$14m flood-repair package to fix infrastructure and Beaconsfield mine
Updated
The federal and state governments have announced up to $14 million will be made available to help Tasmania recover from the devastating June floods.
The funding is being provided under Commonwealth-State Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements to cover clean-up and repairs.
With about 350 roads and 87 bridges damaged across the state, the total repair bill was estimated to be about $140 million.
The new funding will go towards fixing more than 40 projects, including the Marakoopa Caves, Meander Falls Walking Track and Fortescue Bay boat ramp and jetty.
State Treasurer Peter Gutwein said the money would also be used to help repair the damaged Beaconsfield mine headframe.
"As part of a combined total of $14 million worth of funding between state and local and federal governments, this project will benefit by having a jointly funded package to ensure that we can stabilise the shaft," he said.
The mine at Beaconsfield shot to international prominence in 2006 when an earthquake caused it to collapse and trap three miners — Todd Russell, Brant Webb and Larry Knight — almost 1 kilometre underground.
Mr Knight was killed while Mr Russell and Mr Webb spent two weeks in the mine before being rescued.
In July this year, the mine yard started to crack and subside after the subsoil, saturated by the June rains, began draining away down the mine shaft.
West Tamar Mayor Christina Holmdahl said remediation work would cost $1.2 million.
Half of that will now come from the Federal Government with the remainder split between state and local governments.
"I think it's a great outcome, for not only tourism in this part of Tasmania but also for economic development," Cr Holmdahl said.
Funding eases burden on ratepayers: mayor
Cr Homdahl said the Commonwealth's funding commitment to the damaged mine meant the council could now work on other projects, relieving ratepayers.
"We can proceed with all of the capital works that we had already scheduled," she said.
"And for many of them, they had waited a number of years before their turn came up.
"They now won't be delayed."
Cr Holhmdahl said Tasmanian senator Jonathan Duniam was instrumental in obtaining the Commonwealth funding for the mine.
Senator Duniam said it was a great outcome for Beaconsfield.
"Beaconsfield is a small community and requires every bit of assistance it can get," he said.
"Beaconsfield Mine and Heritage Centre drew 44,000 visitors in the last 12 months."
It is unknown when the mine will reopen to the public.
Topics: government-and-politics, floods, disasters-and-accidents, rural-tourism, beaconsfield-7270, tas, sheffield-7306
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