General News
11 August, 2026
A first step to opening Quaid Road
A PETITION that attracted 9202 signatures will be presented to the Queensland Parliament as the next step in recognising Quaid Road as a public thoroughfare.
The petition, which was initiated by Iain Edwards who worked on the road, closed on 31 July and is aimed at preventing the permanent closure of the road when the permit allowing access through the National Park expires on 29 March 2027.
Member for Cook David Kempton has made it clear he supports the road being recognised as another public access road to the coast.
“Unless action is taken, part of the road that traverses the National Parks may be permanently closed in March next year when the current permission expires. I do not want to see that happen,” he said.
“It is a stunning drive with unique vistas and landscapes that would attract tourists but more importantly it could serve as an emergency access route before and after natural disaster.”
Quaid Road, which goes from Lake Mitchell at Mt Molloy to Wangetti on the Captain Cook Highway, was the only coastal access road that did not suffer substantial damage during Cyclone Jasper.
Despite the Queensland Government approving construction of the road in November 1983, and it being completed in 1989, it was subsequently closed to the public because it passes through rainforest landscapes and ecosystems that were included within the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area.
Mr Kempton said the next step in the process of getting the road designated as a public access was for the Clerk to the Parliament to present the petition, which is expected to happen at the next sittings.
“The next step then is to prepare a submission to all three levels of government to recognise the road as a public thoroughfare and make the case for funding to repair it to a trafficable standard,” Mr Kempton said.
“There are numerous tourism, commerce and local government agencies, along with businesses and residents from across the north, willing to support this move.
“The petition will be the foundation of this process.”
Mr Kempton thanked everyone who supported Mr Edwards’ petition.
“Thank you to the sponsor Iain Edwards who actually worked on the road, Stacey Quaid for sharing his father’s legacy, all the workers who reunited for the cause, my team who tirelessly supported the petition, all the media outlets who reported on the road and finally all the thousands of you who signed the petition and the tens of thousands who followed the story on social media,” he said.
“It is now settled that Quaid Road was authorised and built to the standard set by the government. It has survived for 35 years and the only thing that is needed for it be opened for us all to use all the time is the will to do it.
“We have just begun in the quest to finally achieve this goal.”
Mr Kempton also advised that a further reunion of workers and supporters was being planned for the near future as well as other community engagement events.
