$49 million boost for cyclone damaged Far North Queensland roads

11 September 2025

Safety and connectivity for Far North Queensland communities are the focus of Betterment works targeting eight state-controlled roads damaged by ex-Tropical Cyclone Jasper.

An investment of nearly $49 million will see roads across the region repaired and upgraded to a more resilient standard to keep communities connected and reduce the impact of future disasters.

By building back better, the projects aim to reduce the impact of extreme weather on critical infrastructure, ensuring faster recovery and less disruption for residents and businesses.

Key upgrades include:

  • Pavement resilience and sealing over seven kilometres of gravel on Forsayth Road.
  • Construction of six additional floodways on the Burke Developmental Road, west of Chillagoe.
  • Drainage improvements at critical sections of the Mulligan Highway.
  • Enhanced drainage, pavement, and slope resilience at multiple sites along the Captain Cook Highway.
  • Upgraded drainage at key sections of the Kennedy Highway (Kuranda Range Road).
  • Pavement and drainage improvements along Mossman-Mount Molloy Road and Mossman-Daintree Road.
  • New drainage and pavement resilience across priority sections of Stratford Connection Road.

Works will be delivered as part of the 2023-24 Betterment Fund, funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments under the joint Commonwealth-state Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).

Betterment is a flagship disaster resilience initiative of the Queensland Government, with almost a billion dollars in avoided costs achieved since the first Betterment program of 2013.

These upgrades will complement current reconstruction projects, with the focus of this work on strengthening infrastructure to minimise future damage and repair costs, and to reduce road closures during and after disasters. 

Progress of this investment is already visible, particularly along Kuranda Range Road and Captain Cook Highway where geotechnical investigations and detailed designs have been completed for over 100 damaged sites so construction can move forward. 

This $49 million DRFA investment represents a brighter, more secure future for Far North Queensland, with stronger roads creating stronger communities.

For more information regarding cyclone road reconstruction works in the Far North, visit the TMR website.