Remote community calls for ‘urgent’ road upgrade

A key access road to the community of Tjuntjuntjara in remote Western Australia is in such disrepair there are fears trucks will be unable to take supplies there unless urgent upgrades are made.

Concerns have increased after five trucks became bogged down last week but a funding row with various levels of government has seen no progress in solving the problem.

Tjuntjuntjara is over 1,200 kilometres north-east of Perth and 650km east of Kalgoorlie and is one of Australia’s most isolated communities.

It is accessible by air and just two dirt roads.

The major route was flooded in March and in need of major repairs. It currently takes over 28 hours to get supplies to the community from Ceduna in SA.

More rain last week has exacerbated the problem with the company that delivers fuel to the community saying the roads condition has damaged equipment.

The key issue is ownership with the Shire of Menzies saying the road is the responsibility of the community.

The second road from Kalgoorlie also floods regularly and has been decried as unreliable.