More than 53 hectares of bushland and riverine habitat will be cleared for a major upgrade to a regional Queensland dam, sparking concerns from environmentalists about protected lungfish and turtles.

Construction on the new Paradise Dam is set to go forward as Sunwater completes major road upgrades and access to the site on the Burnett River about 80 kilometres south-west of Bundaberg.

The upgraded road network includes a widening of crests, bitumen resurfacing and a new 57-metre dual-lane bridge at Degilbo Creek, which Burnett MP Stephen Bennett says will support the delivery of the project.

"This is a complex, multi-year project and construction will require significant heavy-vehicle use to transport equipment and materials to and from the dam," he said.

The $4.4-billion rebuild was

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