The Albanese Government has announced it will share the cost of rebuilding and future-proofing the Great Western Highway at Victoria Pass with the Minns Labor Government. The funding will also see an additional eastbound climbing lane delivered, permanently widening the critical link between the Blue Mountains and Central West.
$100 million has been allocated by the Commonwealth, matching the $100 million committed by the NSW Government in the 2026-2027 NSW State Budget, bringing the total budget for the project to $200 million.
Since the closure of Mitchell's Causeway and Victoria Pass in March 2026 due to serious cracking and movement, Transport for NSW acted swiftly to diagnose the site failure and design a permanent, safe engineering solution.
In June, the NSW Government entered an alliance contract with Seymour Whyte to construct a new road deck above the existing Causeway supported by piles anchored to the bedrock below.
More than 150 workers have been inducted to deliver the project.
While we work to reinstate access and open the Causeway, towards the end of the restoration, work will begin on adding an extra eastbound climbing lane to provide opportunities to safely overtake slow-moving vehicles and trucks.
Major works for the reconstruction of Mitchell's Causeway are underway with the Great Western Highway expected to reopen to traffic in the second quarter of 2027.
Quotes attributable to Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King:
"For 194 years, the Mitchell's Causeway was the key link between the Mountains and the Central West. The cracking has cut off communities, and made travelling through the region challenging.
"The Australian Government made an early commitment that we would work closely with the NSW Government to reopen the highway as quickly and safely as possible.
"This will not be a simple repair, but getting this done is a priority. That's why the Albanese Government is announcing $100 million in Federal Funding today."
Quotes attributable to NSW Minister for Roads Jenny Aitchison:
"The Minns Labor Government is working at significant pace to reopen Mitchell's Causeway for the Central West and Blue Mountains communities.
"By delivering an additional eastbound climbing lane, we are taking the opportunity to improve the road for the long term, giving motorists the opportunity to safely overtake slower-moving vehicles and trucks.
"We are looking beyond the immediate repair and investing in our Central West and Blue Mountains communities for the future.
"This investment will address a long-standing pain point for locals and truckies, while ensuring we can get this vital road safely reopened as soon as possible.
"The Albanese Government's $100 million contribution means we can go beyond simply rebuilding Victoria Pass. This investment will mean we can future-proof it.
"I am very pleased to be working with our Federal counterparts to make that happen."
Quotes attributable to Member for Macquarie Susan Templeman MP:
"These works are not a short-term solution, we're constructing a better, more resilient highway built to last.
"Once complete, the project will deliver lasting benefits for freight operations, emergency services, local communities and the broader economy across the Blue Mountains and Central West region.
"To the local communities and businesses, these past few months have been challenging. Thank you for your ongoing patience as we have worked to identify a solution to reopen this road."
Quotes attributable to State Member for Blue Mountains Trish Doyle MP:
"This investment from the Albanese Government to build a third lane on the new road structure will be incredibly welcome news from the Blue Mountains community. Locals and freight operators know better than anyone the difference this additional capacity will make once it is delivered.
"It's fantastic to see both levels of government working together to rebuild this critical route, while also ensuring it is safer, more resilient and better equipped to serve the community for years to come."
