Cape Tribulation range road repairs result in complex engineering solutions
On a good day the drive along Cape Tribulation Road is simply stunning to say the least.
Regarded as one of Australia’s most scenic drives, the 38-kilometre stretch winds its way through the spectacular World Heritage listed Daintree National Park offering breathtaking views and experiences.
Pristine rainforest, waterfalls, natural creek crossings, steep ranges, and the chance to see cassowaries and crocodiles make it a drive to be cherished.
But that’s on a good day, and 13 December 2023 was anything but that.
It was then that Australia’s wettest tropical cyclone on record, Jasper, made landfall not far from Cape Tribulation, dumping more than three metres of rain in less than a week.
Across Douglas Shire, 95 council-controlled roads, including the Cape Tribulation Road network, sustained enough damage to force their closure.
Flooding, fallen trees and landslides impacted Cape Tribulation Road including a five-kilometre section along Alexandra Range.
On 21 December 2023, Douglas Shire Council repair crews swung into action, working at multiple sites including Alexandra Range, which suffered damage at no fewer than 26 sites.
Emergency works at 13 sites allowed the road to reopen in early-2024, albeit with restrictions on certain vehicle types, and overnight travel curtailed for safety reasons.
Assistance provided under the jointly funded Commonwealth-state Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) saw roadworks at seven more sites completed by the end of 2024.
But delivering the roadworks has been no easy task, with the area’s environmental significance demanding extra care to protect both the rainforest and its many culturally significant sites.
Access across Cape Tribulation Road is also extremely challenging, with narrow corners limiting the size of vehicles, plant and equipment that can be used on sites, while repairs were further complicated with continued wet weather.
Complex engineering to repair Alexandra Range Road included excavation to a suitable base, installing soil nails under the remaining roadway, drilling micropiles at the base of the excavation, building a new embankment, and installing a new road surface and guardrail.
Completed works have already seen the use of almost 300 soil nails, 680 micropiles and around 1,700 cubic metres of concrete, while more than 1,900 cubic metres of material has been excavated.
Restoring Cape Tribulation Road has been a massive undertaking, with a further five sites still to be repaired and work expected to continue till the end of May 2025.
The end result will be a stronger road and a safer journey through one of the most beautiful locations in the world.
