Gairloch floodway project: Flood-prone Bruce Highway near Ingham to get upgrade

A notorious flood-prone section of the Bruce Highway is set for a multi-million dollar upgrade that a local MP says should have occurred 10 years ago.

The Gairloch section of the Bruce Highway between Ingham and the Cardwell ranges, pictured this morning, is currently underwater after continued overnight rains but remains open. Photograph: Cameron Bates

A notorious flood-prone section of the Bruce Highway is set for a multi-million dollar upgrade that a local MP says should have occurred 10 years ago.

Minister for Transport and Main Roads Bart Mellish confirmed on Wednesday said the Gairloch floodway project just north of Ingham had “received an $8 million funding boost as part of the Federal Budget”.

“We know how important this upgrade is for local residents and the many businesses who rely on this stretch of the Bruce for freight and transport needs,” he said.

“The project can now move forward, with tender for the detailed design stage of the project to be released to market in the coming weeks.”

The Department of Transport and Main Roads said it was committed to delivering a more reliable national highway between Brisbane and Cairns and “reducing the impact of flooding closures on isolated communities and essential services”.

Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto, has welcomed the announcement about the Gairloch flood and safety project north of Ingham but says it’s about time with the project currently dragging through its tenth years of being on the books. Picture: Supplied

“The initial planning for the Bruce Highway (Ingham to Innisfail), Gairloch Floodway, safety improvements project was completed in 2023 and a revised project cost of $48 million was committed in the 2024-25 Federal Budget.”

TMR expects to release the tender for the detailed design in the coming weeks.

Minister for Transport and Main Roads Bart Mellish during question time in the state parliament in Brisbane.Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen

A spokesman said the completed project was expected to reduce the duration of wet weather closures at Gairloch.

Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto welcomed the “long-awaited milestone” with the “project currently dragging through its tenth years of being on the books”.

He said the project, crucial for ensuring the Bruce Highway remained open and operational during a typical wet season, would now move into the detailed design phase.

The Katter’s Australian Party deputy leader said local and regular road users had “every right to be furious it had taken 10 years to get to this point and to only now be moving into the detailed design phase”.

“Further up the road I was optimistic that there would also be an update about the Dallachy Road/Bruce Highway project south of Tully however we’ve recently discovered that this will be contingent upon the upcoming state budget in June,” he said.

“This project was once fully funded and progressed as far as going out to tender for construction, however delays on part of both the State and Federal Governments caused this once fully funded project to financially fall short.”

Mr Mellish said he looked forward to further Federal Government funding commitments on the Highway, “and will have more to say on our projects at state budget”.

Originally published as Gairloch floodway project: Flood-prone Bruce Highway near Ingham to get upgrade