise of NBN connection was for superfast broadband connection allowing users to browse the web, stream movies and do other activities online all at one time. But the current experience of users in the Centenary area falls short of the promised superfast connection.

The event will be hosted by Oxley MP Milton Dick, who said he organised the meeting due to significant demand from Centenary locals complaining about the NBN rollout.

A number of residents in the western suburbs have been reporting drop-outs and poor customer service from the NBN service provider. This is the second meeting of its kind. The first was one held at Springfield Lakes last month and attended by around 100 people.

Steven Jones MP, Shadow Minister for Regional Services, and State Labor candidate for Mt Ommaney, Jess Pugh, will also be at the meeting.

The meeting will be from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Light refreshments will be provided during the meeting.

Signify intention to attend here.

Centenary Not-for-Profit Community Groups Receive Funding

The Gambling Community Benefit Fund (GCBF) has provided funding to eight not-for-profit organisations in the Centenary area.

The funds were part of the one-off grants program, which distributes around $53 million each year to community groups in Queensland. The program allows non-profit organisations to apply for grants ranging from $500 to $35,000.

Grant Recipients

  • Centenary Suburbs Men’s Shed. Recipients of the grants include the Centenary Suburbs Men’s Shed, which is getting $29,000 to help it install solar and renovate its building. Also called Men’s Shed 100 Inc, the Seventeen Mile Rocks group provides a venue for men in the community to get together regularly and share common interests.
  • St Catherine’s Football Club. A new kitchen equipment will be purchased by Middle Park-based St Cats using the $25,002-grant it received from GCBF.
  • Good News Community Playgroup. The community playgroup based in Jamboree Heights will use the $21,230 grant to build softball areas. The playgroup provides indoor activities for children ages 0 to 5 years,
  • Centenary Combined Sporting Association. The Centenary group received funding of $20,000, which it will allocate for new office furniture and video equipment.
  • Western Districts Baseball Club. The amateur team based in Darra will be buying a new grandstand using the $17,998 grant it has received.
  • Parents and Citizens Association of Oxley State School. The P&C association of Oxley State School received $15,290 which it will use to purchase an industrial fan.
  • McLeod Country Golf Club. The Mount Ommaney golf club requested funding and received a grant of $10,000 to be used for roof repair and carpet replacement.
  • Queensland Country Women’s Association (QCWA). The Oxley branch of the QCWA received $7,200 from GCBF. It will use the money to buy a solar system for its facility.

The next round of funding by the GCBF will open in mid-July and will close on 31 August 2017 at 11:59 p.m.

Need funding for your community group? Watch this tutorial to learn how to apply for a grant through the Gambling Community Fund.

Visit the GCBF website to learn more.