“Business opportunities on the island are immense,” said Austrade Russian senior trade commissioner Gregory Klumov.

“They range from work available for companies and government organisations who supply products and services to the oil and gas industries to environment monitoring, building materials, transport, infrastructure and tourism services.

“Over 30,000 jobs are to be created this year on Sakhalin Island leading to a demand for accommodation, recreational facilities, foodstuffs, social infrastructure, health care and environmental services and products.”

Russian authorities are believed to have earmarked more than $100 billion for capital infrastructure works on the island.

Queensland company Wagners won $10 million in Russian concrete deals five months after participating in Austrade’s first Russian trade mission in June 2003. The company said it now had three contracts worth “well in excess” of $10 million.

Contracts worth more than $40 million have now been secured by Australian companies, including Western Australian-based companies Wrightway Road Training and JT Day, and Queensland contractor PMT Engineering.

Austrade was now seeking interest for its fourth mission in October this year. Based on Russia’s support of Australian contractors, Austrade said it expected to initiate an extra two trade missions a year over the next five years.