The final 10 kilometres of Tasmania’s Midland Highway upgrade, the Campbell Town North to Conara section, has cleared federal environmental approval, and a construction contract is expected to be awarded in the coming weeks. Work is set to start in late 2026 and run until late 2028, closing out a $605 million program jointly funded by the federal and Tasmanian governments.
Industry publication Roads & Infrastructure reported that the Protected Matters Management Plan for the stage has been accepted by the federal government under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, clearing the project to proceed to construction. The Act is administered by the federal environment department.
The Midland Highway runs roughly 181 kilometres between Hobart and Launceston and carries local traffic, tourists and road freight on Tasmania’s main north-south corridor.
What the last 10km actually gets
The Campbell Town North to Conara job covers road widening, turning improvements, sealed shoulders, overtaking lanes in both directions, and new flexible safety barriers to prevent crashes.
That’s the same recipe that’s been rolled out down the rest of the corridor. Since the Midland Highway Action Plan started, around 143 kilometres of the 181-kilometre highway has been upgraded, according to Transport Tasmania, with widening, barriers along the sides and centre to stop head-on and loss-of-control crashes, and more dedicated overtaking lanes.
Finishing this last section is what gets the whole highway to a consistent three-star safety rating under the Australian Road Assessment Program.
Two years of civil work on a road that stays open
This isn’t a greenfield alignment. It’s a widening job on a live freight route, which shapes how the work runs and who’s on it.
Widening a formation for sealed shoulders and two-way overtaking lanes means clearing and earthworks first, then drainage and subgrade, then pavement layers, before the flexible barrier posts go in and the line marking crew closes the job out behind them. Traffic management sits over the top of all of it for the full duration, because the trucks don’t stop running while the crews are there.
The dates are the useful part for anyone pricing work. A contract award in the coming weeks means subcontract packages start moving soon after, and the program runs to late 2028. That’s a defined two-year window on a single stretch of road, which is a different proposition from chasing a string of short jobs when you’re deciding whether to put on an apprentice or add a second float to the fleet.
It also means the methods are already proven on this corridor. Crews working the last 143 kilometres have installed the same barrier systems and built the same shoulder profiles, so the specification and the constraints are known quantities rather than a first attempt.
”Safety on the Midland Highway remains a priority”
State Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Kerry Vincent framed the final stage around the corridor’s role in moving freight and people.
“As a critical link in the State Road Network for freight, tourism and local users, safety on the Midland Highway remains a priority,” Vincent said.
The minister also flagged the disruption that comes with two years of construction on a road most Tasmanians can’t avoid.
“I thank all road users for respecting the possible delays and helping to do their bit to keep our road workers safe during construction,” Vincent said.
On the environmental approvals that unlocked the stage, Vincent said: “The Tasmanian Government remains committed to protecting ‘Matters of National Environmental Significance,’ including listed threatened species, critical habitats, and heritage sites.”
That management plan isn’t just paperwork for the people on site. A Protected Matters Management Plan sets the conditions crews have to work to on the ground, which is the sort of thing that governs where you can park plant, when you can clear, and how the site is fenced.
What to watch
The next milestone is the contract award itself, which the state has flagged for the coming weeks. That’s when the head contractor is named and the subcontract packages for earthworks, drainage, barrier installation, line marking and traffic management start getting priced.
For anyone driving the Midland between Campbell Town and Conara, plan for a changed road from late 2026. For anyone with a civil crew and a gap in the diary from next year, the window is already on the calendar.
Frequently asked questions
When will construction start on the final Midland Highway stage?
Work is expected to start in late 2026 and run until late 2028, once a construction contract is awarded in the coming weeks.
How much does the whole Midland Highway upgrade program cost?
The full program is $605 million, jointly funded by the federal and Tasmanian governments, covering upgrades across the 181km highway between Hobart and Launceston.
What safety rating will the highway get once this section is finished?
Completing the Campbell Town North to Conara section brings the whole highway to a consistent three-star safety rating under the Australian Road Assessment Program (AusRAP).
Why did this stage need federal environmental approval?
It required sign-off under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, with a Protected Matters Management Plan setting conditions to protect threatened species, critical habitats and heritage sites during construction.
Sourced from Roads & Infrastructure. Original article.
