Sheepstation Creek culvert restoration date announced

Fiveways Road’s Sheepstation Creek culvert will undergo complete repair and restoration works this June, in line with the Lower Burdekin Water Board shut down period.

Fiveways Road will close from Monday 1 June to all traffic and is expected to remain closed for a period of five weeks, weather permitting.

The culvert was severely damaged during the 2019 North Queensland Monsoon Event, and its restoration required either a major diversion of Sheepstation Creek or a timeframe during which the Lower Burdekin Water Board is shut.

Burdekin Shire Council Mayor Lyn McLaughlin said while she wished the restoration could have occurred immediately after the event, Council had been in discussions with relevant local and state agencies to ensure it was completed at a time that would cause the least environmental and agricultural disruption.

“Planning for the complete restoration of the Fiveways Road Sheepstation Creek culvert has been occurring ever since the North Queensland Monsoon Event, and has involved a number of parties including the Queensland Reconstruction Authority, the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, the Lower Burdekin Water Board, and properties downstream of the culvert,” Cr McLaughlin said.

“Council is appreciative of the community’s patience during this time: last year, emergent works were completed with minimal disruption to the Creek system to allow us to reopen the road to single-lane traffic, however in order to fully restore the road we will have to close it to all traffic for roughly five weeks from 1 June.”

Fiveways Road will be closed in both directions at Sheepstation Creek culvert from 1 June for full restoration works to occur. Restoration Works are jointly funded by Queensland and Federal Governments under DRFA arrangements. The road will be closed for a period of five weeks, weather permitting. For updates on Council services, visit burdekin.qld.gov.au.