Natural Disaster Program

The department is working on more than 330 projects to restore roads across Queensland damaged by floods and bushfires. The department is also reconnecting communities and supporting regional economic recovery after disaster events damaged the state-controlled road network in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

Key features

  • Restoring damaged roads and road surfaces.
  • Repairing damaged structures, including bridges and culverts.
  • Repairing damaged slopes and batters along roads.
  • Clearing silt and debris.

Benefits

  • Restores damaged infrastructure
  • Contributes to economy
  • Contributes to regional growth

Current status

  • Road impacts are being monitored following rainfall and flooding across northern, central western and southern Queensland in late April and early May 2022.
  • Repairs are underway after extensive severe flooding across South East Queensland was caused by heavy rainfall in late February 2022. This event caused significant road damage across 22 local government areas, including numerous major landslips, widespread pavement damage and scouring around bridges and culverts. Beechmont Road and Gold Coast-Springbrook Road in the Gold Coast hinterland remain closed due to significant landslips.
  • Emergency works were undertaken to reopen roads after heavy rainfall from ex-Tropical Cyclone Seth in January 2022 that caused widespread flooding and damage in the Wide Bay/Burnett region.
  • Following heavy rainfall across central, western and southern Queensland in November and December 2021, districts are assessing damage and scoping repairs.
  • In the Gold Coast hinterland, Lamington National Park Road sustained a significant landslip and is open under a stop/go traffic arrangement.
  • Significant repairs are required in the Gold Coast hinterland following heavy rainfall in December 2020 and subsequent flooding in the same region in March 2021.
  • Works are underway to repair a significant landslip on Tamborine Mountain Road, as well as other damaged roads across the region.
  • Repairs are also underway following flooding in north, north west, south and south west Queensland in early 2021.
  • Following flooding in early 2020, the department is completing more repairs where required.
  • Repairs are in progress after numerous severe bushfires burned across eastern and southern Queensland in late 2019.
  • Design works have been completed to repair bushfire-impacted slopes at Cunninghams Gap, with stage one works expected to start in August 2022. 
  • Works to repair severely damaged slopes along Binna Burra Road were completed in mid-November 2020.
  • Reconstruction work following significant flooding caused by the North and Far North Queensland Monsoon Trough in early 2019 has been completed. 
  • As well as repairs, the department improved the flood immunity and resilience of the state-controlled road network at 10 key sites through the 2019 Betterment Program, which was completed in July 2021.

Funding

Assistance will be provided through the jointly funded Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).

Traffic info

These works may change traffic conditions that impact your travel. Visit QLDTraffic to plan your journey.

Images

Aerial view of Alice River Bridge (completed) Alice River Bridge—completed works A machine spraying concrete to stabilise a slope at Mount Spec Road Mount Spec Road—spraying concrete to stabilise slope Culvert repairs being carried out on Flinders Highway (Hughenden to Richmond) Flinders Highway (Hughenden to Richmond)—culvert repairs

Pavement restoration Landsborough Highway (Winton to Kynuna)
Landsborough Highway (Winton to Kynuna)—pavement restoration

A construction vehicle performing in situ stabilisation works on Burke Developmental Road (Cloncurry to Normanton)

Burke Developmental Road (Cloncurry to Normanton)—in situ stabilisation works

Floodway repairs being carried out at Gladstone–Monto Road
Gladstone–Monto Road—floodway repairs

6 Projects in Natural Disaster Program

Binna Burra Road progress May 2020

Binna Burra Road reconstruction works

Following extensive damage from the Southern Queensland Bushfires on Binna Burra Road in September 2019, we have been working to repair this severely damaged area along Binna Burra Road.

Aerial image of Cunningham Highway at Cunninghams Gap

Cunningham Highway (Ipswich – Warwick), 2020 Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements reconstruction works

The department is working to restore the Cunningham Highway at Cunninghams Gap to its pre-bushfire functionality. This section of the highway received extensive road damage following the bushfires in 2019. 

A truck performing sealing works on Flinders Highway (Hughenden–Richmond)

Flood resilience works

The department has improved the flood immunity and resilience of the state-controlled road network at 10 key sites.

An unpaved road between a mountain and bollards

South Coast 2020–21 flood reconstruction works

The department has started reconstruction works across the South Coast Region, including City of Gold Coast and Scenic Rim areas, to repair extensive damage from the South East Queensland Coastal Trough in December 2020 and the Southern Queensland Severe Weather event in March 2021.

Landslip on Gold Coast - Springbrook Road

South East Queensland 2022 flood reconstruction works

Repairs are underway across South East Queensland after extensive and severe damage to the state-controlled road network was caused by sustained heavy rainfall and flooding in early 2022.

A damaged rock outcrop above the road

Tamborine Mountain Road, 2021 Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements reconstruction works

Following extensive damage from the South East Queensland Coastal Trough on Tamborine Mountain Road in December 2020, the department has repaired this severely damaged area along the road, known locally as the Goat Track.