Bruce Highway $9B Safety Package: Engineering Jobs Now Open!

queensland, regional Australia, regional jobs, Rockhampton Ring Road,

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Work has officially commenced on the first stage of the $9 billion Bruce Highway Safety Package creating job opportunities for Engineers.

For civil engineers across Australia, and those considering a move, this represents one of the most significant transport infrastructure pipelines currently underway in Queensland. And we are recruiting into these projects now.

Record infrastructure budget for Queensland 2025-26

What’s Being Delivered?

The Federal Government has committed $7.2 billion, with the Queensland Government contributing $1.8 billion, to upgrade and improve safety along the Bruce Highway, Queensland’s critical north–south corridor linking Brisbane to Cairns.

The first phase includes:

  • $300 million in early works and planning
  • 16 new safety projects between Gympie and Innisfail
  • Wide centreline treatments
  • Overtaking lanes
  • Heavy vehicle rest areas
  • Pavement strengthening
  • Culvert upgrades
  • Intersection improvements

Construction has commenced immediately. A further seven projects are progressing through design and preconstruction, ensuring continuity of work across multiple regions.

Early Works Package – Construction $200 million:

  • Curra Interchange (eastern side) – construction of an all-vehicle rest area
  • Stratford Road – widening to improve safety
  • Chapmans Road to Stratford Road – widening in sections to improve safety
  • Brooks Road – intersection upgrade (new southbound turning lane) to improve safety
  • Barton Road – intersection widening to improve safety
  • Three Mile Creek – audio tactile line marking and culvert replacement
  • Granite Creek – construction of new heavy vehicle rest area
  • Pine Mountain Creek to Deep Creek – installation of wide centreline treatment
  • Bootooloo Road – installation of wide centreline treatment
  • Alligator Creek – pavement strengthening
  • Toomulla Intersection – pavement strengthening
  • Hencamp Creek – pavement strengthening
  • Various locations – pavement strengthening
  • Dean Road to Tully High School – installation of wide centreline treatment
  • Aldridge Road to Poppi Road – installation of wide centreline treatment
  • Various locations between Innisfail and Cairns – pavement strengthening

Design Package – Planning $100 million:

  • Priority sections of wide centreline treatment between Torbanlea and Gin Gin
  • New heavy vehicle rest area at Gin Gin
  • Priority sections of wide centreline treatment between Etna Creek and Waverley Creek
  • Priority sections of wide centreline treatment between Marian-Hampden Road and Exmoor Road
  • Priority sections of wide centreline treatment north of Ayr to Zinc Road, Townsville
  • Priority overtaking lanes between Ayr and Brandon
  • Priority sections of wide centreline treatment between Rungoo and Mourilyan
bruce-highway-upgrade-safety-package-fact-sheetDownload

Rockhampton Ring Road & Central QLD Investment

In addition to the Bruce Highway package, the Commonwealth has announced a further $200 million contribution toward the Rockhampton Ring Road, bringing the total federal investment to nearly $1.4 billion.

This transformative project will:

  • Reduce congestion
  • Improve safety and flood resilience
  • Unlock long-term freight and logistics capacity
  • Support economic growth in Central Queensland

Additional funding has also been released to accelerate:

  • Beef Roads upgrades
  • Bruce Highway upgrades (Gladstone to Rockhampton)
  • Capricorn Highway upgrades

What This Means for Civil Engineers

With works spanning wide centreline treatments, overtaking lanes, heavy vehicle rest areas and pavement strengthening, there is demand across road construction, rehabilitation and safety-focused infrastructure delivery.

ConsultANZ is currently recruiting for multiple civil engineering roles across Queensland tied to this infrastructure pipeline.

We are currently recruiting for the following roles:

  • Regional Manager
  • Construction Manager
  • Project Manager
  • Foreman/Supervisor
  • Spray Seal Drivers
  • Estimators/Precontracts
  • Project Egineers
  • Leading Hand

We will be adding new roles in the coming weeks so make sure to sing up to job alerts on our vacancies page here.

Regional Queensland = Real Opportunity

These upgrades represent a genuine career opportunity for civil engineers. Regional infrastructure programs like the Bruce Highway typically mean less competition per role, faster hiring decisions, and greater responsibility earlier in your career.

Engineers often gain broader exposure across design, delivery and stakeholder management rather than being siloed on large metro projects. With sustained government funding and multiple packages rolling out, these works also offer long-term project continuity and real progression potential, making them an ideal platform to build strong Australian experience quickly.

Regional Australia: Where Skills Shortages Create Real Opportunity for Civil Engin

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