Business
25 September, 2024
Richmond gearing up for CopperString construction
The first sod was turned on the construction camp on Monday.
The first sod has been turned on the Richmond construction camp that will house up to 250 workers as part of the CopperString project.
And while Monday’s ceremony didn’t have a long list of dignitaries and the same level of fanfare as Hughenden’s sod turning in July, it was just as important, mayor John Wharton said.
“It could make a huge difference to the Richmond Shire,” he told North West Weekly.
“We are still in talks with Powerlink but the legacy plans are going to be very important to the community.
“Most of those things are still confidential but there’s some really good stuff that can happen.
“Everything we do has to be sustainable, of course.
“There is no point building 50 houses and having them all vacant, so we’ve got to be very careful with what we do.”
Cr Wharton said while many people in the North West may struggle to see the benefits of the new transmission line, the region would see hundreds of jobs created as a result of new projects starting because of access to affordable power on a commercial scale.
After the sod turning, a special community lunch was held at the Richmond Shire Council, where CopperString project manager Tom Dockray presented a cheque for $8000 to enable the community to buy a new Christmas tree for the township.
