Scenic Rim Regional Council will be shutting one of the main access roads to local business Queen Mary Falls Caravan Park and Cafe.

A popular Scenic Rim tourist destination will have its main access road closed by council with an hour plus detour, despite already struggling with the Covid-19 pandemic and closed borders.

Business owners on a popular Scenic Rim tourist road say pending major roadworks will compound the losses that have already come due to Covid-19.

Scenic Rim Region Council released a statement saying residents and visitors travelling between the Scenic Rim and the Southern Downs via Head Road at Carneys Creek will need to make alternate travel arrangements for four months, while work is carried out.

Council will replace about 200 metres of guard rail on a section of Head Road, which is a mecca for tourists from across southeast Queensland and interstate a popular way to access Queen Mary Falls.

Council says the works, which were originally set to begin on August 23, are necessary as the aged timber posts supporting the guard rails on a section of Head Road were burnt by bushfires.

The works have since been pushed back, with Council saying they will still go ahead, just without a set date.

Queen Mary Falls Caravan Park and cafe, accessed predominantly via Head Rod, owners Mark and Louise Reed have been running the popular tourist location for more than 10 years.

Mr Reed said the past two years had been tough.

“Drought, bushfires, Covid, and now road closures,” he said.

“There is another way to still access the falls and our business but it adds an hour minimum to the trip.

“Plus we already have our other main road bringing no business with the borders being shut.

Tourism operators are concerned about pending closures of Head Rd for guardrail repairs. The scenic route is a mecca for tourists.

“Once the road works start the only way to access us for four whole months will be via Cunningham’s Gap.”

Mr Reed said this was not the first time council had closed one of the roads for an extended period of time.

“About six or seven years ago the road was closed for around 18 months and the business was affected massively,” he said.

“It was really hard to bounce back from that.”

Scenic Rim Mayor Greg Christensen said the road needed to be closed to ensure these vital repair works could be done safely.

“We recognise that the closure will cause some inconvenience for road users, however it’s important to get this work completed to provide a safer road network for our communities and visitors,” Cr Christensen said.

“This route is also frequently used by visitors who access Queen Mary Falls from Boonah, Mount Alford and Rathdowney, so Council will keep in touch with our Visitor Information Centres so they have the latest information for travellers.”

Mr Reed said it’s been ‘a roller coaster of year’ and he couldn’t see it getting much better.

“Council reckons it’ll be opened back up by Christmas but who knows,” he said.

“If it’s closed during Christmas it’s going to be a real kick in the guts.

“That’s one of our most popular times of year.”

Cr Christensen said council could not predict the lifting of border restrictions and due to the clash with the commencement of this four-month project, has decided to delay it and prioritise residents and businesses already coping with the difficulty of COVID-19 restrictions.

“Head Road will remain open until further notice because residents and businesses travelling between the two local government areas are no longer able to use a shorter alternative route via White Swamp Road,” Cr Christensen said.