Calls for Wielangta Road to be upgraded and added to Great Eastern Drive

There are calls for Wielangta Road to be upgraded and made part of the Great Eastern Drive after some residents have been forced to drive the gravel route during the Tasman Highway closure.

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There are calls for Wielangta Road to be upgraded and made part of the Great Eastern Drive, with one resident claiming it could be a tourism drawcard.

Orford resident Leith Thompson said he’d been lobbying for Wielangta Road to be upgraded for the last thirty years.

He said the drive was scenic.

“When tourism comes back, if the road was sealed it would be a real draw card for people to look at the rainforest,” Mr Thompson said.

“We would probably go to the peninsula more often, we’d go to Dunalley and buy some wine and oysters.”

Tasman Highway will be closed from Friday for around a month making it difficult to access the towns of Triabunna and Orford, Wielangta Road an alternative route for 4WD. Picture: Chris Kidd

The calls come after the road was closed last week to remove sixty tonnes of dangerous rock.

Mr Thompson says something should have been done about Wielangta Road years ago.

“In the last two years, we’ve had four closures on the Tasman Highway, nothing was done to Wielangta Road until last week,” he said.

“They’ve known about this issue for years.”

Tasman Highway will be closed from Friday for around a month making it difficult to access the towns of Triabunna and Orford, a grader on Wielangta Road. Picture: Chris Kidd

The State Government last week completed upgrades to the road including laying new gravel and installing road markers and signage, but the Department of State Growth has recommended motorists travel via Lake Leake Road where possible.

Mr Thompson said the road is suitable for four wheel drives.

“It’s safe, you’ve just got to be very careful but long term something has to be done.”