Flood damage: Bad roads line the future for grain growers

Growers say they are navigating washed-out local roads in the wake of the NSW and Queensland floods, and that they fear for when the trucks start up again.

Roads damaged in record NSW and Queensland floods could have long term impacts for grain growers, farming groups say.

Central Darling Downs sorghum grower Stuart McIntyre said roads in his area had been damaged and washed away in recent floods, and he expected more damage to appear as trucks began using the roads again.

Some local roads are still closed following recording flooding in NSW and Queensland this month.

“In our area there has been damage from silt across the roads, and the sides of the roads have been washed away in some places, so you’ve got quite a drop off on the on the hard shoulder. There are a lot of potholes and some roads have been washed away,” he said.

“My main concern is that as things start to dry out, (the road) may look dry on top, but it’s awful wet underneath, and when all these trucks start moving around, that’s when the damage is going to start to occur,” he said.

Grain Growers Ltd policy and advocacy manager Zach Whale said the damage from recent floods highlighted the need for more funding for local roads.

“Ensuring that the farm gate is well connected to the road network has impacts on safety, productivity, getting inputs in, and getting our commodities out,” he said.

Local government roads, which connect main roads to farm gates, typically attract less funding than major thoroughfares. If they aren’t “fit for purpose … maintenance costs for farmers skyrocket”, Mr Whale said.

Queensland councils last month called on the Federal Government for what they said were “urgently needed” increases to road funding.

Local Government Association of Queensland chief executive Alison Smith called on the federal government to allocate an annual $1.6 billion investment to upgrade local road infrastructure, including $300 million into a strategic local roads program, $800 million through the Roads for Recovery program, and $500 million through the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program.

The federal government has allocated $620 million per year to the Roads for Recovery program until 2023-24.

Last year, the government allocated $1 billion to the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program. This year’s budget has not yet been announced.

A spokesman for Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Barnaby Joyce said the funding would “deliver … the projects local communities need and deserve”.