Community & Business
15 December, 2024
Ray Rd residents live in hope
RAY Road residents are yet to know if any potential upgrades to drainage issues will be considered to prevent flooding of their homes, according to Mareeba Shire Council.
Hopes were high recently when work began along the road, with speculation that flood mitigation action was underway.
However, in response to inquiries from The Express, council said the work was “routine drainage maintenance” only, in preparation for the upcoming wet season. It stressed the works were not related to specific flooding events or drainage studies related to Ray Road.
“As part of our routine maintenance, Council is clearing and maintaining drainage systems along Ray Road,” Mayor Angela Toppin said in a statement.
“This work is done periodically to prevent blockages and ensure the drainage system is ready for heavy rainfall.”
Concerns about the drainage structure along Ray Road was raised in April, after homes and properties were flooded by storms four times, well after Cyclone Jasper.
Residents who had lived on Ray Road for many years said it was rare to see that level of flooding before an aviation industrial precinct was developed at the bottom end of the airport.
They claimed the drain created as part of the development was higher than the ground around it, forcing water to surge into their properties rather than spill into the drain and be carried away via Atherton Creek.
At the time, council acknowledged the ongoing drainage issues but rejected the claims.
Council advised it would begin an updated drainage study for the area, which would include a review of the previous 2004 study, to help identify factors contributing to drainage issues and to determine if there were any feasible mitigation strategies.
Mayor Toppin said the review was still ongoing and likely to be completed in the coming weeks.
“If the study identifies any areas in need of improvement, potential upgrades will be considered, but any changes will depend on available funding and council approval,” she said.
In the meantime, an approved capital works project to rehabilitate and upgrade McIver Road, from Ray Road to past St Stephens Catholic College, was expected to begin in 2025/26.
