The Roads and Traffic Authority and its contractor are using local businesses, from earthmovers to plumbers, to work on the road works and the village of demountable buildings that has now sprung up on the Clonlea property.

“The project is going to create 260 jobs and they are using as many locals as possible, which is excellent for Narooma and the surrounding area when things are tight,” Mr Constance said.

Also present at the inspection were members of the Tilba Rural Fire Service brigade, who when it rained would wait for a rescue call out to the notorious section known as the Tilba bends.

Mr Constance said it was due to the Coronial inquest into the two deaths on the section in the past eight years that had encouraged the funding of the project, much to the relief of emergency services and relatives of accident victims.

The $45 million upgrade will remove a number of tight bends and provide an overtaking lane in both directions, making it a much safer road for motorists.

The 3.2-kilometre upgrade will also include a new bridge over Victoria Creek, a new U-turn facility and demolition of the old bridge.

Sunnyside Road will remain connected to the existing highway while the upgrade is carried out with new intersections built to connect the new highway to the existing highway when the improvements are finished in 2013.

Koori workers employed on road works

Habitat Personnel, an indigenous employment provider based in Narooma, this week is having graduation for its indigenous students who have completed their Certificate II in Civil Construction in partnership with the RTA.

The ceremony will be held this Thursday at Moruya TAFE.

It is hoped that this course will result in the employment of these 11 students from Moruya, Narooma and Wallaga Lake areas on the Victoria Creek project with two more courses planned for the Bega bypass and Digmans Creek project.

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