One of the “most dangerous roads” in the Southern Highlands has come under scrutiny.
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Geoff Holt, who lives along Wombeyan Caves Road, fears for the safety of anyone who travels the 83km tourist stretch.
He is especially concerned about the safety of the 32km of unsealed road which he described as one of the “most dangerous roads” in the Southern Highlands.
His concerns have been strengthened by an engineer’s report he commissioned, which highlighted several safety concerns in regards to the road owned by the Wingecarribee Shire Council (WSC).
However a council spokesman said when residents bought property in the area they were “fully aware” of the road condition.
The spokesman said road conditions also meant that council continued to recommend visitors use the alternate sealed options via Goulburn-Taralga-Oberon Roads.
But as far as Mr Holt is concerned such warnings often fell on deaf ears.
Mr Holt said over a long weekend, he would notice about 400 cars use the road each day to access the Goodman’s Ford and River Island campgrounds at the end of Wombeyan Caves Road.
“The road is very busy at Christmas time,” he said.
“You get people who come off city roads and go really fast around blind corners.
“They never expect anyone to be coming the other way.”
Mr Holt said a lack of safety barriers to sheer drops and very few warning signs made the road a potentially life-threatening journey for any motorist.
“There’s really sharp drops in places,” Mr Holt said.
“If a car bumped you, you would go straight down – there’s nothing stopping you.
“The issue is that this is promoted as a tourist road, but people come off the freeway and they’ve got no idea how to drive on this road.”
Not listed
The Safer Roads Project for 2018 and 2019, conducted by the Roads and Maritime Services NSW, highlighted areas of improvements in the Wingecarribee Shire.
It specifically drew attention to Wilson Drive in Hill Top and Penrose Road in Bundanoon which require safety improvements to reduce the likelihood of crashes.
It was recognised that Penrose Road needed a safety barrier.
However, Wombeyan Caves Road is not on the list.
According to Mr Holt, the urgent need to fix Wombeyan Caves Road is not a new issue.
“It’s has been the same for the last 25 years,” he said.
“Some areas have had two lots of tar patch repairs in the last two years, but it is a short-term mentality.”
However, Mr Holt said it wasn’t just the steep drop and rocky surface that made the road unsafe. The roadside gutters were also a problem.
“Some gutters are almost blocked and they overflow,” Mr Holt said.
“In parts, the road doesn’t shed the water. The water stays on the road and the gouges get deeper.”
Mr Holt commissioned a road engineer’s report, at a personal cost of $6000, in an attempt to prompt the council to take action.
Key concerns highlighted in the report
- Insufficient sight vision
- Unstable slopes which are prone to sliders or rock fall
- Sloped with limited preventive barriers and an extremely steep drop
- Uncontrollable tree growth and inefficient clearing
- Inadequate drainage structures
- A major growth of dwellings and tourism along the road
- An insufficient pavement width
Mr Holt said he would like to see an improvement some time soon.
“It is an interesting and fabulous road and it would be nice to have it done correctly,” he said.
The resident said he hoped to see immediate action taken by the council but doubted this would happen.
“Council does address the issue occasionally, but the problem is that the road needs constant attention,” he said.
The council spokesman said Wombeyan Caves Road was originally opened as a tourist road in 1900 to link the Highlands to Wombeyan Caves.
“While the road travels through an undoubtedly scenic part of our shire, it can also be rugged and treacherous for the inexperienced,” the spokesman said.
“About 32 kilometres of this 83-kilometre remote road remains unsealed.
“The road is also narrow and winding in many sections and although it is a low traffic road, motorists should always drive to the conditions.”
The spokesman said travelling to the caves via Wombeyan Caves Road took considerable time and was best undertaken in a vehicle suited to the conditions.
“Motorists who choose to travel this route are cautioned to exercise great care.”
He added that factors that limited major development on the road included its remote location, environmental restrictions, logistical constraints and cost.
“Council does, however, undertake annual maintenance activities on the road which this year included the construction of retaining walls and road grading at a cost of just over $650,000,” he said.
Recommended plan of action
However, the report commisioned by Mr Holt identified significant works needed to eliminate dangers at several locations along the road and addressed the potential for “injury and loss of life.”
The report suggests the minimum actions required with respect to the immediate safety of road users includes:
- Urgent repairs and maintenance to drainage structures and washouts
- Provision of safety barriers and guard rails on slopes
- Improvement or verges and shoulders to allow full formative traffic
- Assessment of potential tree falls by an experienced arborist.
Are you a resident on Wombeyan Caves Road or have noticed other dangerous roads in the Southern Highlands? We would love to hear from you. Please email brooke.gibbs@fairfaxmedia.com.au.