Yamba Road will see $20 million in improvements in the next few years to improve flood immunity and redirect a potentially dangerous section of the only direct thoroughfare from the M1 motorway into town.

As the Clarence River levels rose following heavy rain in the catchment from Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, the only artery servicing deliveries to, and disposals from, Yamba, was first cut, as it is traditionally, west of Palmers Channel at the Southbank Road intersection.

In its third edition Clarence Magazine in 2023, Clarence Valley Council said Yamba Road will have increased flood immunity under the Regional Roads and Transport Recovery Package RRTRP co-funded by the NSW and Federal governments.

“A grant of almost $10 million announced in March will go towards investigation and reconstruction of the intersection of Yamba Road and Palmers Channel South Bank Road,” Council stated.

“This low spot is the first section of Yamba Road to close during riverine flooding.

Significant planning and flood modelling is required to determine the feasibility of potential road raising at this location, or rehabilitation with more resilient pavement designs to better withstand flood water inundation.

The package allows assets to be rebuilt to a higher standard to withstand future extreme natural weather events and will inherently reduce the required maintenance and repair works after each flood event.

The successful grant application was an important part of the Yamba Road Flood Resilience Strategic Plan to target ongoing flood immunity and asset resilience.”

As long-term locals would attest to, in the March 2025 weather event, as has repeatedly happened over the years in floods, Yamba Road was cut.

After Yamba Road reopened to traffic last Wednesday, the CV Independent spoke to Mayor Ray Smith about how the project was progressing.

“That section of Yamba Road that was under water on this occasion is reaching its final design stages,” he said.

“We did receive a grant of $9.8 million.

Once the design work is finished, we’ll then go out to tender and the whole project will be to raise the road in that section so that Yamba (Road) will then be flood free in regard to access.”

Cr Smith said he anticipated tenders to be called for in coming months and said this wasn’t the only improvement coming for Yamba Road.

“We also have another $10 million grant,” he said.

“That is to do a bypass around Palmers Island School.

So, we will be cutting out that hard right-hand bend and cutting across the cane paddocks, which is still in negotiation with a couple of landowners.

But again, that will certainly improve access on the Yamba Road.”

Cr Smith said the $9.8 million grant was only to make the section of Yamba Road near Southbank Road more flood immune, and didn’t apply to any other sections of Yamba Road.

“Not at this stage, just that small section that always goes under,” Cr Smith said.

Cr Smith said Council was hopeful the project could be completed by the end of 2026.

“We’re hoping that the project could be finished within the next 12 months or so, and in any future floods we will have total access to Yamba,” he said.

“It’s in the very final stages of design.”

This article appeared in Clarence Valley Independent, 19 March 2025.