Construction of a major realignment of the Newell Highway south of Tomingley is under way, with early works already progressing on a new section of road designed to improve safety and support the expansion of the Tomingley Gold Extension Project.

Work on the project commenced in October, with initial earthworks including vegetation and tree clearing, topsoil removal and the placement of general fill material from an onsite borrow pit, according to the latest community update from Alkane Resources.

A three-kilometre section of the new highway is now being built “offline” on land west of the existing Newell Highway, allowing construction to progress while keeping traffic moving on the current route.

In late October, contractor Robson Civil Projects also began safety upgrades to the Newell Highway access point for the Kenilworth property, which is being used as a works compound. The upgrade will introduce dedicated turning lanes on the existing highway to safely manage frequent light and heavy vehicle movements during construction.

Further works are planned to begin early next year near the “northern tie-in”, where the new alignment will connect back to the existing highway close to Tomingley village. This section will extend from about one kilometre south of the Tomingley Overhead Heavy Vehicle Gantry to McNivens Lane. During this period, speed limits will be reduced to 80km/h and access to the South Tomingley Rest Area may be temporarily restricted.

The broader project involves constructing an 8.1-kilometre stretch of new highway between Back Tomingley West Road and the Tomingley South Rest Area, with works staged from October 2025 and through 2026. Construction will take place between 7am and 6pm on weekdays and 8am to 1pm on Saturdays, with no work on Sundays or public holidays.