Upper Mount Bentley Road made better on Palm Island
Upper Mount Bentley Road on Palm Island provides the only access to the telecommunications tower located at the peak of Mount Bentley other than via helicopter.
The telecommunications tower is an integral part of Palm Island's infrastructure, providing the only form of communication to the mainland, including emergency services, during times of disaster.
Prior to betterment, the road had been impacted eight times between 2008 and 2013 causing severe disruption to the normal functioning of the Palm Island community and resulting in more than $2.2 million in reconstruction costs.
Betterment funding from 2013 replaced 500 metres of the steepest and most vulnerable sections of the gravel road with concrete.
It has since withstood the impacts of five separate natural disaster events and remained functional and suffering no damage.
Upper Mount Bentley Road – project details:
Restoration: $358,447
Betterment: $438,998
Avoided cost over 5 events: $1,792,233