Sunset washed out

MORE than a year after being originally washed out, Sunset Boulevard in Laidley south has been repaired three times.

Laidley South and Mulgowie locals Barry Hotz and Simon Emmerson want to see this causeway on Sunset Boulevard fixed. Picture: David Nielsen

MORE than a year after being originally washed out, Sunset Boulevard in Laidley south has been repaired three times.

And it is begging for a fourth.

The gravel road was washed out for the fourth time during recent rains, forcing larger vehicles off the road.

This has included cattle trucks preventing some of the residents from taking stock to market.

The road cuts through an unnamed gully south of Laidley that is now filled with loose gravel washed away from Sunset Boulevard.

Resident Barry Hotz said Sunset Boulevard, a Lockyer Valley Regional Council maintain road, should be made drivable for the landholders living along it.

"We're not chasing bitumen to our properties," he said.

"We just want this bit of road fixed."

Mr Hotz said during the flood the gully completely washed away the road, and it hasn't been properly fixed since.

"It was washed out five to six feet deep and 10 feet wide during the flood.

"Since then it's been fixed three times and it keeps getting washed away."

Mr Hotz said the damaged road initially was just filled with gravel, after the flood, to allow residents in and out.

"We were under the assumption they were just doing it as a temporary measure."

A former foreman for the Beaudesert Shire Council said the road should be easily repaired in order to prevent ongoing costs to the community.

"Then they put a pipe and gravel in and that just got washed out too."

Mr Hotz said other residents along the road were unable to take stock to market with large vehicles, especially cattle trucks, unable to make the trek.

Another resident of the road said her elderly mother was unwilling to drive along the road, as were a number of her family friends.

Mulgowie resident and Lockyer Valley Regional Council candidate Simon Emmerson said Sunset Boulevard must be fixed in order to prevent on going costs to the region.

"It's better to spend $10 once than spend $5 three times," he said.

"It just needs to be fixed and fixed properly."

After having council inspect the road again recently Mr Hotz contacted State LNP member for Lockyer Ian Rickuss.

Mr Rickuss said the road was still suffering since the 2011 flood.

"This wet season has been fairly calm, its stuff roads like this should be able to stand up to," he said.

Mr Hotz said during the flood people living along the road were forced to leave cars before the flooded gully and walk to and from their houses to get to town.

Originally published as Sunset washed out