Barnaby Joyce Announces $1 Million For Upper Hunter

MEMBER for New England Barnaby Joyce is touring key project areas in the Upper Hunter today, to announce $1 million worth of funding from the second instalment of the Drought Communities Program.

Funding will go towards projects that stretch across the shire, including much needed upgrades to the canteen facilities at the Murrurundi Rosedale Complex, which are set to be completed by Christmas.

Mr Joyce said an excess of approximately $4 million has been poured into the Upper Hunter, to assist with COVID-19 impacts and help deliver projects that will bring tourism to the area.

“This brings money into town, it brings people to stay in the hotels, it brings people in to buy things from the shops,” Mr Joyce said.

“When they say things such as tourism, we always just think tourism is about Tamworth and the country music week, it’s not…it’s about the pony club coming to Murrurundi and we’ve got to make sure we support that,” he said.

“We need to make sure we acknowledge that every town has its reasons for people to come here…the $250,000 [for Murrurundi] will assist in making sure that such programs as King of the Ranges is well serviced,” he said.

Funding went to:

• Upgrades to the canteens at the Rosedale Complex in Murrurundi – $250,000;
  

  From L-R: Margaret Kelaher, Bronnie Johnson, Mayor Maurice Collison, Director of Infrastructure Services Nick Havyatt, MP Barnaby Joyce, King of the Ranges Treasurer Errol Dutton and President Earl Kelaher at the Murrurundi Rosedale Complex.

• Construction of the campdraft arena at White Park in Scone – $210,000 ;
• New toilets at Abbottsford Park in Wingen – $120,000;
• Upgrades to the Tennis Courts in Rouchel – $150,000;
• Fire Control Measures at Moonan Flat Hall – $100,000;
• Refurbishment of the tennis courts in Gundy – $70,000;
• Establishment of a new river walk in Aberdeen – $50,000;
• Construction of a new barbecue area at Merriwa Pool – $25,000.

Mr Joyce said he hopes the new funding will “show people that New England is not just an electorate about Tamworth, Armidale, Inverell and Scone, it’s an electorate about all the towns in-between”.

“If we just work together, we make the economy of this place stronger,” he said.

“Ultimately, when we borrow money from overseas, it’s going to stop, so I’ve got to do the best with the money that’s turning up, as it becomes available,” he said.

“Every town wants to be able to show something off, so people come and live here,” said Mr Joyce.

Project details:

• The Murrurndi Rosedale canteen and bar will be demolished and a new food service and storage area will be constructed, inclusive of an all-weather covered area;
• The Wingen Abbottsford Park toilets upgrades will meet disabled access guidelines, including connections to the new wastewater treatment system, with the installation of a water storage tank to meet water supply needs. A storage shed will also be constructed;
• The Rouchel and Gundy tennis courts will be resurfaced and courts will be upgraded for multi-purpose use;
• Moonan Flat hall will have solar pumps installed and irrigation works will include pipe placement, to supply water from the Hunter River to the new storage tanks at Moonan Flat Community Hall;
• The Aberdeen river walk will include the development of an existing track that circles the perimeter of Jefferson Park, with signage, seating and stabilisation of problem areas with gravel;
• The Merriwa pool will see the demolition of the existing barbecue area and construction of new facilities, including a double electric barbecue, seating and shelter.