Australia’s Treasurer Joe Hockey has officially opened Andrew Daniels Drive, Cloncurry’s A$13m heavy-vehicle bypass, which will provide industry productivity and road safety in north-west Queensland.

Cloncurry is in the heart of the north-west Queensland mineral province, and is said to produce 80% of Queensland’s mineral wealth.

The bypass, which connects the Flinders Highway and the Barkly Highway, will provide a vital freight link between northern Australia and the east coast and beyond.

"We recognise the importance of a safe and reliable road network for people who live and work in regional areas."

The Australian Government has provided A$8.2m towards the bypass project that is part of its A$13.4bn investment in building Queensland’s future infrastructure to help drive economic growth, slash travel times and create thousands of jobs.

The Queensland government has provided A$4.82m towards the upgrade as part of commitment to improve traffic safety and efficiency in the region.

The new bypass is expected to improve travel times for heavy vehicles and save fuel costs for industry.

Queensland roads and road safety minister Mark Bailey said: "We recognise the importance of a safe and reliable road network for people who live and work in regional areas.

"Roads are the lifeblood for many communities in remote parts of Queensland, especially in the north west.

"This bypass will make a real difference for drivers of heavy vehicles, as well as residents and visitors to the region.

"As an added bonus, this project has delivered 15 direct jobs at a time when jobs and job security are more important than ever."

The project included construction of around 4.6km of new road and completion of T-intersection works at Railway Street and the Flinders Highway and a four way intersection at Sir Hudson Fysh Drive.