Noosa's Black Mountain Road reopens

Black Mountain Road west of Cooroy, which was devastated by a massive landslide three years ago, is now fully reopen following $40 million in reconstruction works.

The landslide was the largest in the Sunshine Coast’s history, spanning 130 metres in length and reaching the depth equivalent of a five-storey building. 

The scale of damage and the challenging geology of the site required innovative engineering solutions and extensive preparation, with over 12 months of planning before construction began in October 2023.

The reopening of Black Mountain Road has restored connectivity to the rural Noosa area and will revitalise local businesses.

It’s an engineering feat that’s used 6,000 cubic metres of concrete – equivalent to roughly two-and-a-half Olympic-sized swimming pools – and 800 tonnes of steel. 

Sixty horizontal drains were installed to desaturate the area, while 260 piles, each up to 28 metres deep, were driven into the ground to create a robust structural frame.

Additional anchor-like structures were placed upslope to further stabilise the site.

The reconstruction project has been a collaborative effort, jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA), with Noosa Shire Council contributing $400,000.

It has become a new benchmark in cutting-edge engineering for the region and also highlights the resilience and patience of the local community.

Lessons learned from this epic reconstruction endeavour will guide future storm damage repairs across the shire for years to come.

The reopening of Black Mountain Road shows that when it comes to disaster recovery, no peak is too great to climb.