Push for Sealed Road from Amata to Uluru

[Seems the gremlins that stole Stephen L's status also lost my reply to Allan B, so here's a recap]

It's very much a case of "local priorities" (aka local politics). Their situation is no different to just about every other community. Even Roper Bar (and the nearby Tomato Creek/Lagoon? community) need a good 40km/50km of sealed road by the same criteria. If only money were no object. I wonder how much difference in reality the sealing of these community roads would make other than to some people's local standing and to budget bottom lines.

Take Warburton (the WA one) for another example. Connected to the "world outside" by a decent road that is also not passable at times when wet. If sealed, no real difference except to tourism.

Just my 2c worth.

I was on this road about 3 months ago. I as comfortably doing 90 -95 kmph. I was the slow one. Many local people were doing at least 100 - 110. I camped on the side of the road and was surprised how much traffic there was all night.

People must be in a real hurry to get to work if they need a sealed road. Obviously lots of shift work too. Wonder if there are other reasons to frequent Uluru?

Allan,

It would certainly make for an easy and quick run up to the shops and airport. I doubt jobs for the youth has anything to do with it. Has extending the seal to Yuendumu helped that community?

The cost of bitumenising a few hundred kms of already pretty good road is eye-wateringly high. I'm sure this money could be better spent on a regional college or hospital.

But thinking laterally, perhaps if the people of the APY lands are starting to acknowledge the importance of connecting to the rest of Australia, they could start by allowing tourists to visit. At the moment, you can enter if you are a miner, an evangelist, or a store proprietor. If you are well-intentioned tourist with dollars to spend on art etc just forget it.

Bob

Perhaps as entry is restricted and the road would be for their use only they could pay for it. Why should the rest being non users have to pay for something they are unable to use.

The sooner everything is opened up for "Australians" in general to use the better.

There is direct conflict as regards what the elders want here - with regard to roads - and with what they want, by way of special treatment and exclusivity for being Aboriginal.

On the one hand, they want Europeans excluded from their Lands, with access by permit only - and on the other hand, they want full employment and engagement of their tribal members, with the major European part of Australia, by expecting the Europeans to seal their access road for them.

They can't have it both ways. Roads are improved to facilitate movement of goods and people, and to improve trade on a bi-lateral basis.
Someone has to pay steadily over a long period of time for vastly improved sealed roads.

We are talking at least around $500,000 a km, for the total cost of a fully-sealed two-lane road of a standard 8 metres pavement width.
A road like this has to have properly-constructed floodways for minor creeks, and large culverts and bridges for major creeks - even if they only run once every 2 years.

Unfortunately, the elders in this community apparently fail to grasp even basic social and economic principles - so they still have a long way to go, before they can fully engage with the European section of Australia, on an even, two-way basis.

Their thinking is still all one-way - in the constant direction of themselves, and their tribal benefits.

Cheers, Ron.