Kennedy Developmental Road
Road Connectivity
An integrated and efficient road transport network is critical for economic stability and growth in Far North Queensland, a region of 380,000km² which includes some of the nation’s most remote communities. The region’s inland roads and Cairns’ access to the northern beaches and Tablelands play a vital role in enabling the productivity of northern Australia and the contribution to the national economy through improved connectivity to southern markets. The disruption and dislocation to these road networks in the wake of ex-Tropical Cyclone Jasper have underpinned the importance of these links to the region and indeed, to the nation. Growth in population, employment, tourism and freight volumes coupled with the increasing importance of food security, means safety and capacity requirements will only be exacerbated. Investment in FNQ’s road connectivity is crucial to avoid nationally significant productivity losses, to connect rural and remote communities and to ensure continued regional and state economic development.
The Kennedy Developmental Road is a key strategic link from northern Australia to the southern freight hubs of Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne. The road is central to tourism, horticulture, freight and cattle movement through Queensland’s north and north-west region. However, for many years sections of the road remained unsealed, causing safety issues for locals, tourists, and transport operators that regularly used the road.
From mid-2017 to 2020, under the Northern Australia Roads Program, the Department of Transport and Main Roads completed sealing 42km of the Kennedy Developmental Road (The Lynd – Hughenden). In 2018, $50m was committed under the Roads of Strategic Importance to progressively seal a further 48km of the Kennedy Developmental Road (The Lynd – Hughenden), construction was completed in late December 2023.
With this project now completed, only 10.8km of unsealed sections remain along the Kennedy Developmental Road.
Sealing the final 10.8km of the Kennedy Developmental Road and completing the White Cliffs realignment would be of significant economic benefit to the region, providing a direct transport corridor for primary producers to freight goods from FNQ to our southern markets faster and more reliably than the existing Bruce Highway route.
The recent widespread flooding in the wake of ex-Tropical Cyclone Jasper and increasing frequency of extreme weather events has highlighted the both the fragility and importance of our transport networks and of the value of providing a secure inland alternative.
Sealing the Kennedy Developmental Road in its entirety is a priority project that would provide a year-round, all-weather route to southern markets for agricultural produce and livestock, reducing costs and increasing safety for all road users.
Funding
This project was jointly funded by the Australian ($40 million) and Queensland ($10 million) Governments. In February 2025, Prime Minister Albanese committed an additional $70 million to sealing the final 10.8km of the Kennedy Developmental Road.
Benefits to the region
• Increases resilience – would provide an alternate supply route to FNQ, vital when the Bruce Highway traffic is disrupted due to extreme weather events.
• Reduces freight costs between FNQ and southern market, supporting the sustainability of primary production in northern Australia.
• Increases regional economic development, supporting growth in agriculture, mining and tourism sectors.
• Enhances supply chains and increases sovereign capability.
Recommendation
The Australian Government delivers their commitment of $70m to seal the final 10.8km of the Kennedy Developmental Road and complete the White Cliffs realignment to ensure this key strategic route between Cairns and southern freight hubs is sealed in its entirety.
Last updated: July 2025
Advocacy
