The McKinlay Shire Council opened its new Julia Creek Bike Safety Track last week, with benefits set to flow on for the town’s youth.

Senior Constable Dave McNab said the track would be of great benefit to students.

“Julia Creek’s isolation, population and small volume of local traffic here means there are only a few traffic situations which the local children and youth encounter,” he said.

“It will also assist local students with their boarding-school transition, and to gain a greater understanding of road rules that this bike and road safety park has been created for. 

‘‘It contains solar traffic lights, railway crossing effects, intersections and some great signage including a Julia Creek Dunnart Crossing.”

Mayor Belinda Murphy said the track would improve the town’s livability.

“Not only will this bike safety park benefit the local children, but the whole of the Shire that comes in and visit, and those travelling through during tourist season with families,” she said.

The location of the Bike Safety Tack is in the same area as the swimming pool, tennis courts, indoor sports centre, oval and soon to be completed Participation Space Gym, creating a community activity hub.

“The positioning of this park couldn’t be better in that it’s surrounded by our other sporting facilities commonly used by families and the community,” Cr Murphy said.

The $55,000 project was funded through the Join the Drive campaign by the Department of Transport and Main Roads, a Safer Queensland Community Grant thanks to Suncorp Insurance, the Queensland Police Service and McKinlay Shire Council.