Deer Vale Road

About the Project

Deer Vale Road sustained significant landslip damage following Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, impacting a large section between Prices Road and Deer Vale village. In response, Council has undertaken substantial short-term stabilisation works while progressing detailed investigations to inform a long-term, permanent solution. Thanks to the community’s ongoing cooperation and support, Council has now completed all immediate stabilisation measures and has moved into the next phase of design development and funding advocacy to secure full rehabilitation of the site.

September 2026 Update

Further structural analysis has been undertaken as part of the Detailed Design phase. It will help inform the design solution and support the development of a long-term repair strategy and full restoration of the road.

For Deer Vale Road specifically, elevated groundwater level has been identified as a key driver of landslide instability.  Additional instrumentation has therefore been installed to monitor real-time groundwater conditions at the site and correlate groundwater response over a 12-month period with rainfall data.

That information is key in ensuring that a long-term design solution is developed. Once the design is understood with this information, we can accurately cost the project and confirm the funding amount from the NSW RA (Reconstruction Authority).

 Next steps for the project will include:

• Establishing that total cost of the repair and confirming funding
• Tendering the construction contract  
• Works are expected to commence in late 2027

Short-Term Works Completed

Since the Cyclone, Council delivered critical short-term works to stabilise the site and restore controlled access, including;

• Installation of monitoring equipment to track ground movement and groundwater conditions.
• Emergency repairs and construction of a temporary access platform.
• Subsurface drilling investigations to a depth of 10–29 metres.
• Installation of a piezometer to monitor subsurface water pressure.

Maintaining Access

Temporary access remains open with one-lane traffic management controls in place. The site will continue to be closely monitored during significant rainfall events to ensure public safety remains the priority. Establishment of ongoing safety measures, including:

• Traffic management and one-lane access with give-way controls.
• Removal of weight restrictions for vehicles (as of May 2025).
• Speed limits of 40km/h through the affected area.
• Wet weather monitoring with site closures triggered by rainfall thresholds.

Importantly, no further deterioration has occurred during recent heavy rain events, and the temporary access solution continues to perform as designed.

Design Development & Funding Advocacy

With short-term safety measures in place and subsurface investigations complete, the project has now entered its next phase:

• Laboratory analysis of drill samples informs detailed geotechnical models.
• Concept designs for long-term road rehabilitation are being developed.
• Monitoring data is being reviewed to refine design requirements.

This technical work will guide the engineering solutions required to fully stabilise and rebuild the affected section of Deer Vale Road.

Advocacy for Long-Term Funding

Council’s continued advocacy efforts to secure funding for the full rehabilitation of Deer Vale Road have been successful, with the State Government granting in-principle support. Final funding will be confirmed following the submission of completed designs and cost estimates based on the proposed solutions. Key advocacy actions to date include:

• A delegation led by Mayor Cr Steve Allan met directly with Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Jenny Aitchison MP in Sydney, alongside representatives from Coffs Harbour City Council, Gurmesh Singh MP, Pat Conaghan MP, and Michael Kemp MP.
• Ongoing engagement with senior government agencies, including the NSW Premier’s Department.
• Direct representation of the critical need for resilient transport networks to reduce disaster isolation risk for Deer Vale and surrounding communities.

Next Steps

• Finalisation of geotechnical analysis and design models
• Development of concept design options and costing for permanent repair.
• Securing approved funding under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).
• Continued monitoring of the site’s stability and temporary access arrangements.

Council will continue to keep the community informed as new milestones are reached and funding outcomes are secured.

Community Engagement

The Deer Vale community has played a vital role in providing input to strengthen Council’s funding case. While the initial engagement period is complete, Council remains in contact with residents, businesses and service providers and will continue to provide opportunities for community input as the project advances into design and funding phases.

Location

Deervale Road, Deer Vale   View Map

-30.3432002,152.5613613

Deervale Road , Deer Vale 

Deervale Road , Deer Vale 

Deer Vale Road