Two significant landslips isolated Nimbin during and following the 2022 floods and work on one has now been completed.
Nimbin is enjoying safer and improved access following the reconstruction of the section of Nimbin Road about 1km from Nimbin.
Lismore City Council engaged Civil Mining and Construction to carry out the work to the significantly-damaged roadway, which demanded thorough geotechnical assessments and a precisely engineered solution according to a press release from Lismore City Council.
Work on the $14.9 million project kicked off in June, starting with extensive earthworks to stabilise the site. This required 239 piles strategically driven into the soil to provide support for the new road, before building a 4.5-metre-high retaining wall.
Parliamentary Secretary for Disaster Recovery and Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin said:
‘Locals who experienced the disaster in 2022 appreciate how much of a combined effort it has taken – and continues to take – for the recovery process.
‘I have worked closely with the Nimbin community and all relevant agencies to make these complex road rehabilitation works at two landslip sites a priority.
‘The completion of this first project will provide a safe and well-designed road for local residents who call Nimbin home and for tourists who visit this popular tourist destination.
‘Access to Nimbin Road will also re-establish access to our other vibrant local villages and cultural attractions in the wider region.’
The contractors also carried out pavement reconstruction, road reinstatement, installation of guardrail barriers, signage, guideposts and line marking.
These works were designed to stabilise the embankment with minimal environmental impact while allowing the road to be re-established to full width. The project took about nine months to complete and was delivered on time and on budget.
These extensive works were funded under the Australian and NSW Governments’ Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangement (DRFA).
‘The reconstruction of this section of Nimbin Road is a major milestone in the recovery of the Lismore local government area,’ said Lismore Mayor Steve Krieg.
‘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 is great news for the Nimbin community, in particular, and also the wider community and visitors to the tourist town.’
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