Snowy Mountains Highway natural disaster recovery

Reviewed

Transport for NSW is working to repair landslip damage on the Snowy Mountains Highway at Brown Mountain as part of the natural disaster recovery response across the state’s road network.

Brown Mountain natural disaster recovery

Subscribe to receive email updates about this project

Subscribe

Latest news

September 2025 – Final landslip repairs underway

Work to repair the last Brown Mountain landslip site, damaged during the severe natural disaster events in 2022 and 2023 started Monday 29 September 2025 and will be carried out over five months, weather permitting.

The work will see long metal rods (soil nails) drilled into the slope to stabilise the slope material, before covering the slope surface with a concrete shell (shotcrete) that will prevent further erosion and improve overall slope stability.

Work hours are 7am to 6pm on weekdays and from 8am to 1pm on Saturdays.

Changed traffic conditions including single lane closures under stop/slow arrangements and a reduced speed limit will remain in place for the safety of workers and motorists.

Motorists are advised to drive to the conditions, allow an additional five minutes travel time and follow the directions of signs and traffic control.  

The steep and narrow sections of road have created challenges for the work, with machinery operating in spaces narrower than a standard single car garage.
Specialist contract workers installed hundreds of long steel rods, known as soil nails, to help stabilise the landslip area. The soil nails - each up to 11 metres long - were drilled into the slope under the road
Transport for NSW Snowy Mountains Highway works - steel reinforcing mesh is layered.
Transport for NSW Repairs were carried out under difficult conditions with workers either suspended on platforms or abseiling ropes to perform essential tasks, such as spraying a layer of concrete that will prevent erosion during future heavy rainfall events.

Project information

View larger version of map (PDF, 229.48 KB).

Background

Successive natural disasters in recent years, including bushfires and floods, have caused significant damage across NSW state roads on the South Coast.. After severe storms in 2022 and 2023, Transport for NSW continues to repair landslip damage at more than 100 sites on several key state roads. This includes nine landslips on the Snowy Mountains Highway at Brown Mountain.

Repairs have been completed at eight of these sites and planning is under way for repairs at the final site.

Meeting the challenges

Landslip sites can require complex repairs. 

The repairs depend on factors at each site and could include:

  • removing loose rocks, soil and vegetation
  • stabilising and adding strength to the damaged slope
  • upgrading stormwater drains
  • repairing road surfaces and replacing guardrails.

Factors out of Transport’s control can cause delays to our progress with repairs, including:

  • workload – the statewide increase in demand for qualified contractors, equipment and resources could mean longer timeframes for repairs.
  • worksite – steep and narrow sites could create some unexpected challenges.
  • weather - heavy rain and storms could make working conditions unsafe.

Next Steps

Transport for NSW will keep the community informed as the project continues. 

Contact us

For further information about this project, please contact:

Email:  SouthProjects@transport.nsw.gov.au

Mail: Brown Mountain natural disaster recovery project, PO Box 477, Wollongong NSW 2520

Tagged as