FNQ: Kuranda Range Road (Kennerdy Highway, Cairns - Mareeba)
Source: Department of Transport and Main Roads
Night closures cease from late December 2025
We are pleased to advise road users there are no scheduled night closures from Thursday 18 December 2025 to the end of January 2026.
- Ongoing night works will operate under single lane traffic control from early January 2026.
- We anticipate shorter-term or ad-hoc night closures periods will be required for the scope of works at some sites in 2026.
- Advance notice will be provided to stakeholders ahead of scheduled night closures, night works or traffic control changes.
Holiday season works shutdown
We understand road users will travel extensively over the Christmas holiday period and are reducing traffic control measures as much as safely possible.
From Thursday 18 December 2025 to Sunday 4 January 2026:
- Kuranda Range Road will have just one single lane traffic control area at Henry Ross Lookout for road user safety.
- The rest of Kuranda Range Road will have two-way traffic control temporarily reinstated at active work sites over the Christmas-New Year shut down period.
- The Queensland Government is working closely with the contractor to complete the majority of works by late 2026, site and weather conditions permitting.
- Some works, including repairs to the additional landslips which occurred during the weather event earlier this year, may take longer due to the severity of the damage.
Progress of works
Traffic Site 1 (Henry Ross Lookout area)
- Reconstruction has been completed at six slips (four upslope and two downslope) in this area.
- Stabilisation works continue at two downslope slips.
- Day and night works are ongoing on the major downslope slip, about 200m towards Cairns from the lookout.
Traffic Site 2 (Bottom hairpin bend area)
- Reconstruction has been completed at one upslope slip in this area.
- Stabilisation works continue at one upslope slip on the Cairns side of the hairpin bend.
Current and completed works on Kuranda Range Road
Traffic Site 3 (Kennedy Highway near Edmund Kennedy Bridge at Mareeba)
- Stabilisation works have commenced at three upslope slips on both sides of the Edmund Kennedy Bridge at Mareeba.
Traffic Site 4 (Kennedy Highway near Tichum Creek)
- Stabilisation works have commenced at two upslope slips on the Kennedy Highway, between Spena Road turnoff and Tichum Creek.
Current traffic control and night closures
- Scheduled night closures from 9pm to 4am are ongoing until Wednesday 17 December 2025, pending weather, site conditions and contractor availability.
- Traffic will be let through once in each direction at midnight (12am).
- There are no scheduled night closures on Friday and Saturday nights.
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 Kuranda Range Road reconstruction 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.
The recovery works are jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments through the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).
