Update on flood repair projects

Published on 10 August 2023

Work is progressing on the reconstruction of Federal Drive with the focus on stabilising the landslip prior to the rebuilding of the road.

This involves slope reshaping and revegetation, drilling and grouting for soil anchors into the deeper more stable material to stabilise the slope and roadway area and then reconstructing the road pavement and sealing work.

In other areas of the Shire, Council has finished temporary repair work on Huonbrook Road, Upper Wilsons Creek Road and Wilsons Creek Road, with work crews spraying a gravel seal on the roads, which were badly damaged during last year’s floods.

Evan Elford, Council’s Manager Infrastructure Recovery, said it’s important that residents in those areas are aware that the work that has been carried out in recent weeks is only temporary.

“We have submitted applications to the NSW Government for Natural Disaster funding to do more permanent repair work with estimated life spans of around 10 years for seals and up to 15 years for road pavement and from 50 to 100 years for some drainage structures and bridges in the valleys behind Mullumbimby, but we are not sure if, or when, these applications will be approved,” Mr Elford said.

“If not approved, the work we have just done will have to last until Council’s finances allow for more permanent work to be done,” he said.

Council’s Natural Disaster funding applications are seeking around $300 million however, so far only four of the submitted applications for construction works have been approved.

They are:

“In total more than 600 pieces of infrastructure were damaged during last year’s floods and once we have approval from Transport for NSW we will be able to get cracking on the repairs and reconstruction,” Mr Elford said.

“Even then it will take at least four years, perhaps longer, depending on the complexity of projects.

“Until then, Council’s works teams will only be able to do periodic maintenance on roads,” he said.

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