Call for investigation into impact of turbine loads on Far North road

An investigation into the impact of extreme wind turbine loads on the Palmerston Highway has been called for after large sections of the roadway was destroyed by landslides last month.

A single lane section of the Palmerston Highway is expected to open to all traffic midway through February, according to the Department of Transport and Main Roads. Picture: TMR

An investigation has been called for into the impact of extreme wind turbine loads on the Palmerston Highway after large sections of the roadway were destroyed by landslides in the wake of Cyclone Jasper last month.

The Department of Transport and Main Roads expects the major arterial road and B-double route linking the Atherton Tablelands to the coast will reopen to single lane traffic

mid February.

Extensive damage on the Palmerston Highway following heavy rain and flooding in the days after cyclone Jasper. Picture: TMR

Until then Tablelands producers and tourism business are struggling through.

Some have reported a 50 per cent reduction in takings since a 15km section of the route between Crawfords Lookout and Junction Road was made impassable on December 16.

Millaa Millaa business Barista in the Mist temporarily closed on January 7 but has since reopened while Rumours Diner and Checkered Past Vintage and Collectables have also been hit hard by the road closure.

“Barista in the Mist is blaming the road and not getting through traffic, Rumours have reduced hours, and we are down 50 per cent, everyone is feeling it,” Checkered Past owner Rob Skirde said.

Rob and Karen Skirde are the owners of Millaa Millaa business Checkered Past Vintage and Collectables. Picture: Supplied

“Ministers can’t promise anything, I’m looking over there now and it’s pouring rain and thunder, it will be what it will be.”

Hill MP Shane Knuth said farmers forking out for additional haulage charges meant an increase of up to 30 per cent on transport costs due to trucks having to reroute via the inland Kennedy Highway.

“There is a huge freight cost but the farmers don’t get any return from the supermarket giants,” he said.

“Being a priority transport and B-double route, the cost to business and farmers and the burden to locals (is significant,) we’re hoping to see good dollars put into this road by state and federal governments so we never see this happen again.

Work is underway to reopen a 15km section between Crawfords Lookout and Junction Rd. Picture: TMR

“There has been a lot of frustration that it’s closed but I do acknowledge that federal and state ministers have acknowledged that this needs to be fixed ASAP.”

From January 2022, 28 wind turbines weighing 32 tonnes each were hauled up the mountain before installation at the Kaban Green Power Hub outside Ravenshoe.

Mr Knuth said one in three of his constituents flagged the highway closure as their biggest concern.

During conversations with locals he had heard speculation about wind turbine loads undermining the structural integrity of the mountain roadway.

“There needs to be a full audit and investigation as to how they are impacting those roads as there is very little that flows back toward the Tablelands and yet when we see that road damaged, it’s a huge cost to the region,” he said.

Mr Knuth stressed the importance of the audit given a pending green light to development of the 42 turbine Wooroora Station Wind Farm.

Disaster Recovery Minister Nikki Boyd was expected to tour Millaa Millaa on Wednesday but the visit alongside Deputy State Recovery Coordinator Mike Wassing will now go ahead on Thursday.

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Originally published as Call for investigation into impact of turbine loads on Far North road