THE Northern Rivers town of Nimbin is now enjoying safer and improved access following the completion of work on the second of two severe landslip sites on Nimbin Road.
The February 2022 severe weather event significantly affected this essential route, isolating the village and causing substantial damage.
Work to complete repairs on the first stretch of road, about 1km from Nimbin, was completed in December last year and now work has wrapped up on the second slip site, about 4km from the village.
The engineering and geotechnical requirements of this site required a specialist solution so Lismore City Council engaged Civil Mining and Construction to carry out the work.
The company started work on the $14.9 million project in early 2023. During the reconstruction of the road, 318 micro piles and 700 concrete blocks were used to create a 160m long retaining structure to stabilise that section of Nimbin Road.
These extensive works were carried out under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA), jointly funded by the Australian and NSW governments.
Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Jenny Aitchison said:
“The NSW Government is proud to be working with all levels of government to ensure work to restore essential services, like a safer Nimbin Road, is funded and delivered.
“Completing the second part of this project will be a relief not only for the people of Nimbin and its surrounds but also for the many tourists who visit the Lismore region year-round.
“Janelle Saffin, as Parliamentary Secretary for Disaster Recovery, has been a champion not just for her community, but for the rest of the state too.”
Parliamentary Secretary for Disaster Recovery and Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin said:
“This project, across two challenging landslip sites, has been an engineering feat requiring clever planning and months of hard work from everyone involved in the construction phase.
“Locals who rely on Nimbin Road to go about their daily lives will welcome its reopening as a sign that the Nimbin Valley is coming back stronger from the 2022 floods.
“Safety is paramount for all who use this vital link road. Hopefully, we will also see more people visiting Nimbin, which offers so many cultural attractions and ecotourism adventures.”
Lismore City Mayor Steve Krieg said:
“Ensuring access to Nimbin was one of Council’s priority projects following the natural disaster as it is essential that our communities are not cut off.
“The completion of the works to repair the second landslip is great news for the Nimbin community, in particular, and also the wider community and visitors to the tourist town.
“I would like to congratulate Civil Mining and Construction, which worked under tough conditions to get the road repaired while maintaining one traffic lane to allow access to Nimbin. “I would also like to thank the State and Australian governments for funding this important project, as well as our local State Member Janelle Saffin and our Federal Member Kevin Hogan.”
