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  • North Queensland Region
Location
Cape York Peninsula
Timing
Works to be completed by 2029
Status
Construction

Cape York Region Package Stage 2

The Cape York Region Package Stage 2 will deliver infrastructure upgrades on the Cape York Peninsula between 2019-20 and 2028-29, improving connectivity, access to health and essential services, freight, education and economic opportunity for local communities.

The program continues from the Cape York Region Package Stage 1 program. Since commencing in 2014, the Cape York Region Package has delivered more than 200km of bitumen seal on the Peninsula Developmental Road, 2 bridges and a number of road and infrastructure projects.

The program is also bringing important social, economic and environmental benefits to communities like providing workforce training opportunities and contracting opportunities for local and Indigenous businesses in the Cape York region.

Benefits

  • Improves network resilience
  • Improves safety
  • Contributes to economy
  • Reduces travel time
  • Reduces maintenance
  • Contributes to regional growth

Key features

Cape York Region Package Stage 2 includes the following packages:

  • Peninsula Developmental Road: $275.63 million to progressively seal priority sections of the Peninsula Developmental Road, including construction of the Archer River Bridge and Saltwater Creek Bridge.
  • Community Access Roads Program: $47.5 million to progressively seal priority sections of local roads connecting remote communities to the Peninsula Developmental Road.

Funding

Total investment
$323.13 million
Australian Government
$258.5 million
Queensland Government
$64.63 million

Key milestones

  • October 2025: 12 Community Access Roads Program projects completed to date, sealing about 51.4km of access roads in Aurukun, Lockhart River and Pormpuraaw.
  • December 2024: Yarraden to Three Sisters (Part A, portion 1), 2.61km pave and seal completed.
  • November 2024: Archer River bridge construction and 1.08km pave and seal completed.
  • November 2023: Archer River Southern Approach, 2.79km pave and seal completed.
  • September 2022: Merluna to York Downs (Part B), 10.1km pave and seal completed.
  • August 2022: Musgrave to Red Blanket (Part A), bridge construction and 3km pave and seal completed.
  • August 2021: Kennedy to Rocky Creek, 11.2km pave and seal completed.
  • November 2020: Fairview West Part B, 4.4km pave and seal completed.

Current status

Construction commenced in 2019 and is continuing on various packages of works. The Stage 2 works program is expected to be complete by 2029.

Peninsula Developmental Road

4 pave and seal projects are scheduled for delivery between now and 2029, subject to weather, contractor availability and construction conditions:

  • Yarraden to Three Sisters (Part A, portion 2), 2.4km
  • Musgrave to Red Blanket (Part B), 4.5km
  • Musgrave to Red Blanket (Part C), 4.8km
  • Koolburra to South of Hann (Part A), 2.4km.
Map showing the completed Stage 2 projects in blue alongside the Stage 2 to be completed projects in black.
Peninsula Developmental Road map showing completed and planned road upgrade projects. Light blue labels show completed projects and black labels show projects yet to be completed. The Peninsula Developmental Road corridor is shown as a thick grey line.

Community Access Roads Program

Work to seal the Northern Peninsula Road is continuing.

Community Access Roads Program upgrade to seal map
Community Access Roads Program map showing completed and planned road upgrade projects. Blue filled circles show completed projects. Blue outlined circles show planned projects. Community Access Roads Program roads are shown as black and white striped lines.

Future stages

Planning work is underway for Stage 3 of the Cape York Region Package with the Queensland Government making a $60 million funding commitment as published in Queensland Transport and Roads Investment Program 2024-25 to 2027-28. The Queensland Government's 20% contribution to Stage 3 is subject to negotiation with the Australian Government.

Previous stages

Cape York Region Package Stage 1 was a program of works to upgrade important infrastructure on Cape York Peninsula, delivered between 2014 and 2019. The package consisted of 3 subprograms:

  • Peninsula Developmental Road program, which delivered 18 projects along the Peninsula Developmental Road
  • Endeavour Valley Road sealing program
  • Indigenous community infrastructure works program including the Topsy Creek barge ramp at Kowanyama, Napranum boat ramp, and Mapoon airstrip.

Social, environmental and economic impacts

At the completion of Cape York Region Package Stage 1 a Social, Environmental and Economic Impact Assessment was conducted to evaluate the broader outcomes and impacts of the program.

Scholarship program

Applications for the 2027 scholarship round are now open.

Since 2017, we have offered Peninsula Developmental Road Scholarships to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students as part of the Peninsula Developmental Road Indigenous Land Use Agreement within the Cape York Region Package.

Scholarship funds can be used towards educational expenses, including tertiary fees. The program has been extended through to 2028 with 6 student scholarships offered each year:

  • 4 high school scholarships worth $2,250 each – $750 per year over 3 years.
  • 2 tertiary scholarships worth $40,000 each – $10,000 per year over 4 years.

For more information, visit Peninsula Developmental Road Scholarships.

Last updated: 29 July 2026