Community & Business
8 February, 2023
Road damaged at West Prairie
A resident reports on damage to Bowenville-Norwin and West Prairie roads as heavy vehicles move into the district.
“On Sunday February 5, around 5 pm, Formartin and Jondaryan locals travelling down the notorious Bowenville-Norwin Road were shocked at the damage caused as a drill rig, on site accommodation and vehicles moved into the district.
On the West Prairie Road corner, the weight of the convoy combined with the heat of the day resulted in bitumen melting into an oily slick and, in parts, lifting from the gravel.
The Formartin Corner (Jondaryan-St Ruth and Bowenville-Norwin Roads) fared a little better.
The bitumen stayed relatively intact but the entire intersection was slick causing a potential road hazard.
This corner is known for accidents and near misses.
Who is responsible for the damage?
Two of these roads are Main Roads. The mostly gravel West Prairie Road is a Toowoomba Regional Council Road, but surely, rate payers won't be required to pick up the tab?
Savana Energy Services were contracted by Arrow Energy (Petro China/Shell) to drill a water monitoring bore on a West Prairie Road farm, just outside Arrow's PL1039 tenement. This is a prelude to turning the black soil flood plains East of the Condamine River into a network of gas wells and pipelines with some wells planned to be drilled underneath the river from the western bank.
Our sunset was also marred by extremely bright worksite lights in contrast to Arrow’s commitment to ‘do our best to minimise any light spill’.” (Name withheld)
