Months-long stabilisation works close Harry Graham Drive, with reopening planned for mid-2026 weather permitting

Extended closure begins on key escarpment link

Harry Graham Drive, the steep escarpment access road linking Mount Kembla with Mount Keira Road and Clive Bissell Drive, has entered a new months-long construction phase that will keep a major section closed to all traffic.

The current stage of work restarted on Monday 19 January 2026 after the road was temporarily reopened for the Christmas period from Saturday 20 December 2025. The works program is scheduled to run through to at least late June 2026, with project information indicating construction is expected to continue until July 2026 provided conditions allow.

Why the works are required

The route sits on the Illawarra escarpment and has a documented history of instability. Road managers have previously cited rockfall risk, slope movement and erosion associated with heavy rainfall as recurring issues on the corridor. The drive has been subject to multiple rounds of stabilisation and repair over many years, including works near the Wollongong Motorcycle Club completed in 2022.

Earlier investigation activity in 2020 also focused on a significant embankment failure near Brandy and Water Creek, highlighting the ongoing sensitivity of the road reserve to wet-weather impacts and ground movement.

What construction will involve

The current phase targets the section between the Wollongong Motorcycle Club and Kembla Village. The planned stabilisation and road rebuild elements include:

• sheet piling and a concrete capping beam to support the embankment
• new road pavement
• installation of a traffic barrier on the outside edge of the embankment

Project information also indicates three trees will be removed as part of the works, with replacement planting planned at another location under council policy settings.

Access restrictions and impacts on trail users

During construction, the closure zone runs from south of the Wollongong Motorcycle Club to north of Kembla Village. Road users are advised there is no access through the worksite for vehicles, cyclists or pedestrians, including outside work hours and on weekends. The section north of the main worksite toward Morans Road is designated for resident access only while construction continues.

For recreational users, access arrangements have been publicised for the Kembla mountain bike network during the upgrade, including a primary access point via Mount Keira for beginner trails, and limited access from Kembla Heights for more advanced routes, with requests not to park on the roadside to avoid congestion and safety risks.

Reopening timelines remain conditional on weather and site conditions, reflecting the challenges of escarpment construction and slope stability work.

Timeline to watch

Key dates currently in place are the resumption of works on 19 January 2026 and a reopening target around mid-2026, with construction expected to continue until July 2026 if weather conditions are favourable.