Upper Main Arm has had a lot of volunteers seeking to help however, Resilient Byron is asking that ‘every person who is coming up past Kohinor Hall who is a non-local or doesn’t’ have extensive knowledge of the area and the latest updates MUST check-in at Kohinor Hall’.
There have been multiple land slips throughout the Main Arm, Upper Main Arm and Plamwoods areas and it is ‘unsafe up there for people who are not experienced,’ they said.
Motts Road is in critical condition after a significant landslide.
The Police will be assessing Upper Main Arm today and the road from Kohinor Hall up Main and will only be open to emergency vehicles.
‘The most critical issue for Main Arm is road access and it is in the hands of Byron and Tweed councils,’ one local, who is a retired road engineer, told The Echo.
‘There has been no vehicle access to Main Arm since Wednesday 2 March. We beg for the cooperation of Councils. It is only their heavy machinery which will get us out.’
The Main Arm Rural Residents Association (MARRA) has sent a request to Byron Shire Council general manager Mark Arnold asking that:
‘1) Byron Council has done a great job fixing a massive hole in Main Arm Road at Kohinur. Could Council please fix the Dry Creek / Coolamon Creek washout next?
‘2) could a bridge by-pass be built through the paddock at Williams Bridge? 4WDs are currently using that route (on an old road there) but it is very muddy.
‘3) could Tweed Council be asked to repair Rowlands Creek Road to Uki, so that Main Arm residents west of Motts Road can go through the National Park to Uki? 4WDs are already coming and going but with difficulty.
‘4) could running repairs be done to The Pocket Road to keep it open as the main access to Main Arm, likely for the next months if not years.
‘With this done, all of Main Arm would have access and be able to sort itself out.
‘Council’s machinery is heavy enough to achieve this strategy. Alternatively, Council could allow local machinery operators to fix the Dry Creek / Coolamon Creek washout which is the key to opening the road along with the Uki access through the forest. We understand that is currently not allowed.’
Palmwoods
While Palmwoods is cut off because of the road has been severely damaged locals have reported that the houses and people there are ‘fine’.
‘The people are all doing well and felling very blessed with all the food donations that have come their way,’ said Elizabeth Rose.
Well as a Palmwoods resident it would be great to see some council machinery. Local residents are currently walking fresh food more than a km over 4 ruined (repairable) causways and a collapsed road.