A further two landslip sites have been repaired on the Snowy Mountains Highway at Brown Mountain as part of the ongoing natural disaster recovery effort being jointly funded by the Albanese and Minns Labor governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).
Throughout 2024, repairs have been successfully carried out at four Brown Mountain landslip sites thanks to $6.7 million from the Australian and NSW governments.
Of those, two landslip sites were completed recently at Brown Mountain, with almost 150 soil nails installed - each up to 11 metres long - into the damaged slope and under the road, and more than 700 metres squared of mesh and sprayed concrete, also known as shotcrete, to secure the area and prevent further erosion.
A further two landslip sites now need to be repaired with Transport for NSW beginning a procurement process to secure specialist contractors with the repair work expected to be underway in 2025.
The landslip damage was caused by a series of unprecedented natural disaster events across southern parts of the state that brought record-breaking rainfall - up to six times the average rainfall totals, in some cases.
Repair work at multiple landslip sites in southern NSW has involved crews removing thousands of tonnes of landslip spoil (rocks, soil and vegetation), installing hundreds of soil nails and spraying thousands of cubic metres of concrete to stabilise the landslip areas and prevent further erosion in future severe weather events.
Federal Member for Eden Monaro Kristy McBain said:
"As someone that drives Brown Mountain every week, I know how frustrating the ongoing closures from landslips and rockfalls are, which is why it's great to see work on these two landslips now complete - in time for the peak holiday traffic.
"Our investment with the Minns Government to repair Brown Mountain is making it safer for locals to get around, and also ensuring tourists can continue to support our fantastic local businesses in Eden-Monaro.
"We know there's more work to do, which is why I'll continue advocating for a long-term solution to improving the safety and reliability of Brown Mountain."
NSW Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Jenny Aitchison said:
"I want to thank work crews who have carried out these repairs. This work has been done under difficult conditions on steep and narrow sections of road, often with machinery operating in spaces narrower than a standard single car garage and with workers either suspended on platforms or abseiling ropes."
Member for Monaro Steve Whan said:
"It's good to see more repairs completed at Brown Mountain. This route is a key connector for freight, health, and tourism, and I am committed to ensuring the long-term planning work is done to improve its resilience to natural disasters."
Member for Bega Dr Michael Holland said:
"We understand natural disasters have had a significant impact on travel through these important mountain roads in our region and we thank the communities impacted for their patience while these essential repairs have been carried out."
