Sexton man takes on council armed with esky and a chair

Solo protest over Gympie region's bad roads brings heavy machinery to a halt.

YOU SHALL NOT PASS: Armed with a chair, an esky, and anger at council's road maintenance, David Golding blocked a grader from doing its work on Sexton Rd yesterday in a solo protest. Picture: Troy Jegers

AN ESKY, a chair and a lot of frustration were all David Golding needed to take a stand against Gympie Regional Council's rural road record yesterday.

Annoyed with the condition of Sexton Rd, the 53-year-old single-handedly blockaded a council grader from working down the stretch from midday.

He said it was the first time the road had been graded in more than two years - but the work was making it worse.

"They're grading all the dirt from the table drains, which is full of mud and silt, on to the road, which makes it slippery,” he said.

"It caused my wife to nearly have an accident this morning, and she was following the roller.”

David Golding takes a stand. Picture: Troy Jegers

Mr Golding said if she was not driving to the road's condition than there was no way the roller could be either.

Nor was this his only bad run-in on the road, he said.

He and two others were injured in September 2017 when the 4WD he was in hit a tree.

Mr Golding had to be airlifted from the scene.

His concerns about the road's condition have only deepened since renovation work started on the Dickabram Bridge.

More traffic was using Sexton Rd with the historic span closed, Mr Golding said.

And he said the council was not on its own when it came to Sexton Rd's upkeep.

The Dickabram Bridge.

"Main roads is also willing to contribute to this road, which council still fails to maintain,” he said.

"There's been no gravel put on this road in the last 10 years we have lived here.

"It's not just Sexton Rd; it is all the rural roads in Gympie Regional Council that are lacking in maintenance and repair work.

"They are all dangerous, and something is going to happen - and happen soon.”

His protest ended after three hours - not because it was resolved, but because council staff needed to collect their children from school.

Mr Golding's protest brought a grader to a halt. Picture: Matthew Newton

However, Mr Golding said his efforts were not for naught.

He said council staff were going to "reassess” the road's condition this morning.

It would be reinspected in three months.

And if he's not satisfied?

"It will still be ongoing if the requirements aren't met,” he said.

The council was asked for comment on the condition of Sexton Rd, its grading schedule and Mr Golding's protest.

No response was received by time of print.