Work will soon recommence on slope stability work on the Wombeyan Caves Road.
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It follows an Upper Lachlan Shire Council decision to award a $1,827,051 contract to Specialised Site Services for additional slope stability work.
CEO Alex Waldron said that work would see access restored to Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve after a lengthy absence.
"It's been a long time since the public has had access to Wombeyan Caves due to a run of disasters and damage to infrastructure," she said.
"The series of disasters began with the Green Wattle Creek fire that started in 2019 and went into 2020.
"That fire heavily impacted on the caves area and then flooding washed a lot of the debris into the recreation area and caves themselves. It made them unusable."
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Slopes on the side of Wombeyan Caves Road were also damaged by the bushfire and flooding. The road was closed in February, 2020, subsequently reopened for a short time but after further flooding and more slope slips in September, 2022, the road was closed a month later.
"In July 2022, the council awarded a contract for the slope stability work and in August, 2022 resolved to proceed with the works as a matter of priority," Ms Waldron said.
"But in October, 2022, just as the council was poised to start that work, we had to pause the project while the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service Wombeyan Caves Tourism project was underway.
"Now we can finally resolve the slope stability problems and then, when it's finished, reopen the road to residents of and visitors to the Shire. But while that work is being completed, it remains closed."
The successful tenderer was also awarded the contract for the initial slope stability work.
The project is funded by the federal government under the NSW floods declaration of 2022.
Meanwhile, the Wombeyan Caves tourism project is nearing completion, offering improved facilities to park users.
The $9.6 million state government project includes improved accommodation, upgraded camping facilities, additional powered sites, upgraded visitor facilities, including ticket office, kiosk, café and amenities, and improved parking.
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