Why Airlie Beach Shute Harbour Rd was closed for 8 hours after truck crash
After students were stranded at school and one of Australia’s most valuable tourism areas cut off for eight hours after an ‘unfortunate accident’, duplicating two traffic pain points are now firmly on Dawson candidates’ radars. Read their stance.
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Duplicating the only access road into one of Australia’s key tourism destinations will cross into the federal sphere as Dawson hopefuls push for upgrades.
Shute Harbour Rd – the only main road into Cannonvale and Airlie Beach – was shut for eight hours when a truck jackknifed and brought down powerlines about 11.30am Thursday.
The crash blocked the road and students were stranded at schools as Ergon Energy emergency crews worked to repair the damaged infrastructure during the rain.
Shute Harbour Rd is the sole arterial road linking the Bruce Highway to Airlie Beach, and falls under the state government’s responsibility.
But Dawson’s Labor candidate Shane Hamilton and Nationals’ hopeful Andrew Willcox have both indicated they will push for duplicating the thoroughfare, in recognition of the Whitsundays’ tourism value to federal coffers.
In 2019-20, the total tourism and hospitality sales in Whitsunday was $477.5m, while the total value added was $253.9m.
The semi-trailer driver called triple-0 about 11.30am after crashing and did not leave the cab until Ergon Energy workers secured the scene because there were live wires.
An Ergon Energy spokeswoman said power lines came down and were on the cab of the truck.
Students at the nearby schools were kept from getting home until 8pm while emergency services continued to respond to the crash.
The Ergon spokeswoman said 835 residents lost power, with about 300 restored shortly after 3pm.
Mr Willcox, who stepped down as Whitsunday mayor while campaigning for Dawson, said the crash was an “unfortunate accident”.
He said the council had had discussions with the state government and plans existed to duplicate Shute Harbour Rd, but progress on other upgrades including Hamilton Plains had been slow.
“There’s definitely a need for improving the access in and out,” he said.
“That’s why I have lobbied so hard for the Hamilton Plains upgrade, and have been able to secure federal funding for that, and the state is working on the flood study.
“The money is there and is something I want to see happen.”
Mr Hamilton said he would support discussions on the issue and would agitate for upgrades.
“It has only got one arterial road in and out of Airlie Beach which makes it difficult for tourism and people as a whole,” he said.
He backed suggestions the road needed an upgrade, as well as Mackay Bucasia Rd.
“Both those roads (Shute Harbour Rd and Mackay Bucasia Rd) are impacted when there’s a crash or something,” he said.
“We need to either widen it or add other lanes, or find other avenues into the areas.”
Mr Hamilton said he would look into the Mackay Bucasia Rd feasibility study findings and barrack for its upgrades, and suggested alternative routes could be upgraded to ease access to the Northern Beaches.
Mr Willcox said his priority would be to work with all levels of government to ensure upgrades to both roads were achieved.
“We need to make sure that we put pressure on the state because they are state roads,” he said.
“There’s a lot of money contributed to the state from the federal government, we just need to make the state do the work.
“If I am elected, I will try and find out exactly where we’re at with Hamilton Plains Rd that cuts off the biggest population areas in the Whitsundays from the airport and hospital.
“We (Whitsunday council) have lobbied and got the money from the federal government to fix (Hamilton Plains) and it has just got to happen.
“Because it is a state road, I can’t stand there and commit to fixing it when I have no direct control over it.”
About 500 Cannon Valley residents are still waiting for power to resume to their homes, expected about 8am Friday morning.
The Ergon Energy spokeswoman said a major reason for such lengthy delays in reopening the road was because of the need for a multi-agency response.
“The driver had to remain in the cab until emergency services arrived,” she said.
“Workplace Health and Safety was also involved, you can’t move a truck immediately, there is risk of tyres exploding and paralysis.”
“The biggest issue is public safety, they had to make sure it was safe before they cars drove on it.”
The spokeswoman said these types of incidents were happening “every other day” and warned drivers and excavator operators to take care.
“Obviously, this is a life-threatening hazard,” she said.
Traffic in and out of Airlie Beach on Shute Harbour Rd was restricted for eight hours.
One lane opened about 7.30pm but traffic remained banked up well into the evening with people unable to get home.
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