Road access across the Northern Territory is under strain following weeks of heavy rainfall, with authorities prioritising key highways as widespread damage continues to disrupt transport, logistics, and daily travel, according to a report by the ABC.
Since February, persistent rain has affected large parts of the territory, particularly in the Katherine and Daly River regions, leaving roads flooded, degraded, or unsafe. Government data shows 76 roads are closed and 26 are impassable, while another 66 are flagged with surface hazards.
The focus for now is on keeping major corridors open. The NT Government said maintaining access along the Stuart, Barkly and Victoria highways remains the immediate priority, before efforts shift to reconnecting remote communities.
Infrastructure Minister Bill Yan said the full extent of the damage is still being assessed, with some areas yet to be inspected due to ongoing flooding. Repair costs have not been finalised, with additional pressure coming from rising fuel prices, which are expected to affect operational expenses.
"We've seen the highest level of road issues I think ever in the Territory's history,” he said. “The increase in fuel prices will affect the delivery of services for these road repairs. We're yet to determine exactly what it's going to cost."
Repair efforts are already underway, involving Northern Territory Government crews, local councils, and external contractors. Additional workers have been brought in from interstate to support recovery operations.
At the same time, local authorities are dealing with the cumulative effects of the wet season. In Darwin, road maintenance teams have been working through a high volume of pothole repairs.
"Since November we've completed over 900 jobs, which could be anywhere from three to 10 potholes per [job], so easily over a thousand or more potholes have been filled,” Darin City Council senior coordinator civil infrastructure Aaron Caelli said.
Industry groups say the disruption is exposing longer-term issues with road quality in the territory. Simon Matthias, chief executive officer of the Automobile Association of the NT, said conditions were already below standard before the recent weather events.
"Every time we have a significant rain we're getting potholes, roads are getting cut off and it's affecting daily life, it's affecting tourism, and it's affecting logistics,” Matthias said.
Yan said the government is open to additional support but is working through how to ensure any external assistance meets required standards.
"The trick will be for those regional areas is to make sure if we've got someone from a station with machinery coming in to assist us, that they're doing it to the standard that we need. I have no doubt that they will, but we're working through that as we speak,” Yan said
