Latest news with #BrentMickelberg
ABC News
03-06-2025
- General
- ABC News
Brisbane's Exhibition station reopens for major events
Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg said commuters using the station would be able to take advantage of 50 cent public transport fares.
ABC News
02-06-2025
- General
- ABC News
Brisbane's Exhibition train station to reopen for major events ahead of Cross River Rail
Brisbane's Exhibition train station will soon reopen for major events at the city's showgrounds, including the Ekka, before operating year-round from 2029. The station at Bowen Hills has been closed in recent years while it underwent a significant upgrade as part of the Cross River Rail project. The first event the station will service is this week's camping and caravan show, which kicks off from Wednesday and goes through to Sunday. It will then be used in August for the Ekka – making it the first time the station has been open for the Royal Queensland Show since 2022. The Brisbane showgrounds are set to undergo a major refresh ahead of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. It will be used to host the main athletes village, while the main arena at the grounds will be upgraded to include 20,000 seats. Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg said commuters using the station would be able to take advantage of 50 cent public transport fares. "Back in 2022, catching a train to and from the Ekka from Ipswich would have cost a family of four using a Go Card more than $38 in peak hour," he said. "Now it'll be $4 return, no matter when you travel." During last year's Ekka, free dedicated shuttles ran between the Woolloongabba and Herston busway stations to get patrons to the showgrounds. Exhibition station will be available for year-round services when Cross River Rail is ready for passengers from 2029. The extensive upgrade at the station includes new lifts and a revamped entry plaza. RNA chief executive Brendan Christou said the reopening was "great news". "It's just fantastic that people can arrive and depart from inside the Ekka for the first time since 2022," he said. "It also offers an exciting glimpse of what is to come for the showgrounds."
Daily Mail
17-05-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
Investigation into wind turbine crash that caused lengthy delays on major highway
A police investigation has been launched after a truck carrying a wind turbine tower got stuck under a major highway overpass, causing traffic delays and long detours. The turbine tower got lodged on part of the Warrego Highway in south-east Queensland about 1.40am on Friday. The turbine was removed 12 hours later, with the westbound lane of highway expected to reopen on Sunday afternoon and part of the overpass to reopen within a week. Initial investigations suggest the driver of the oversized truck failed to follow escorting vehicles to an off ramp, instead continuing on the highway. Queensland's Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg said the truck had a permit requiring it to leave the highway via a roundabout. 'The escort took that trip, but the truck did not,' he said on Saturday. 'There will be an investigation from the Queensland Police Service and my department. Pending that investigation, we will take action as appropriate. 'We need to understand what happened here and ensure it doesn't happen in the future.' The turbine had caused significant damage to the overpass and road, Mr Mickelberg added. The turbine was removed with extreme care in small increments to allow engineers to assess the bridge structure. It was removed from the site by Qube Haulage, the company whose vehicle was carrying the turbine part. Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding initially feared the overpass could be closed for up to a year. 'I'm very grateful (in terms of the reopening timeline),' she said. 'I just ask for people to be a bit patient over the next week while those detours are in place.' She said the detour was adding 30 minutes to the trips of commuting locals. The Warrego Highway connects Brisbane with parts of Queensland west of the capital, such as Toowoomba. The driver of the truck, a man aged in his 50s, was taken to hospital for assessment.
