Published: 14 July 2021

Work is underway to construct a new route around a significant landslide on Araluen Road, approximately 22 kilometres from Moruya.

Eurobodalla Council has negotiated agreement and funding for the alternate route, which director of infrastructure Warren Sharpe described as “a safer and far more resilient solution for the community into the future”.

“We expect to have sealed the road there by Christmas, with residential traffic allowed through the worksite in November. These dates are subject to reasonable weather and to no other significant challenges being identified during construction,” Mr Sharpe said.

“The new route goes through private land and state forest and we thank both landowners and Forestry NSW for their collaboration in helping make this improved outcome possible for the whole community.

“Despite impacts from ongoing rainfall, we’ve also completed the upgrade of the temporary detour route, including gravel resheeting, to improve driving conditions for residents.”

Araluen Road suffered damage on an unprecedented scale following a series of natural disasters.

Mr Sharpe said along with personal, property and environmental impacts, Deua Valley and Merricumbene residents had to deal with access issues arising from damage to the Council-maintained road network from the 2019-20 bushfires and a series of storms and flooding, with destroyed bridges, collapsed roadside slopes, damaged road surfaces and dangerous fire-affected trees.

“We still have many challenges elsewhere along the length of Araluen Road, which remains closed for the foreseeable future around 43 kilometres from Moruya. NSW Public Works Advisory have been engaged to investigate options to restore access at that location. We expect it to take about five months before any decisions about restoring the existing road or routing around the landslide area can be made,” Mr Sharpe said.

“We continue to work hard at rebuilding damaged roads right across Eurobodalla; rectifying other landslide sites and removing dead trees along the 490km of bushfire-affected roadways. We are grateful for the support of the NSW and Australian Governments under natural disaster funding arrangements.”

Visit the Araluen Road page for more information.

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