‘Complete lack of effort’: Former military engineer slams stalled Kuranda range, bridge solutions

A former military engineer and a group of silent backers have described the Kuranda Range Road and Barron River bridge as “festering ulcers” and zeroed in on one clear solution.

A FORMER military engineer and a group of silent backers have described the Kuranda Range Road and the Barron River bridge as “festering ulcers” and have zeroed in on one clear solution to the ongoing saga.

Gordonvale resident Dennis Quick, who spent 25 years with the Australian Army and time as a campaign co-ordinator with the LNP, said the Cairns community was sick and tired of a “complete lack of effort” to lock in a suitable route.

It comes on the back of a Cairns Post campaign to drive action on a solution to the Kuranda range road situation, called Fix Our Broken Link.

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“We need to get funding committed and a full blown study done,” he said.

“The community is sick of the perceived lack of effort from anyone to get these festering ulcers fixed.

“No one has yet addressed it seriously, and the so called study that the Minister released was all pictures and froth and bubble.”

Mr Quick said the “Maitland Road option” looked the most suitable but implored a proper engineering and geophysical study to be conducted of “all and any options”.

The Maitland Road idea would involve the establishment of a new alignment by tunnelling around 10km through the range in the Danbulla West Forest reserve from Maitland Road, south of Cairns, and then a connector to the highway south of Mareeba.

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Other suitable options involved a rebuild and widening of the present alignment, together with a rebuild of the bridge over the Barron River, and the establishment of a new alignment by tunnelling up to 4km through the range in the Dinden West Forest reserve – from Mount Sheridan – and then an 18 km road to Davies Creek.

The former is sometimes referred to as the Bridle Track Option.

“The potential corridors need to be protected, that’s the first thing.

“But they should be looking at all available options with a full engineering and geophysical study.

Alternative Tablelands access has been thrust into the spotlight after the release of a shock report commissioned by the Department of Transport and Main Roads that said no major upgrade would be required before 2051.

Originally published as ‘Complete lack of effort’: Former military engineer slams stalled Kuranda range, bridge solutions