A cyclone-damaged site on the Palmerston Highway, a vital freight route in Far North Queensland, has completed repairs thanks to the Queensland Government, through the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR).
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TMR acting regional director Brendan Clancy says TMR crews are working together to restore the Palmerston Highway.
“The damage caused by Tropical Cyclone Jasper, which was one of the wettest tropical cyclones in Australian history, was significant as were the emergency works to address the most urgent landslip and pavement failures completed shortly after the event,” he says.
“Many of Far North Queensland’s residents and businesses rely on key infrastructure assets like this to support the local economy, enabling both visitors to travel around the world-renowned tourist region, and supplies to be transported for primary producers.
“The cyclone damage to this critical freight route was significant, with a section of the road sinking two metres and shifting two metres sideways.
“We continue to make solid progress in restoring key range crossings and other state-controlled roads to pre-cyclone function.”
The upslope landslip, 1.5 kilometres west of Henrietta Creek day use area, was a result of the record rainfall linked to Tropical Cyclone Jasper, measured more than 20 metres in height and 75 metres at its widest point.
More than 3,000 metres of soil nails, and 2,000 square metres of high tensile steel wire mesh and coir netting were installed along with 300 metres of sub-surface horizontal drains, to stabilise the slip.
Both lanes have now reopened under normal traffic conditions, with a reduced speed limit.
The bottom section of the slope was stabilised first, with a five-metre wide bench created for the excavator to reach the upper section of the slope.
Stabilisation of a second site, 2.5 kilometres west of Crawford’s Lookout, continues with work expected to be completed mid-2026, pending weather and site conditions.
Other works in the Far North are also progressing with 20 upslope and downslope landslips stabilised on the Kennedy Highway (Kuranda Range Road).
Work will continue at more than 15 sites in 2026. Repairs are also ongoing on the Captain Cook Highway, where more than a third of the geotechnical sites have already been completed.
Works on these sites will shut down from Friday December 19, 2025 and recommence Monday January 5, 2026, with active work sites reopening to two lanes over the holiday season, weather permitting.
There will be two single lane closures on the Captain Cook Highway and one single lane closure on Kuranda Range Road.
The recovery works are jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments through the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).
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