FNQ: Captain Cook Highway - Reconstruction Works
Source: Department of Transport and Main Roads
Holiday Season works shutdown
We understand road users will travel extensively over the holiday period and we are reducing traffic control measures as much as safely possible.
Works will shut down from Friday 19 December 2025 and recommence on Monday 5 January 2026.
Two single lane sections will remain in place for the safety of road users at:
- a 500m section north of Turtle Creek Beach
- a 500m section north of Ellis Beach.
The rest of Captain Cook Highway will have two-way travel reinstated over this shut down period.
The Queensland Government is working closely with the contractor to complete the majority of reconstruction works by early 2027, site and weather conditions permitting.
Some works, including repairs to the additional landslips that occurred during the weather event earlier this year, may take longer due to the severity of the damage.
Progress Works
With the favourable weather in October and November, the pavement and asphalt repair program for 2025 has been successfully completed ahead of the expected mid-December end date.
There are no scheduled night closures or night works for the remainder of 2025.
The finishing touches of line markings will be applied to the repaired asphalt sites over the coming weeks.
Ellis Beach to south Wangetti
Ongoing works in this area include:
- drilling and soil nailing and shotcreteing
- hydromulching to revegetate stabilised slope
- temporary benches have been completed in the closed northbound lane to allow machinery to more efficiently reach upslope damage.
Turtle Creek Beach
Ongoing works in this area include:
- slope stabilisation drilling and grouting of soil nails at the major downslope 650m north of Turtle Creek Beach
- pavement and resurfacing works and guardrail reinstated at the repaired downslope 600m north of the beach
- clearing and scaling sites in preparation for more stabilisation works at moderate damage sites adjacent to the beach.
Debris flow barriers
The installation of debris flow barriers along the Captain Cook Highway is a significant milestone in Far North Queensland’s recovery efforts following the catastrophic damage caused by Tropical Cyclone Jasper in December 2023.
The barriers are designed to catch the solid debris while allowing for the flow of water into culverts and drains along the highway.
This reduces the potential for long-term road closures at these sites during and after extreme weather.
The drilling of foundations and construction of anchor blocks for the barriers has been ongoing for several months. The erection of posts and the barrier mesh is anticipated to begin at the first site in December.
Barrier installation will continue through 2026.
See how the barriers work in the video below.
Debris flow barrier FAQs
What happens when the debris builds up?
Maintenance at the sites will include clearing debris collected by the barriers.
It just looks like a wire fence; how does it stop boulders?
Debris flow barriers are developed and designed by companies that also produce avalanche protection systems.
Similar barriers are installed and have proven effective on mountain ranges in the USA, Europe, New Zealand and other parts of Australia.
They are tested to withstand considerable force and catch debris in a similar fashion to a soccer net catching a ball, on a much larger scale.
The wire used is high-tensile steel allowing just one square metre of the barrier to withstand about 180kN (kilonewtons), the same force exerted by about four family sedans stacked on top of each other.
If the barrier lets the water through won't flooding still be an issue?
During Tropical Cyclone Jasper, flooding on Captain Cook Highway was exacerbated by record rains and the large volumes of debris that blocked or damaged drains and culverts.
The barriers are designed to catch the debris before it reaches critical drainage points while allowing the flow of water into downstream culverts and drains.
An estimated 50,000 tonnes of debris was cleared from the road, drains, and culverts ahead of Captain Cook Highway reopening in the wake of Tropical Cyclone Jasper.
By preventing debris from reaching the road and potentially blocking drainage infrastructure we can reduce the risk of severe impacts and extended road closures after extreme weather events.
Does this mean the road will be disaster proof?
We consider risk mitigation and weather events in all infrastructure design, however we cannot provide a guarantee that any road is able to withstand a natural disaster, where the frequency and nature of future extreme weather conditions are unknown.
Traffic Control
- No further night works are planned for the remainder of 2025.
- Single lane traffic control will be reduced as much as safe and possible ahead of holiday season.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I find more information?
If you need further information about these works, please contact the TMR Cairns office by email at cairns.office@tmr.qld.gov.au, visit the project webpage Far North Queensland cyclone reconstruction works | Department of Transport and Main Roads or telephone 1800 187 937.
For up-to-date information about the state-controlled road network, please check the QLDTraffic website or call 13 19 40.
