Clarence Valley Council is still awaiting confirmation of disaster recovery funding from the NSW Reconstruction Authority for essential restoration works on Armidale Road between Coutts Crossing and Nymboida. Until this funding is confirmed, Council is forced to continue managing and prioritising repairs within the limits of the funding currently available.
Rehabilitation works commenced in November 2025, focusing on the sections most severely damaged between Nymboida and Clouds Creek. To date, approximately 65,000 square metres of Armidale Road have been fully rehabilitated. However, the broader condition of the road is a direct result of prolonged uncertainty, unfunded responsibilities, and unfulfilled commitments by the State Government.
In September 2021, the then Minister for Regional Transport and Roads announced that 107.64 kilometres of Armidale Road would be transferred to State management. Transport for NSW established a dedicated team to facilitate the handover. Council was advised that the only remaining condition required to finalise the transfer was the completion of all existing grant-funded projects.
At that time, Council had multiple active grant projects underway, including bridge replacements and major road rehabilitation works. Council formally requested that this condition be removed to allow the handover to proceed. This request was rejected, and Council was advised to stop applying for further grants if it wanted the handover to occur, placing Council in an untenable position.
Between February and August 2023, the TfNSW handover team was stood down without notice. No formal advice was provided to Council regarding the status of the road transfer. Despite three separate Council resolutions seeking clarification, it was not until January 2024 that Council was informed the original handover process would not proceed. Instead, Council was advised it must participate in a new road Recategorisation process that remains under development. Until that process is finalised, Council has been required to continue maintaining Armidale Road without appropriate funding support.
Throughout this period, Council has repeatedly sought financial compensation for the costs imposed by the State Government's conditions and failure to honour the original handover commitment. These requests have been ignored by the current State Government.
Compounding the issue, Armidale Road has sustained significant damage from multiple declared natural disaster events during this prolonged period of uncertainty. The escalating cost of restoration is well beyond Council's financial capacity without State funding support.
Council acknowledges and shares the community's frustration. The condition of Armidale Road is not the result of inaction by Council, but of sustained State Government delays, changing processes, and a failure to honour commitments. Subject to available funding, Council aims to commence further restoration works from February 2025.
