Almost $49 million in works is being undertaken to build back better on eight state-controlled roads damaged by ex-Tropical Cyclone Jasper.
Works will be delivered through the 2023–24 Betterment Fund, which is jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments through the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).
Ex-Tropical Cyclone Jasper and the subsequent catastrophic flooding caused the most significant damage across Far North Queensland since Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi in 2011.
The betterment works will be delivered along with current reconstruction projects and aim to minimise future damage from severe weather and reduce road closures during and after disasters, including:
- Pavement resilience and sealing over seven kilometres of existing gravel on Forsayth Road
- Constructing six additional floodways on the Burke Developmental Road, west of Chillagoe
- Drainage improvements at key sections on the Mulligan Highway
- Improving drainage, pavement and slope resilience at multiple sites along the Captain Cook Highway
- Upgrading drainage at multiple sections of the Kennedy Highway (Kuranda Range Road)
- Improving drainage and pavement resilience at multiple sites along Mossman-Mount Molloy Road
- Improving pavement resilience and drainage at multiple sites along Mossman-Daintree Road.
- Installing new drainage and pavement resilience at priority sections of Stratford Connection Road.
The betterment projects are targeted to commence from late-2025/early 2026 and will be completed simultaneously with the ongoing reconstruction works.
Ongoing reconstruction works on Kuranda Range Road and Captain Cook highway are also progressing.
Geotechnical investigations and detailed design have been completed across many of the 100-plus damage sites on Kuranda Range Road and Captain Cook Highway, to allow construction to commence.
Eight sites have been repaired, including two major downslope slip sites on Kuranda Range Road, and work is now underway on another 10 sites.
On the Captain Cook Highway, stabilisation works have been completed at two high priority downslope sites, with work progressing on more than 20 geotechnical sites along the Highway.
Federal Assistant Minister for Emergency Management Josh Wilson said the reconstruction works represented a critical investment in the safety and resilience of Far North Queensland communities impacted by Tropical Cyclone Jasper.
“The Albanese Government is proud to jointly fund these efforts through the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements, ensuring that vital roads are restored and made more resilient,” Assistant Minister Wilson said.
Queensland Minister for Disaster Recovery Ann Leahy said the Crisafulli Government was focused on strengthening communities’ resilience and ensuring projects were built back better.
“On top of our commitment through the DRFA, the Crisafulli Government is also delivering on a key election promise, with $40 million a year towards the Queensland Betterment Fund, delivering high priority betterment infrastructure projects,” Minister Leahy said.
“The fund is part of our $450 million commitment over five years to improve the State’s resilience to natural disaster.
“Through the QRRR program, we’re investing in infrastructure that can better withstand floods and extreme weather and ensure our communities aren’t left isolated or vulnerable when the next event strikes.”
Queensland Minister for Transport and Main Roads Brent Mickelberg said significant work had already been undertaken to repair impacted roads.
“Roads across the Far North have copped a battering from natural disasters over the last two years – causing significant damage on key corridors such as the Kuranda Range Road and Captain Cook Highway, where there are still more than 100 geotechnical sites being repaired,” Minister Mickelberg said.
“In addition to the ongoing repairs, our focus is on building our roads back to a better, more resilient standard, to help reduce the risk of our road network being impacted on this scale in the future.
“These roads are key lifelines for communities, and we want to ensure they can stay connected, and bounce back quicker, in the face of natural disasters.”
