'We've been abandoned', Cape Tribulation residents strangled by red tape

Tropical Cyclone Jasper caused extensive damage and flooding to the Cape York Peninsula when it hit on December 13, causing a landslide that wiped out part of Noah's Range; an access road south of Cape Tribulation.

For the last three months, residents have fought to rebuild and clean up homes and businesses ahead of their peak tourist season, however, the access road into Cape Tribulation is yet to be restored.

Jeremy and Merran Blockey are regenerative farmers at Cape Tribulation Farms, producers of exotic fruits and their property is a tourist hot spot for cabin stays and fruit tasting.

The commercial orchard has been in the family for 46 years, but this was the first year they had to let fruit rot on the trees due to impassable road conditions.

"We grow over 80 different types of exotic tropical fruits including Breadfruit, Durian, Mangosteen, Rambutan, Jackfruit and Chempadek, Soursop, Mamey Sapote, Black Sapote, Abiu, Pitaya and Maprang," Ms Blockey said.

"With the road closed we haven't been able to get our fruit out, so last week we just had to let the fruit rot on the trees.

"After the cyclone and flood, we only had 10-20 per cent left of our fruit crop. We haven't been able to get that to market because of the road.

"Usually we would be picking and packing the southern markets three to four times a week, and this year we have barely been doing it once a week and the days that we think we are having a win, the road is closed over the range."

Ms Blockey said after losing consistent income from not selling fruit, cabin stay and tour cancellations, she turned to government funding for support, but was met with nothing but red tape.

"The grants have been diabolical. To complete the application for the Queensland government's $10 million Tourism Exceptional Assistance Grants Program you have to go to your accountant, it does not take into account the fact that we have been locked in for 92 days. Also, businesses up here have had quotes of $2500 to $3500 just for what the accountant has to do and we have no income and no way of making an income," she said.

"Anyone in flood affected areas could apply for a $1000 grant, one-off payment. Then there was a power reconnection grant and, when the Business Hub Services came up, everyone was encouraged to apply for it, so we did. Every single person here has been rejected because we are off-grid and we can't show them an Ergon power supply receipt, therefore we are not eligible and don't meet the criteria. The only service of help has been QRIDA's grants.

"We had helicopter after helicopter of politicians come through and everyone in the Queensland Reconstruction Authority, but nothing has happened, there has been no help. It has basically destroyed any hope in us that those agencies are there to help us and that government is there to help us - they've abandoned us.

"It is shocking, basically we are all on our knees and desperate. The (Douglas Shire Council) CEO was up here last Friday for a community consultation and council said they were going to try and open the road for Easter but they won't give us a date."

Cape Tribulation Camping owners Julian and Jacky Pagani said Douglas Shire Council had failed to give reassurance to locals.

"We are still waiting on council to tell us they are going to open the road, they told the whole world on Current Affair last night, but we haven't heard anything from them this morning," Ms Pagani said.

"They've been saying for weeks we might open at Easter and we might open the Bloomfield track by June, but it is really hard to run a caravan park or business without some certainty.

"Easter is usually our busiest time of the year. We are still going to open camping for Easter, but we still have to work out how we are going to get supplies in."

The damage to the road is only one roadblock locals are facing.

There is also extensive damage to Noah's Bridge, which is restricting load limits into Cape Tribulation.

"Last week, there was a five tonne load limit on the bridge, this week there is a 16 tonne limit and they've built a causeway through the creek which they have to rebuild with an excavator each day because it's a tidal creek and washes it away every day," Ms Pagani said.

"Because it's a national park, Wet Tropics has become very difficult and are making them truck out every single bit of dirt and every tree that gets cut down, off the island.

"So there are trucks running back and forth on that road which is damaging it even more and because there is a load limit on the bridge, they are only small trucks and you can't use a truck and dog or a semi to move the debris more quickly."

Ms Pagani said the road closure was also delaying vital repairs to locals' houses and businesses and would have a significant impact on operating tourism vendors this year.

"We are trying to organise electricians, plumbers, we have machinery that needs to come in, graders and gravel to fix the roads that have been washed out; we can't organise anything because we don't know when the road is going to open," she said.

"Some businesses aren't opening for Easter, they can't open because they still have major repairs and are waiting on parts, machinery and water tanks.

"A lot of the big items like zip-lining can't open until they have a certain number of people coming into the area, it's just not viable for them.

"So we are opening at Easter, but from what I can gather there will be no activities for anyone to do, no horse riding, no zip-lining, no snorkel boats and the national parks haven't even fixed the boardwalk. Just our caravan park, the pub, the cafe will open.

"It's $50 on the ferry to come here, then the long delay with the roads, so whoever does decide to come here are making a really big effort to get here, so we are going to do our part and open because those people deserve that."

Cape Tribulation is where two UNESCO World Heritage Sites meet, the Wet Tropics Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef and as a result Wet Tropics Management Authority are working to preserve the World Heritage values of the area.

Executive director Scott Buchanan said the Wet Tropics Management Authority was surveying damage, mapping and working through a thorough impact assessment of the damage and works that would be required to restore connections.

"We advise our partners to ensure that remediation works are completed in an environmentally friendly or 'nature-sensitive' way to conserve the outstanding values of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area," he said.

"The significant amount of rainfall experienced following TC Jasper resulted in a large number of landslips that severely impacted roads and other infrastructure. To open, affected roads, rock and debris needs to be removed. Spoil material is being removed by truck because there are no other prudent and feasible alternatives for disposal without incurring further damage to the World Heritage Area and the Great Barrier Reef.

"Those undertaking the on-ground remediation works have been advised that no more material can be pushed off the road and must be removed from the Area. Cultural heritage monitors have also been engaged to ensure that Aboriginal Cultural Heritage considerations are being respected."

The road infrastructure fall under Douglas Shire Council jurisdiction who said the road would be open to single vehicle access within the coming weeks.

"Emergent works are currently underway. Weather dependent, contractors are working towards having a single lane road open to all vehicles and visitors in coming weeks, under traffic control measures," mayor Michael Kerr said.

"Noah Range is a 56-metre-high landslide which buried the road over the range and into Cape Tribulation under an estimated eight meters of dirt and debris. Crews doing emergent works cut a track through to Cape Tribulation on 24 January 2024, allowing residents vehicle access 42 days after the cyclone cut access on 13 December.

"To improve safety, stability and mitigate ongoing cleanup efforts, crews have constructed a robust platform for vehicle passage, and placed concrete blocks to contain and manage daily debris flows, and implemented new drainage systems and erosion control. Significant geotechnical assessments have also been completed, including borelogs, survey, monitoring of the unstable faces and contracts have been awarded."

Cr Kerr said the road had been open to residents and service providers "most days", between the hours of 4.30 to 7.30 in the morning and evening.

"Tropical Cyclone Jasper delivered the equivalent of two years' worth of rain in just one week creating damage to infrastructure across the Shire. Initial reviews indicate that parts of the shire were effected by a one in 1500 year event," he said.

"Prior to Easter, crews are working to stabilise the open face as much as possible when the weather allows it. As the ground is currently so saturated the risk levels of more landslips are elevated. Reducing this risk is our priority.

"We expect to have one lane open under traffic control measures for all road users through Noah's range, subject to weather leading into Easter.

"Council will work with tourism bodies to ensure Cape Tribulation receives promotional support once the road has fully opened."

The Department of Tourism and Sport spokesperson said they were processing a high number of grant applications.

"The $10 million Tourism Exceptional Assistance Grant was introduced to help businesses impacted by Tropical Cyclone Jasper, with up to $500,000 available for each applicant.

"The grant assessment process has been accelerated to ensure operators know the outcome as soon as possible. The Department has provided funding for a Tourism Recovery Officer in the Far North to assist businesses in completing the application process and any other support they need."

The Queensland Reconstruction Authority spokesperson said they were working closely with Douglas Shire Council in Far North Queensland which estimated its program of Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements works at $125 million.

"QRA has to date advanced $25.8 million to council giving them the confidence to move forward with its recovery program," the spokesperson said.

"The nine hardest hit councils, including Douglas Shire Council, also have an additional $1 million made available through the Local Recovery and Resilience Grants program.

"Key to the long-term recovery of the entire region will be the $111.5 million in extraordinary disaster assistance packages established by QRA as part of the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA). This includes the Tourism Exceptional Assistance Grants which are administered by the Department of Tourism, Innovation and Sport."