Araluen Road slope stabilisation
Project: stabilising roadside slopes to prevent further landslides
Timeframe: November 2024 to June 2025
Status: In progress
Funding: NSW and Australian governments' Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements
Page last updated: November 2024
Project details
With the major landslides on Araluen Road taken care of, we are now focusing on seven additional sites where slope damage poses a risk of road collapse. We are also planning to repair two sites on Larrys Mountain Road.
We are working to:
- install soil nails to reinforce the ground beneath the road
- remove unstable sections of road
- build retaining walls to support the road
- reinstate the road
Benefits to the community:
- improved road safety
- increased reliability of access
Environmental impacts:
We’ve prepared a Review of Environmental Factors to assess potential impacts related to the project's activities.
The work will be completed in two main stages: reinforcement and construction, each essential to securing long-term safety and stability.
The first stage involves reinforcing downhill slopes with large soil nails. Using specialist equipment, steel rods will be drilled into the ground beneath the road to help hold it in place.
Site locations:
- Araluen Road - 9.6, 25.4, 28.6 and 31.5 to 32.5km from Moruya (Princes Highway roundabout)
- Larrys Mountain Road - 9 and 11.1km from the Princes Highway
Timeframe: November 2024 to March 2025, depending on weather and ground conditions, with a break over the Christmas-New Year period.
Road impact: Significant traffic delays during work hours – Monday to Saturday, 7am to 6pm. Motorists should plan for delays of up to one hour, depending on available space at each work site.
The second stage includes building retaining walls, shotcreting and reconstructing the road. Large sections of the road will be removed, significantly impacting access where the road is narrow.
Site locations:
- Araluen Road - 9.6, 19.7, 25.4, 28.6 and 31.5 to 32.5km from Moruya
- Larrys Mountain Road - 9 and 11.1km from the Princes Highway
Timeframe: February to June 2025, depending on weather and ground conditions. The bulk of this work is planned for autumn to minimise bushfire risks and avoid potential delays caused by winter weather.
Araluen Road impact:
- A road closure will be in place at the 9.6km site (during work hours only), with a detour available via Larrys Mountain Road
- Through traffic will be possible at the 19.7km site at all times
- Sites beyond 25km from Moruya will remain closed during and outside of work hours for several weeks, with limited access when work at each site is completed
- Pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists will be guided through work sites by contractors, even when road closures are in place
- Emergency services may need to respond from the Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council area.
Larrys Mountain Road impact:
- Road closures will be in place at both sites, with a detour available via Araluen Road.
Previous slope stabilisation work on Araluen Road highlights the narrow space available, demonstrating why these works will significantly impact travel along the road.
Project updates
November 2024
- Tree contractors started removing vegetation in preparation for the slope stabilisation work.
- Specialised contractors arrived on site to begin reinforcing the slopes. This work will impact traffic over the next few months, particularly where space is limited by the width of the road. Commuters should be prepared for delays of up to one hour. For the latest information, visit LiveTraffic.com.
October 2024
- We engaged Piling and Concreting Australia (PCA) to undertake the slope repair work.
- We posted letters to the Araluen Road community and sent email notifications to registered Araluen Road users to let them know about the upcoming work.
Sign up for project updates
As work locations and access conditions will change frequently, we recommend signing up for email updates to stay up to date with the latest information.
Contact us
For more information, please contact us:
- T: 02 4474 1391
- E: Council