Indigenous land deals near finalisation as WA prepares to seal Outback Way shortcut
Negotiations on Indigenous land use agreements are close to completion, allowing Western Australia to resume work on sealing the 2,719-km Outback Way linking WA and Queensland.
The Outback Way, a 2,719-km corridor linking Laverton in Western Australia to Winton in Queensland, is slated for sealing with more than $1.2 billion pledged for completion by 2032. A four-year pause on the WA side, caused by pending Indigenous Land Use Agreements, is ending as negotiations with the Yilka, Nangaanya-ku and Yarnangu groups draw to a close. WA Transport Minister Rita Saffioti defended the careful approach, highlighting long-term employment and training benefits for Aboriginal people, while Liberal MP Rick Wilson had previously labelled the progress "glacial".
Main Roads has finished a clearing assessment for a 171-km segment, clearing 660 hectares of vegetation without significant ecological impact. Local councils and the Outback Highway Development Council anticipate construction to begin shortly, though they stress the need to protect cultural sites and manage the projected traffic surge.
Why it matters
The agreement will unlock a major infrastructure project that could boost regional economies and create jobs for Aboriginal communities.
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