Wisemans Ferry Road Natural Disaster Recovery
2021-2022 natural disasters and storm events saw several sites along Wisemans Ferry Rd experience widespread damage to the road pavement and embankments.
Construction work to restore the road to its pre-disaster function and enhance its resilience to future natural disasters began in 2024 and is making great progress.
Council has secured $37.35 million in funding from the Australian and NSW Government under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA). This funding supports natural disaster recovery works along Wisemans Ferry Road.
The project aims to:
• Restore the road to its pre-disaster condition
• Improve its resilience to future natural disasters
This investment is part of the Essential Public Asset Reconstruction and the Regional Roads Transport Recovery Package initiatives. This includes $8.9 million in recently announced funding for landslip remediation and embankment stabilisation works along a 1.5km stretch of Wisemans Ferry Rd at Greengrove.
Project details
Greengrove
Funding: $8.99 million
Status: Detailed design phase
Construction timeline: To commence in early 2026 and be completed by June 2027.
The works will involve:
• Construction of a 30m long reinforced soil wall
• Construction of 105m of soil nail shotcrete wall, spread across 3 individual downslope embankment sites
• Minor embankment stabilisation, void filling, crack sealing and guardrail repairs at 5 sites
• Rehabilitation of over 1200m² of road pavement
• Scaling and stabilisation of 7 minor upslope site.
Read the funding announcement here.
Spencer to Wisemans Ferry Landing
Funding: $28.36 million
Status: Construction phase
Construction timeline: Commenced mid-2024, expected completion by early 2026
Extensive slope, embankment and road pavement works have been progressing across multiple locations along this stretch of Wisemans Ferry Road since mid-2024. These works include:
• Road pavement rehabilitation covering approximately 7km of full-width roadway was completed in mid-2025.
• Landslip works to repair and stabilise the road embankment, road pavement and upslope failures at over 38 sites. These works include:
- Construction of soil nail shotcrete walls
- Installation of sandstone block walls
- Placement of rock revetment
- Implementation of horizontal subsoil drainage.
Read the funding announcement here.
Key milestones:
December 2024
Embankment stabilisation works were completed on a section of Wisemans Ferry Road previously impacted by landslips and prone to repeated wet weather closures. As a result, temporary road closures during heavy rainfall are no longer required. Read more about this milestone.
Mid-2025
The single-lane section of the road was reinstated to two operational traffic lanes, improving traffic flow and safety.
August 2025
Construction progressed at a second significant embankment failure site, allowing Council to lift the 15-tonne load limit that had been in place for over 8 years along that stretch of Wisemans Ferry Rd.
Traffic and safety
Traffic control is in place to ensure motorists travel safely though the area. Road users are advised to take care, follow signage and allow extra travel time. Some construction works will require night-time full road closures and electronic messaging boards are being used to notify motorists and residents in advance.
Residents are encouraged to continue to check for updates and information on planned and unplanned road closures as listed on our road closure webpage.
Disaster sites and project updates
This online interactive ‘Disaster remediation site’ map pinpoints each of the 103 natural disaster sites across the Coast (including the sites on Wisemans Ferry Road) and provides current project status information.
We’ll update this information monthly as the status changes and projects move through the investigation, design and construction phases. Residents will receive advice when construction works are scheduled to commence which impact on travel or access to private properties.
View our web page on natural disaster site remediation projects for further information covering all sites across the Central Coast.
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Two sections of the road embankment on Wisemans Ferry Road at Gunderman were severely damaged by weather events in 2012. The natural disaster flooding and storm events of 2021-22 further impacted Wisemans Ferry Road, exacerbating damage at the two existing sites, as well as creating widespread additional damage to the road pavement and embankments, with landslides and rockfalls occurring at multiple locations at through Spencer, Gunderman and Greengrove.
Immediate emergency works were undertaken by Council to reinstate road access and ensure safe use of the road. Signage and barriers were put in place at some sections, with reduced speed limits and the narrowing of the road to a single lane. One section (approx. 10km west of Spencer) required full road closures during heavy rain events due to slope instability and driver safety.
Since this time, Council have completed remediation work at several sites and undertaken road pavement works totalling 7km. Council have continued to work with specialist geotechnical and engineering consultants to develop stabilisation solutions to the multiple failures along Wisemans Ferry Road. This investigative work has enabled Council to proactively apply for the significant grant funding required to proceed with the specialist design and construction of more permanent works to restore and improve the road infrastructure to better withstand severe weather events and natural disasters.
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A significant amount of funding is required to fully restore and improve resilience of the road infrastructure on Wisemans Ferry Road.
Council has worked closely with the Australian and NSW Governments through Transport of NSW to secure the required funding as part of the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) programs.
Funding secured includes:
• Funding under the Essential Public Asset Reconstruction Works (EPAR) to carry out repairs and restore the road to its pre-disaster function.
• Funding under Regional Roads and Transport Recovery Program (RRTRP) to make the road more resilient to future natural disaster damage.
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A section of Wisemans Ferry Road (approx. 10km west of Spencer) was severely impacted by landslips and had ongoing instability with a higher risk of further impacts during significant rainfall (more than 30mm of rain occurs in a 24hr period as per geotechnical expert advice).
As of 18 December 2024, construction works on Wisemans Ferry Road advanced to the point where this section of the road no longer needed to be temporarily closed due to heavy rainfall. Read more about this update.
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Enquiries
For project enquiries, please contact Council on 02 4306 7900, email ask@centralcoast.nsw.gov.au or submit an enquiry through our online Customer Service Centre