Nationals’ Members for Oxley, Michael Kemp, and Northern Tablelands, Brendan Moylan, are demanding the NSW Labor Government commit to a clear, coordinated plan to fix the repeated disruptions on Waterfall Way.
Waterfall Way is a major route which connects the Northern Tablelands to the east coast for commercial, agricultural and tourist operations. A landslip occurred between Horseshoe Road and Boggy Creek Road on Monday and the road is expected to be closed for up to 10 days.
Mr Kemp said the repeated closures of Waterfall Way are completely unacceptable.
“Families, farmers, and communities cannot continue to endure this. Every time it rains, the road slips, leaving thousands of people isolated. The community is frustrated, fed up, and rightly expects their government to act.
“Previous funding of $72 million was allocated for resilience works on this road, yet the community has seen nothing but piecemeal measures. I have personally shown the Minister for Transport the severity of the landslips, and yet the closures keep coming.
“Our plan is simple: build real, lasting resilience into Waterfall Way, upgrade Summerville Road as a reliable alternative during closures, and commit to funding a case study for a long-term alternative corridor. We’re asking that the Labor Government match this plan and deliver certainty to the community.”
Mr Moylan said the ongoing failures are significantly affecting agriculture, tourism, and commercial and local transport.
“Waterfall Way is a key transport route for our agricultural and timber industries as well as playing a major role in tourism in northern NSW with five national parks and numerous scenic waterfalls,” he said.
“When Waterfall Way closes, communities are cut off, freight is disrupted, and emergency access is put at risk.
“The financial impact of Monday’s landslip has already significantly impacted farmers through the cancellation of a sale vital to their operations. That’s simply unacceptable.
“The NSW Government needs to stop managing this road crisis-to-crisis and get serious about fixing it properly. That means urgent repairs now, and a long-term plan to make this route safer, stronger, and more reliable.
“Regional communities deserve infrastructure they can depend on; not excuses every time the road gives way,” Mr Moylan said.
