Whitsunday mum's plea for a safer Bruce Highway

A notorious stretch of the Bruce Highway some 20 km south of Proserpine closed on Monday morning bringing back dreadful memories for a young Proserpine mother of the day her partner was nearly swept from her life.

Bridget Middleton’s partner Scott Boldiston was travelling to work before dawn one morning in January 2011 when he was swept off the Goorganga flood plain.

"The flood indicators weren’t working, and my husband didn’t see the flooded road until he was in it. He wasn’t doing anything wrong. He was in the old ute, he wasn’t speeding and he had a trailer on the back. Coming up to the flood plain he had to dip his lights because a truck was coming the other way," Ms Middleton said.

The mother of three said a phone call came through from her husband before dawn but bad reception meant she couldn’t hear what he was trying to say.

"I knew he wouldn’t wake me up at that time of the morning … so I knew something was wrong."

A few hours later Mr Boldiston came back to the family home.

"He was soaking and freezing when he told me the story. As soon as he hit the water he wound down a window before the power cut out. He’s not the best swimmer so luckily he found a tree to climb up in where he basically sat until he could flag someone down for help. He could have died – the current was so fast and quick."

Ms Middleton followed the near tragedy up with a letter to the Main Roads Department.

"That was a year ago and nothing has happened. What will it take … someone dying?"

A spokesperson from the Department of Main Roads says in early 2011 (the time of Mr Boldiston’s accident), the flashing lights did not activate due to a software error which was immediately rectified by the company which designed and installed the system.

"The department has continued to regularly test the system and the flashing lights have not malfunctioned since this occurrence," the spokesperson said.

"Motorists are advised to drive with caution as wet weather continues across the Mackay/Whitsunday region and not to attempt to cross flooded roads. The message is simple. If it’s flooded – forget it," she said.

The department put up permanent flood warning signs on the Bruce Highway at the approaches to Goorganga Plains in 2010.

"The signs read "Road subject to flooding - indicators show depth", and drivers can see from the indicators the maximum depth of floodwaters across the road.

"The flashing lights are in place as an added warning signal for drivers."

Main Roads Minister Craig Wallace says the Bligh Government has a clear vision for the state’s longest road

"Upgrades of bridges and approaches at Goorganga Plains have been identified as priorities in our plan.

"Funding is fundamentally a Federal responsibility but the Bligh Government is making contributions because we know how important the Bruce Highway is to Queensland.

"Over the next four years, the State and Federal government are spending more than $120 million on the Bruce Highway in the Mackay/Whitsunday region.

Works are already under way to build four overtaking lanes between Mackay and Proserpine, with work to begin on another four mid-year. A further four will be constructed between Mackay and Bowen over the next two years. All up, 16 lanes will be built between St Lawrence and Bowen, including four being constructed between Sarina
and Mackay.