Betterment: Gayndah Mundubbera Road

North Burnett Regional Council

Gayndah Mundubbera Road – project summary

  • Gayndah Mundubbera Road is an essential freight and transport link for the North Burnett region, connecting the highly productive agricultural towns of Gayndah and Mundubbera.
  • The road was damaged in 2011 and rebuilt only to be redamaged in 2013.
  • Betterment funding from 2013 was used to increase the resilience of the two-kilometre section of road adjacent to the Burnett River that was washed out, relocating it 11 metres uphill.
  • New stormwater drainage works (including concrete-lined channels, culverts and scour protection) were also completed, improving functionality of the entire Gayndah Mundubbera Road.
  • The road has since been impacted by seven natural disaster events (one in 2015, one in 2016, two in 2017 and three in 2022) and has remained functional with only minor expenditure required to clean up and remove debris.

Restoration: $6,785,707
Betterment: $1,308,863
Avoided cost over 7 events: $47,499,499
Indirect benefits (based on 135 days of disruption): $7,700,564
Total benefit over 7 events: $53,891,200

SAVi Tool assessment of indirect benefits

The SAVi tool has been used to consider the wider economic benefits for this project, by using a bespoke summary of indicators which have been assumed most relevant for the North Burnett Regional community. The analysis has been based on the estimated production revenue and number of people impacted per day during a disaster event. Table 1 provides a summary of the non-road benefits used in this analysis.

Table 1 – SAVi tool inputs Gayndah Mundubbera Road
Non-road benefitsPrice ($)  %
 1. Fuel cost192 AUD/day0.3 %
 2. O&M cost of vehicles12 AUD/day0.0 %
 3. O&M cost of roads1 AUD/day0.0 %
 4. Cost of travel time134 AUD/day0.2 %
 5. Air pollution4,353 AUD/day7.6 %
 6. Noise pollution743 AUD/day1.3 %
 7. Water pollution653 AUD/day1.1 %
 8. GHG emissions1,359 AUD/day2.4 %
 9. Nature and landscape484 AUD/day0.8 %
 10. Crop and fruit revenue16,338 AUD/day28.6 %
 11. Fish revenue -  AUD/day- 
 12. Livestock revenue 537 AUD/day0.9 %
 13. Access to essential items/services20,000 AUD/day35.1 %
 14. Access to workplace and schools 12,000 AUD/day21.0 %
 15. Mental health 236 AUD/day0.4 %
 Non-road benefits in 2021 prices57,041 AUD/day100.0 %

 

The analysis resulted in a positive Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR), Internal Rate of Return (IRR) and Net Present Value (NPV), indicating that the Gayndah Mundubbera Road Betterment Project was a viable project generating positive outcomes to the community. A summary of the results is outlined below.

SAVi Tool pilot results Gayndah Mundubbera Road

Benefit Cost Ratio(BCR)Internal Rate of Return(IRR)Net Present Value(NPV)
Excluded non-road benefitsIncluded non-road benefits Excluded non-road benefitsIncluded non-road benefitsExcluded non-road benefitsIncluded non-road benefits
5.876.8283.2 %90.1 %$ 54,385,414$62,899,672

 

Project images

Gayndah Mundubbera Road after betterment, North Burnett Regional Council.
Gayndah Mundubbera Road after betterment, North Burnett Regional Council.
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Gayndah Mundubbera Road damage
Gayndah Mundubbera Road (before)
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Last updated: 11 July 2024. QRA Reference:  DOC/24/36948.