A koala mother and her joey survived a dangerous encounter with traffic on the Bruce Highway near Cooroy. Wildcare says a motorist swerved to avoid the pair at Coles Creek on 12 October. The mother, Rachel, and her joey, Casper, were taken to Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital and released into nearby bushland. Wildcare says seven other koalas have been killed on the highway between Cooroy and Gympie since July. The group is calling on the Queensland Government and Transport and Main Roads to improve fencing and wildlife crossings.
Construction has started on two sections of the Bruce Highway at Gairloch, between Ingham and Cardwell in north Queensland. The Gairloch to Ripple Creek section will be widened and have improved drainage. The Ingham-Halifax-Bemerside Road and Cardwell Range section will also be widened. Both projects aim to improve safety and reduce flood-related closures during the wet season. The works form part of the $9 billion Bruce Highway Targeted Safety Program, with 18 projects completed so far.
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli and ministers have marked the start of upgrade works on the Bruce Highway at Gairloch, near Ingham. The projects are funded under an 80-20 deal with the Federal Government. Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg said the works aim to improve flood immunity and safety, and to reduce closure times. Officials said 150 projects are either completed, underway or in planning along the highway, which is part of a $9 billion program.
AU Now app
Your suburb’s news, alerts and Shorts — in one app
Alerts, Shorts and your saved stories — free on Google Play.
A man in his 40s was airlifted to hospital after a two-truck crash on the Bruce Highway, north of Calliope, on Sunday morning. Firefighters freed a driver trapped in one of the trucks. The man suffered face and leg injuries and is in a potentially life-threatening condition. The Bundaberg-based LifeFlight helicopter landed at West Stowe and flew him to Rockhampton Airport. He was then taken by road to Rockhampton Hospital.
