Queanbeyan council has defended its handling of the major Monaro Street closure amid blowouts to its timeline and cost. Photo: Kim Treasure.
Queanbeyan council has blamed incorrect drawings from 1929 for a stormwater drain being missed during the Monaro Street infrastructure project.
The main traffic route through Queanbeyan has been closed for works since early March. It was expected to reopen in September 2026, but earlier this month, Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council (QPRC) admitted that the timeline would be extended and $3 million would be added to the bill.
It’s all off the back of a problematic stormwater main, which was discovered closer to the surface and in a different position than anticipated.
In response to questions from Region, a council spokesperson confirmed the discovery was made during excavation work on 13 March 2026.
They said that various investigation methods – such as surface markers and geotechnical investigations – are used to find and track underground infrastructure, but they didn’t “encounter” this stormwater main.
“Camera investigation only provides a view of the internal condition of the main, but does not provide an accurate location and would not have identified its peculiar external design or given an assessment of the type of construction.”
But a retired engineer doesn’t believe that the stormwater main was only recently found.
In a council public forum, he argued the stormwater main should have been detected during inspections before the project began.
He also said the council’s own drawings, prepared for the project in 2021, showed the location of the stormwater main.
“Significant information conflicts … with other council records and also conflicts with information placed on the public record by council since works began,” he said of information made available in council documents.
He also alleged that QPRC had failed to comply with NSW legislative requirements regarding the council’s contract register.
When asked about those claims, the council spokesperson said that earlier versions of the drawings varied.
“The alignment of the pipe in relation to the travel lane and parking lane was inconsistent between versions of drawings.”
They claimed that documents from 1929 indicated it was further underground, but the excavation works found it had only 325 millimetres of cover at its shallowest point.
According to the spokesperson, the pipe lacks reinforced steel (which is used in modern stormwater pipes) and has a “peculiar shape” that raises questions around its structural integrity.
The works to fix this will extend the closure of Monaro Street by at least eight weeks.
“The structural capacity of the stormwater main is insufficient to withstand the current vehicle load limits,” the council meeting papers outline.
“The stormwater main is owned and controlled by council and was installed prior to the approval by Transport for NSW for the road to be used by heavy vehicles.”
Publican Anthony McDonald believes the extended closure risks “quite catastrophic” outcomes for affected businesses. Photo: Kim Treasure.
Queanbeyan Regional Business Chamber president and publican Anthony McDonald described the extended closure as being “quite catastrophic” for businesses along Monaro Street.
“If it was foreseeable – and they didn’t see it – that’s very disappointing,” he told Region.
“You’ve got a number of businesses along that strip who are struggling now … Let’s hope it’s done before we hit the Christmas trade. But there’s probably some risk around that as well.”
Affected businesses will meet later this month.
Looking to the future, Mr McDonald believes this could be the start of a renewed push for a permanent move to keep heavy vehicles off Monaro Street once it re-opens.
Mr McDonald said recent weeks have seen a “groundswell” of support for the idea, but acknowledged that it will depend on discussion with the state government.
“The amenities for all and sundry would be far more enhanced [than they were before the upgrade began] if they were never to return.
“In every conversation I’ve had, each of the principals of the transport companies has reminded me that the Ellerton Drive extension was to do exactly what I’m proposing.”
When asked about calls for the state’s road minister to take over the Monaro Street upgrade, the council defended its handling of the project.
“We are working closely with Transport for NSW on this project and making this decision to resolve the structural integrity of the stormwater main means work can continue and be completed as soon as possible.”
Original Article published by Claire Sams on Region Canberra.
