Cairns traffic: Gillies Range Road closed by fallen power lines, power cut to homes

Hundreds of homes have been affected by a power outage after fallen power lines blocked the Gillies Range Road for two hours on Friday morning. ERGON UPDATES

Gilies Range Road closed after fallen power lines, effecting road users and homeowners with power also being cut to residential properties. Picture Supplied.

Motorists faced lengthy delays on Friday morning after traffic was backed up for hours along a major Far North Queensland road.

Just after 7am on January 10, drivers found the Gillies Range Road being blocked near Little Mulgrave Road.

Queensland Traffic FNNQ said the highway was closed due to “fallen power lines”.

Motorists were advised to avoid the area or use an alternative route.

hours delayed in their cars, Far North residents were stuck after the Gillies Range Road was closed due to fallen power lines Friday morning. Picture Supplied.

Despite this, many drivers were stuck on the road during peak-hour traffic.

Ross Robinson said he had been “sitting here waiting for Ergon to arrive” at around 8.15am.

Half an hour later, another motorist, Zarah Lindsay, said she was still waiting, but noted that “traffic control just went past” at about 8.50am.

An Ergon Energy representative confirmed crews were on the scene early morning after 300 meters of power lines were brought down by tree branches, which also damaged a transformer.

Single lane main road, Gillies Range Road. File photo. PICTURE: STEWART MCLEAN

“We unfortunately will not have energy restored to customers in the region until later today,” he said.

While the road was reopened just after 9am on Friday, January 10, 139 customers remained affected around Little Mulgrave at the time of reporting.

“The road has been reopened; however, crews won’t have repairs completed until late this afternoon, around 4pm,” an Ergon spokesman said.

Originally published as Cairns traffic: Gillies Range Road closed by fallen power lines, power cut to homes