New resilience investment from the Federal and Queensland governments will improve access reliability on the Flinders Highway.

The Flinders Highway is a critical transport corridor in the state’s north-west region, and supports mining, agriculture and tourism from Townsville to Cloncurry.

This resilience investment is one of many that will strengthen the road surface and drainage along two critical sections of the road between Hughenden and Richmond, and Richmond and Julia Creek.

This includes notorious parts of the highway such as Chatfield Creek where nearby communities are regularly isolated by flooding, which disrupts local connectivity and industries.

These projects are part of the wider $89.91 million Betterment Program under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements to support recovery from the Queensland Monsoon Trough, Cyclone Koji, Cyclone Narelle and Severe Weather of 2025-26, with construction timeframes to be confirmed following detailed design works.

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“Upfront investment in stronger infrastructure and more resilient communities saves money for all levels of government, and provides long-term benefits across the region,” said Kristy McBain, Federal Minister for Emergency Management.

“By strengthening the highway and improving drainage, we’ll reduce isolation during floods and accelerate community recovery following a disaster event.”