Yarrie Lake road residents worry over port entry and exit

A group of Yarrie Lake road property owners has expressed concerns that the entrance and exit to the proposed Northern Inland Port will be on Yarrie Lake Road.

The group has called on Narrabri Shire Council representatives to express opposition to the Yarrie Lake Road being used as the principal thoroughfare to enter the hub.

A delegation met council representatives just prior to Christmas to argue their case.

“We are not against the hub at all,” said spokesman Robert Browning. “Just the proposed entrance and exit.

“There are proposed entrance and exits to the Inland Port about 1.5 km apart on Yarrie Lake Road.

“This would put a high volume of heavy traffic past the residences.

“We think that would be ridiculous. The safety concerns and loss of amenity and devaluation of our residential land worry us.

“The volume of traffic will bring issues.

“We fail to understand why the entrance and exit won’t be off Culgoora Road when so much money has been spent. And Yarrie Lake Road is not road train rated.

“We have to lodge submissions against this. We have been told that the planners do not want trucks crossing the railway line.

“But they have to cross the line to get on to Yarrie Lake Road anyway.

“If they use the Culgoora Road access it won’t impact as heavily on residents or traffic flow.”

“We and any members of the public, have until January 25 to lodge submissions for or against the exit and entrances.

“The proposed Yarrie Lake Road entrance and exit is all we are against, not the hub itself,” Mr Browning said.

“But we want to make sure our voices are heard.”