Congo Road

Project: Exploring options to re-open a northern access to Congo village via Congo Road north.

Timeframe: Unknown at this stage while we are still exploring possibilities.

Cost and funding: Unknown at this stage. Once we narrow in on viable options we will explore costs and funding.

Last updated: February 2023

Latest news

February 2023: Investigations continue with Crown Lands to explore potential for the Crown road reserve near the closed section of road to form part of a solution. Advocacy to upgrade the highway turnoff at Bingie Road has been prioritised ahead of the state elections.

Project details

We are working to: explore possible ways to restore northern access to Congo village.

Benefits to the community: certainty about access to and from Congo.

Background and purpose

A short portion of Congo Road north runs through private property. This section of the road has been closed since November 2021 leaving Congo Road south as the village’s entry and exit.

Council has examined various options to restore access, including the possibility of the northern access remaining closed permanently. Congo residents have sought support from Council to find a way to restore the northern access.

Community engagement

In January 2022, Congo residents sought support from the new Council to find a way to reopen the northern access to Congo.

At the Ordinary Council Meeting on 10 May 2022, Congo residents put forward suggestions about how to restore access and told councillors that not all options had been explored. Councillors agreed to explore all options and Mayor Mathew Hatcher asked for community members to formally submit their ideas.

We received 49 submissions, which represented seven general categories: reopen existing access; acquire a northern alignment on the private land; keep Congo Road north closed; build a new road on Crown road reserve and National Park; build a bridge over Congo Creek for access via South Head Road; build a pedestrian and bike path through the property; establish new routes via the highway into Gumleaf Drive through private properties.

We reviewed these submissions and considered factors like land acquisition, road construction, environmental impacts, potential costs, National Parks and Crown Lands jurisdiction over various areas around Congo, and community preferences.

In November 2022 we invited Congo residents and people who made submissions to a workshop to explore six categories (the Gumleaf Drive idea was not included for discussion because private land ownership and significant environmental impacts make it unsuitable to pursue).

  • Attendees worked in groups to consider each of the six categories, leaving their comments and questions for Council staff and councillors to consider.
  • Overall, community members expressed their preference to reopen the existing access through private land and strongly disagreed with keeping the road closed.

At the workshop, Council committed to:

  • work with Crown Lands to explore potential solutions to reopen the road
  • lobby Transport for NSW for upgrades to the Bingie Road and Princes Highway intersection
  • ongoing communication with Congo residents about progress.

Download workshop materials

Get email updates

We will keep in touch with Congo residents who want to stay up-to-date on our progress.

Project updates

February 2023

  • We wrote to Transport for NSW after the community workshop in November, asking them to prioritise upgrade to the highway/Bingie Road intersection. Transport for NSW responded in December, saying they are considering this intersection in the longer term and investigating opportunities for larger-scale treatments suitable to improve safety. Council’s General Manager has continued our advocacy to bring this work forward in his discussions with state election candidates.
  • We continue investigating potentially useful guidance provided by Crowns Lands about whether the Crown road reserve near the closed section of road could form part of a solution. Discussions with Crown Lands are progressing.

December 2022

  • NSW RFS Far South Coast branch has confirmed to Council that the road closure does not impact RFS service delivery. They advise RFS-supplied locks are in use by the private property owner. Council has also received written confirmation from the property owner's legal representative that RFS locks are used on the east and west boundary gates, and that in the event of evacuation the public would be granted access over the property in consultation with emergency services. This information, along with a NSW RFS offer to host a community meeting about bushfire preparation, has been provided to the Congo Community Association in response to correspondence.
  • Community workshop materials and residents' feedback are available to download from this page.
  • We are writing to Congo residents to let them know they can access the materials, and keep them updated on our meeting with Crown Lands and our advocacy to Transport for NSW.
  • Council staff met with Crown Lands representatives to examine whether the Crown road reserve near the closed section of road could form part of a solution. Crowns Lands provided potentially useful guidance and this is being investigated by Council. We will share progress on this matter with the community when information becomes available.
  • Council staff started discussions with Transport for NSW about prioritising the upgrade of the highway turnoff at Bingie Road. Correspondence has been sent to formalise those conversations and we expect a meeting with senior Transport for NSW staff soon. We will share progress on this matter with the community when information becomes available.

November 2022

  • Council hosted a community information session with Congo residents to explore the ideas put forward by the community.

June 2022 to October 2022

  • Council staff compiled 49 submissions received from the community, looking at factors like land acquisition, road construction, environmental impacts, potential costs, National Parks and Crown Lands jurisdiction over various areas around Congo, and community preferences.
  • These submissions fit into seven general categories:
    • reopen existing access
    • acquire a northern alignment on the private land
    • keep Congo Road north closed
    • build a new road on Crown road reserve and National Park
    • build a bridge over Congo Creek for access via South Head Road
    • build a pedestrian and bike path through the property
    • establish new routes via the highway into Gumleaf Drive through private properties (this category was not discussed at the November 2022 community workshop because private land ownership and significant environmental impacts make it unsuitable to pursue).

May 2022

  • Some Congo residents attended the 10 May 2022 Council Meeting and told councillors that not all options to restore access had been considered. Councillors agreed to explore ideas from community members, wanting to make sure all potential options are explored.
  • On Monday 16 May 2022, Mayor Mathew Hatcher wrote to all residents of Congo inviting them to submit their ideas by Sunday 5 June 2022.

November 2021

  • A section of Congo Road passes through private property. In November 2021, the landowner withdrew public access through the property citing potential liability issues.
  • Alternative access to Congo is via Congo Road south, off the Bingie Road highway intersection.

More information

For more information, please contact Council's communications manager: