Yet Another Road Closure
Submitted: Thursday, Jul 20, 2006 at 22:29
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Mick_n_Sal
Cardwell Shire Council has voted to close the Kirrama Range Rd. For those of you not familiar with the area, this road runs from the Bruce Highway to
Blencoe Falls.
Council states the road is dangerous and too costly for them to maintain / repair as it has no ratepayers living on it. Council stated that the road was built by the Qld state government to service logging industries in the area which ceased many years ago.
The road runs through World
Heritage listed rainforest & is one of the most picturesque drives I have ever travelled. It overlooks the farming land of the
Cardwell district with uninterrupted
views of Hinchinbrook Island ,channel & wetland areas.
This road is also the only coastal access to
Blencoe Falls & the newly established hiking trail from Wallaman to Blencoe.
Looks like we're losing some more access - C'mon Qld'ers - Go annoy your local state member and voice your opinion on losing another of our more scenic drives.
Mick & Sal
Reply By: friar - Friday, Jul 21, 2006 at 20:29
Friday, Jul 21, 2006 at 20:29
G/Day Mick & Sal
As a
young fella I used to come down to
Townsville from a Minamooka Station,that way ,also in recent times came back from
cape york that way, to show the family the falls,it, a great drive , only hope it does not eventuate, thanks for the information.
Friar
AnswerID:
184714
Reply By: Mick_n_Sal - Saturday, Jul 22, 2006 at 10:32
Saturday, Jul 22, 2006 at 10:32
Well it's now official - The road is closed as of yesterday morning. Will only re-open if state or federal picks up the tab on road maintenance.
On a side note - when will newspaper columnists learn to do some research - the
Cairns Post listed that the road ran from Kennedy to Herberton???? try Kennedy to Mt. Garnet via Herbert River
Well if nothing else we 4WD nuts will have another challenging track after a couple of wet seasons have ravaged it.
Mick_n_Sal
AnswerID:
184774
Reply By: Member - Omaroo (NSW) - Saturday, Jul 22, 2006 at 11:19
Saturday, Jul 22, 2006 at 11:19
Down here in
Sydney, we have access to two areas that we might not have if we'd not come to an arrangement with the management.
1) Menai - great area, managed by the native title holders. 4WD council has an arrangement whereby legitimate members of local 4WD clubs clean up the tracks and do some maintenance in the area in exchange for access by key to members of those clubs that participate only.
2) Spanish Steps, Newnes area - arrangement with local authorities (council I presume) to gain access by key in exchange for maintenance and track repair.
Can this be discussed with the council/s in QLD in question? The fact that it goes through World
Heritage land may be a big no-no, and pressure may have been put on the council to close the road with the excuse given.
AnswerID:
184777
Reply By: Les B (Nth QLD) - Saturday, Jul 22, 2006 at 15:58
Saturday, Jul 22, 2006 at 15:58
Mick & Sal
It would be very sad to see this road go the way of so many other roads and tracks on the southern Tablelands. ie: dissappear under the impenetrable
lantana bush like the the Culpah road has.
I would have thought that quite a few people use this road such as station properties, QNPWS staff and a shortcut to Mt Garnet.
But even when first built this road was potentially dangerous with its very tight blind corners with a narrow bitumen seal that can encourage higher speeds on the straighter sections.
I will certainly be writing to my local member and I hope the 4wd clubs in
Cairns will make a submission.
Les
AnswerID:
184796