Cardwell business owner Robyn Smith, Ob La Di, calls on government to fix roads after road closure, floods

Flooding has cut parts of the Bruce Highway to traffic between Cardwell and Ingham, leaving small businesses to bare the brunt.

Heavy rain in the Far North has caused parts of the Bruce Highway to be cut, including a section between Cardwell and Ingham. Picture: Brendan Radke

Heavy flooding has cut parts of the Bruce Highway to traffic between Cardwell and Ingham, leaving small businesses to bare the brunt.

Owner of Cardwell retail store Ob La Di Robyn Smith said the recent road closure put in place by TMR on Tuesday morning would further impact the tourist town, already reeling from a lack of foot traffic after Cyclone Jasper in December 2023 and flooding in February.

“When TC Jasper hit Cairns we were affected then, because no one was coming north,” Ms Smith said.

“We’re a town for visitors, they come in to eat, have a look around and (TC Jasper and flooding events) was a flogging for us back then, lo and behold this year we’ve got this.”

Ms Smith said more needed to be done to fix the Bruce Hwy, particularly the Seymour Rd section, to prevent flooding.

Heavy rain in the Far North has caused parts of the Bruce Highway to be cut, including a section between Cardwell and Ingham. Picture: Brendan Radke / FILE PHOTO

“I know friends stuck on the highway 50km to Ingham so they’re stuck there waiting to get home,” she said.

“In this day and age it shouldn’t be happening and it’s the same places that get cut off.”

Following flooding in Ingham and Cardwell last month, Ms Smith said more needed to be done to fix the roads.

“The road may only be closed a day and open tomorrow, but every time it closes, it definitely affects businesses,” she said.

“In the last event, business was really bad to the point you wonder how you are gonna keep going.”

CARDWELL, AUSTRALIA. NewsWire Photos. FEBRUARY 4, 2025. Earlier this year, a monsoonal low brought heavy rain across the Far North flooding towns like Tully, Euramo, and farming regions around Macknade (pictured). Picture: NewsWire/Adam Head

For places like Cardwell, where the main industry is tourism, Ms Smith said small businesses should be able to access help, even if they have not been directly affected by floodwater.

“This is nothing against people who have got their houses flooded,” she said.

“But people seem to forget the little businesses that couldn’t get anything because we weren’t directly affected by floodwater, but were affected by the lack of customers coming through.

“We just have to slug it out.”

Ms Smith said small business owners weren’t looking for millions of dollars in handouts, only enough to keep their heads above water.

“We’re not asking for millions, just a bit of support, just a little bit to keep us going,” she said.

“We’ve got overheads that continually click over and if I’m making $40 a day, I can’t make it, same as the cafe next door. We’re all suffering.”

Originally published as Cardwell business owner Robyn Smith, Ob La Di, calls on government to fix roads after road closure, floods