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🇦🇺 Australia /Disasters & Emergencies

Only road to famous gardens used for The Great Gatsby shut for a year

From ABC Australia · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • The only road to the popular tourist destinations of Mount Wilson and Mount Irvine in Australia's Blue Mountains has been closed for a year, impacting local businesses.
  • The closure, caused by heavy rain and instability at a hairpin bend, has led to significant financial losses for farms and nurseries that rely on seasonal tourism.
  • While residents can use the road, visitors are barred, and the Blue Mountains City Council expects repairs to finish by July next year, leaving businesses struggling to survive.

The sole road providing access to the picturesque garden estates and nut farms of Mount Wilson and Mount Irvine remains closed to visitors, with repairs not expected to be completed until July next year. This prolonged closure is severely impacting businesses in the Blue Mountains, located about a two-hour drive west of Sydney, which attract thousands of tourists annually and have served as backdrops for films and television shows.

We're scratching our heads to work out how we will survive having another season cut from under us.

— Mark BancroftOwner of Kookatonga Chestnut and Walnut Farm on the impact of the road closure.

Mark Bancroft, owner of the Kookatonga Chestnut and Walnut Farm at Mount Irvine, estimates his business has lost approximately $100,000 since the road was shut to general traffic three months ago. His farm, which generates about 80% of its annual income during the autumn peak season, operates on a "pick-your-own" model. Bancroft explained that pivoting to markets and wholesale buyers would require substantial investment and is not feasible without current income, jeopardizing the business's survival.

It would cost a substantial amount of money to set up for that, and we're not getting any income.

— Mark BancroftOwner of Kookatonga Chestnut and Walnut Farm on the difficulty of pivoting business models.

Rodger Davidson, owner of the Windyridge Nursery and Garden at Mount Wilson, has also suffered significant losses, estimating up to $50,000 from cancelled weddings, events, and a lack of visitors. He faces the challenge of covering ongoing garden expenses with no income, forcing him to use personal funds. Davidson noted that the road closure has also impacted his social life, as he previously relied on interactions with visitors for companionship.

The bills keep rolling for the garden with no income.

— Rodger DavidsonOwner of Windyridge Nursery and Garden on his financial struggles.

The Blue Mountains City Council attributes the road closure to significant instability at a hairpin bend caused by heavy rain in March. The council has received $8.2 million in disaster recovery funding for the repairs, but construction is not anticipated to conclude until the end of July next year. Although residents are permitted to use the road, visitors are restricted unless they are essential workers or providing urgent compassionate care. The closure occurred in April, during the villages' busiest period, leaving local businesses in a precarious financial situation.

I said, 'I'm fine because I've got people coming in … we can talk about the garden, the plants and how to grow them.'

— Rodger DavidsonOwner of Windyridge Nursery and Garden describing his previous reliance on visitors for social interaction.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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