Head chef at Chateau Yaldara’s Hermann’s Restaurant Dean Zammit (left), Gomersal Wines owners Gabrielaand Barry White, Southern Barossa Alliance secretary Zoe Phillips, Light Regional Council infrastructure anddevelopment general manager Richard Dodson, Member for Barker Tony Pasin, Barossa mayor Bim Lange,Light Regional mayor Bill O’Brien, and Member for Schubert Stephan Knoll, with daughter Ruby, announced thebeginning of a $1.65 million upgrade to Lyndoch Road on Saturday. PHOTO: Supplied
THE troublesome Lyndoch Road is set to be sealed before the end of the year, with works beginning within weeks.
Local residents and business owners were notified about the commencement of the impending $1.65 million project on Saturday by state transport minister, and Member for Schubert, Stephan
Knoll, and Member for Barker Tony Pasin.
The project, which will see the road between Gomersal Road and Lyndoch Creek be resealed, was secured after Light Regional and Barossa councils received $500,000 worth of State Government
funding and $900,000 of federal funding.
Light Regional Council will contribute $250,000 to the upgrade.
Mr Knoll said he was excited to see the project come to fruition.
“Sealing Lyndoch Road has been an important priority that I have been proud to advocate for, which is why I fought to secure $500,000 ahead of last year’s election to get this project off the
ground,” he said.
“I have first-hand experience driving this road in the wet and it is downright dangerous.
“In summer, it gets very rough and residents have to deal with dust engulfing their homes.
“Residents and local business owners have also highlighted safety concerns stemming from high heavy vehicle traffic.
“This work will not only make Lyndoch Road safer for motorists, it will serve a broader strategic purpose in connecting the Southern Barossa to visitors to the region who travel via the Sturt Highway and Gomersal Road.”
Since Gomersal Road was sealed and highlighted as a main entrance to the Barossa, traffic has been largely diverted away from Gawler and the Barossa Valley Way, which has had a negative impact on businesses on Lyndoch Road.
“Anecdotally, these local businesses have suggested a decrease in business of up to 30 per cent,” Mr Knoll said.
“Businesses on Lyndoch Road have been further affected by limitations of hire car companies, which don’t permit their vehicles to be driven on unsealed routes, meaning tourists are unable to
reach them.”
The funding will be used to seal approximately 4.5 kilometres of road, realign the junction of Lyndoch and Hentschke roads and provide protection to hazards such as steep embankments and culvert crossings.
