Blue Mountains News

Despite the impact of wet weather and the complexity of the project, reopening the two lanes occurred earlier than expected. This will ease traffic congestion into the Valley during the busy Easter holiday break and ahead of the popular Megalong Makers Market.

Blue Mountains Mayor Mark Greenhill said, “Restoring both lanes of Megalong Road has been one of the major milestones that Council staff have been working towards since boots hit the ground immediately following the landslip, in early April last year.

“The landslip forced the immediate closure of Megalong Road but within the week, Council provided a safe pedestrian access option, and within a fortnight, one-lane vehicle traffic was reinstated, after round-the-clock repair works.

“The Megalong Valley is a special place which is a key tourism destination in the Blue Mountains. The priority has always been getting access back into the Valley, for the sake of the local economy, along with supporting our community.”

A natural disaster was declared in the Blue Mountains and Lithgow LGAs after an extreme wet weather event on 5 April 2024, which saw more than 200mm of rain fall across the Blue Mountains and Greater Sydney, and caused the Megalong Road landslip.

After the landslip occurred, Council staff worked with emergency service personnel to ensure the community’s safety and wellbeing, evacuating 200 visitors trapped in the valley and coordinating helicopter deliveries of essential food, fuel and animal supplies to residents.

“I would like to acknowledge the professionalism and expertise of our staff and contractor teams on this project,” Cr Greenhill said. “As well as the emergency services personnel who were so critical in those initial hours and days after the landslip occurred.

“It’s been a long road but the remarkable resilience, adaptability and support from the Megalong Valley community and its varied local businesses has been appreciated by everyone working on this project.”

Further remediation works along Megalong Road are ongoing, with some stop-and-go traffic controls expected in the weeks ahead. Work is expected to be completed in May 2025, weather permitting.

This is one of 101 landslips across the City of Blue Mountains, and disaster recovery from five successive natural disasters is beyond Councils financial capacity.  The fast response on this landslip site was made possible with support from State Member Trish Doyle and Federal Member Susan Templeman and a special disaster funding arrangements that provided advance payments.