General News
25 November, 2025
Highway debris barriers
SPECIALLY-designed barriers will be installed along sections of the Captain Cook Highway damaged by significant debris flows caused by the intense rainfall associated with Tropical Cyclone Jasper two years ago, in a first for state-controlled roads in Far North Queensland.
The barriers being constructed above the roadside will vary from 2m-6m tall and rated to withstand the considerable force required to protect the road from large boulders and vegetation that may dislodge from a mountainside during extreme weather.
The barriers are designed to catch the solid debris while allowing for the flow of water into culverts and drains along the highway. This reduces the potential for long term road closures at these sites during and after extreme weather.
Federal Member for Leichhardt Matt Smith said it was nearly two years since the devastating floods following Tropical Cyclone Jasper and “while we continue to repair the damage in the Far North, it’s important to my community that we are also build resilience and protection from future catastrophes”.
“These barriers will help shield the Captain Cook Highway from rocks, boulders and other debris that would otherwise wash onto the bitumen,” he said.
