22 May
2006 - The Hon. Greg Hunt MP, Parliamentary Secretary
with ministerial responsibility for the Australian
Bureau of Meteorology and The Hon. Bruce Scott
MP, Federal Member for Maranoa, today announced
that site works for the installation of a new
weather radar in western Queensland had commenced.
"The new weather radar
will be located near Dulbydilla, around 100km
East of Charleville and will be known as the 'Warrego'
radar," Mr Hunt said.
"This radar will replace
the current weather watch radar at Charleville
that has been in operation since 1983."
"The new location will
improve the radar coverage for the area as well
as continue to detect rainfall areas and monitor
weather conditions to the west of Charleville
and the east of Mitchell and Roma."
Mr Scott said the new radar's location will be
more beneficial to a wider section of the community
than the previous radar.
"The sitting position of
the current radar at Charleville is not ideal
and this means that its coverage of the surrounding
area is not as wide as the new radar's coverage
will be."
"Site works for the installation of the radar
commenced on the 15th May and construction completion
is expected to be in June. The new radar is expected
to be operational by August."
The radar is being replaced as part of a $62.2
million initiative funded over five years by the
Federal Government.
The Bureau is at the mid point
of this initiative that will replace 15 obsolete
radars in the Bureau's national network and upgrade
a further six to advanced high resolution Doppler
radars.
