Life and death issue as boggy mess leaves residents stranded during heavy wet season

RURAL residents fear being cut off from the world because the heavy wet season has reduced a 1km stretch of unsealed road to a boggy mess

RURAL residents fear being cut off from the world because the heavy wet season has reduced a 1km stretch of unsealed road to a boggy mess.

Darwin River resident Necia Sutton said Pipeline Rd had become inaccessible due to heavy downpours this wet season. Photograph: Che Chorley

Residents from six homes on the ungazetted Pipeline Road in Darwin River have spent the past two weeks freeing bogged cars from the damaged road.

Residents have been forced to park their cars on the sealed Duddell Road and walk 10 minutes to their homes to avoided being bogged.

Darwin River resident Necia Sutton fosters a number of children with special needs including one with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

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“If we have a medical emergency and he has a severe asthma attack there’s no way out, we cannot get him to a hospital,” she said.

“I know there’s lots of people whose roads are being messed up but when you have someone with a serious breathing problem, it is an issue.”

Ms Sutton said she wasn’t the only one dealing with issues with one of her neighbours having to temporarily relocate.

“Sealing it would be the best idea, I’m only one of six families that live on that road,” she said.

“One family had to move the daughter and wife into town so they could get to work.”

Darwin River resident Necia Sutton said Pipeline Rd had become inaccessible due to heavy downpours this wet season. Machinery came to temporarily fix the road after the NT News made inquiries. Photograph: Che Chorley

Maintenance works to Pipeline Road took place on Thursday following inquiries from the NT News.

But Litchfield Council chief executive Daniel Fletcher said works were not a permanent solution.

“Council is busy carrying out emergency repairs to Pipeline Road to assist residents’ access,” he said.

“These works will however not solve ongoing problems, as the formation and construction of the road is not to standard.”

Mr Fletcher said council was limited with what they could do but would look into the process to establish it as a more permanent road.

“Pipeline Road is not a gazetted road, and is located on Crown land,” he said.

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“Council will liaise with the NT government on the future maintenance or development of this road.”

All properties affected by Pipeline Road have legal access from other surrounding sealed roads.