Surat hiring spike expected
Queensland businesses are beaming at the prospect of 2,000 new construction jobs lined up in the Surat Basin region.
Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise says the local resources sector is expected to hit a small boom soon, creating more than 2,000 jobs over the next two years in coal seam gas particularly.
Queensland Gas Company, which runs the recently-completed QCLNG liquefaction and export plant, recently unveiled plans for the $1.7 billion Charlie 1 Project.
That build alone is set to create 1,600 jobs across its two-year construction phase.
The development near Wandoan will feature up to 400 new gas wells, a large compression station, associated pipeline and other facilities to connect with existing Wolleebee Creek gas and water infrastructure.
It will come online just after work starts at the Wilkie Creek coalmine at Macalister.
The Wilkie Creek project is expected to create 126 local jobs , while the contentious New Acland Stage 3 expansion will give another local people 135 jobs on top of the existing workforce of 300 people, if it goes ahead.
Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise chief executive officer Ben Lyons said said it was all good news.
“QGC's $1.7 billion Charlie project alone will create 1600 construction jobs during the two-year construction phase, with the project creating a very welcome boost to southern Queensland's economy,” he said.
“As we are all well aware, 2015 saw Queensland's CSG industry move from the construction to the operational phase of many of our major gas projects and as a result we have seen fewer jobs in the industry as there were in the previous boom years.
“Projects like Charlie are not just going to create jobs and boost Queensland's economy, they will also help local towns like Wandoan, in particular, and small businesses in the communities see benefits of increased local spending.”