Barilaro described these “transformational projects” as helping to secure a future for young people in regional NSW.
Part of the legacy will be spent on funding a new corridor for a “very fast train” between Canberra and Sydney.
He also highlighted dams and pipelines as a key priority in the drought-stricken state, as well as eliminating mobile “black spots” which inhibit digital telecommunications in some rural areas.
The Snowy Hydro Legacy Fund was set up earlier this year, after then prime minister Malcolm Turnbull purchased the state’s share of the Snowy Hydro Scheme.
Following the transaction, the Berejiklian government passed legislation requiring that the $4.2 billion in proceeds be spent in regional NSW, as a protection against future governments redirecting the funds to metropolitan centres.
The Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme has long been regarded as one of Australia’s greatest engineering achievements; thanks in large part to the skilled migrant workers who helped construct it.
Seventy per cent of the workers were migrants with engineering or construction skills and experience in working alpine conditions.
They came from Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Britain, Norway, Poland and the Former Yugoslavia.
They successfully created the network of dams, tunnels and power stations which has generated hydro-electric power for decades.
It is their work which has ultimately funded the latest boost in development throughout regional NSW.
The Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme, now fully owned by the Federal government, is currently in a proposed redevelopment stage known as “Snowy 2.0”, which aims to increase the amount of energy to be stored from renewable sources like wind and solar farms.
