The wet season rain has once again cut the Bruce Highway at the Seymour and Gairloch crossings, leaving locals stranded, businesses struggling, and supply chains in disarray. This isn’t a one-off event, as many of you would know, it’s a recurring disaster that demands immediate action.
For too long, successive State and Federal Governments have failed to prioritise flood-resilient infrastructure for North Queensland. The Gairloch project, which includes the notorious Seymour crossing, has been stuck in bureaucratic limbo for over a decade, despite having $48 million in funding. Yet, construction hasn’t even started.
So far in 2025, the Bruce Highway has been closed at Seymour for 16 days, and we’re not even at the end of March. Imagine if a major highway in Brisbane or Sydney was shut down for over two weeks. It wouldn’t be tolerated, and neither should this.
Every time our highway is cut, food, fuel, and essential supplies can’t get into the northern areas, and local produce can’t get out. Freight companies are forced onto the costly inland route, driving up prices for businesses and consumers alike. Meanwhile, the tourism industry also suffers as visitors reroute their trips to avoid flood-affected areas.
To add insult to injury, the State and Federal Governments have committed $9 billion to the Bruce Highway, yet not a single cent is dedicated to flood immunity projects. Instead, the money is going towards safety upgrades that do nothing to keep the road open when it matters most.
That’s why I’ve written an open letter to every MP from Hinchinbrook to the tip of Cape York, urging them to stand together and demand:
a) The immediate fast-tracking of the Gairloch (and Seymour) project to ensure no more time is wasted
b) A fair share of the $9 billion Bruce Highway package for flood immunity projects.
Improving food immunity for this section of the Bruce Highway should be everyone’s concern, I look forward to one day seeing construction start on the Gairloch and Seymour sections of the highway.
Contributed with thanks to Nick Dametto MP Member for Hinchinbrook
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