It is reported that the Queensland Government has announced a land allocation for a new coal port at Dudgeon Point, south of Mackay in the state north.

Premier Ms Anna Bligh says parcels of land have been awarded to Indian-owned Adani Mining and Dudgeon Point Project Management, a subsidiary of the Brookfield Infrastructure Group.

The proposed port will have an export capacity of up to 180 million tonnes and will also receive land required for infrastructure outside the stockyard.

Premier Ms Anna Bligh says the project is worth about USD 10 million in investment and will deliver up to 5,000 jobs.

A central Queensland economic development group says the Mackay-Whitsunday-Isaac region needs more government investment to support the growing resources sector.

Mr Narelle Pearse Regional Economic Development Corporation chief executive says the region will not be able to provide the necessary housing and infrastructure by themselves. He said that "It's great that the Premier has come out and acknowledged that we're going to have this type of growth in the region."

He added that "We need assistance from the State Government to be able to bring these jobs to market, bring people to the region and house them. As everybody knows that's probably our most critical issue at the moment."

(Sourced from www.abc.net.au)