Cassowary Coast to Accelerate Road Grading to Address Flood Damage

Damage to Cassowary Coast roads and infrastructure caused by ex-TC Jasper and subsequent flooding is estimated to reach $40 million, with Councillors endorsing a new round of assessments to support recovery funding applications.

While the process of seeking approval for recovery funding is underway, Council remains committed to a patrol grading program on its unsealed road network to provide short-term relief for users of the extensively damaged road network.

Cassowary Coast Mayor Teresa Millwood said close to 40% of the region’s roads were damaged in the extraordinary weather events following Jasper, and ongoing wet weather this year has impeded Council’s ability to conduct restoration works.

“By April 2024 we’d already seen 3,500mm of rain this year alone, with some records suggesting that this is the most disruptive wet season that we’ve seen since 1974,” Mayor Millwood said.

“Floods and ongoing rain events have damaged almost half of our roads, and while we wait for reconstruction funding from the State and Federal governments, Council remains committed to an intense short-term patrol grading program to provide relief to road users.”

Mayor Millwood explained how patrol grading is a quick pass over the road surface to remove minor defects and fill potholes.

“In the best window of works available to our crews this year, six grading crews were able to cover close to 80km and a similar effort will be applied in the future.  At that rate we’ll have 60% of the network patrol graded within four weeks of fine weather.

“The long-term solution will be to conduct heavy grading and to repair structural issues on these damaged roads through an intense works schedule using recovery funding.”

Contractors Shepherd Services were engaged by Council to manage damage assessments immediately following Ex-TC Jasper in December 2023. 

Current estimates for the total cost of completing the reconstruction works are expected to be in the vicinity of $30 - $40 million.

A report delivered to Council at the May Local Government Meeting last week said submissions for recovery funding are hoped to be approved by September 2024. It is expected that significant works will commence immediately following financial approval, however full reconstruction works could continue into 2026.

Due to ex-TC Jasper, Cassowary Coast Regional Council is one of eighteen local governments to be activated for the joint State and Commonwealth Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) for the Restoration of Essential Public Assets to address the immediate and long-term impacts of these events.

For further information contact Council at 1300 763 903 or email enquiries@cassowarycoast.qld.gov.au.

Photo caption: Mayor Teresa Millwood said 40% of Councils roads are damaged due to extraordinary weather events