Remote road crews make the grade

Road crew and operators Bob Namundanga, Duncan Dennis, Isaac Girrabul, Mattiniah Garnlangarr, Scott Maralngurra, Benji Burranali, Alfred Gawaraidji, Terry Nami, Adrian Virt and Richard Narwirr with Ralph from CDU (orange vest) after completing their training in a crib hut on the remote Murganella Road in West Arnhem land.

WEST Arnhem Regional Council (WARC) road crews upgrading a gravel road in a remote area of the Northern Territory have successfully completed a training course in a crib hut on the remote Murganella Road in West Arnhem Land.

Project Manager Claire Smerdon said the crew completed Traffic Management Work Zone 2 and 3 and white card training, facilitated by Charles Darwin University, in the on-site demountable.

“We had 100 percent attendance, with everyone turning up on time,” Claire said.

“This has resulted in seven full-time Indigenous positions on the road crew.”

There are also six Indigenous plant operators working on the road project, she said.

The crews are working on upgrading the Murganella Road, from the ‘three-ways’ crossroads between Gunbalanya and Maningrida to the Murganella community, also known as Wauk, south of the Cobourg Peninsula.

Project administrator Clem Beard says the crews are pushing on with upgrade works and meeting construction targets.

“The workers live on site and work six days per week,” Clem said.

“We have ablution blocks and a full-time cook at the camp, which we will be looking to move up near Murganella as the project nears completion.”

He said new plant and equipment, including a grader, had been brought in and put straight to use.

“This equipment is now bringing in revenue that WARC can use for other works in communities around West Arnhem,” Clem said.

“The project is currently on schedule, with the crew hitting the 20-kilometre mark in the third week of construction. Their efficiency is getting better every week.”

The upgrade of the remote gravel road is funded under the Northern Territory Government Regional Economic Infrastructure Fund.

WARC is undertaking extensive maintenance to re-align and reform the road base, correct washouts, clear small saplings and debris from the road shoulders, and correct road drainage on a 100km section of the Murganella Road.

The new West Arnhem Regional Council grader in action.