Opinion
23 September, 2025
Opinion: Canyonleigh Road the worst of the worst?
“Canyon,” steep gorges. “Leigh,” a clearing. Welcome to Canyonleigh Road, a road clearing full of gorges, otherwise known as potholes.
“Canyon,” steep gorges. “Leigh,” a clearing. Welcome to Canyonleigh Road, a road clearing full of gorges, otherwise known as potholes.
The Southern Wire receives daily submissions about the state of the roads across the regions we cover. Canyonleigh road from Tugalong road to Inverary road however is so far, the worst stretch of road in the Southern Highlands. One cannot traverse more than a metre without potholes and road damage biting the tyres.
The pictures attached illustrate the complete breakdown of the road. We have feedback from many members of the community who have logged a ‘snap, send and solve’ only to have the case closed without the ‘solve’.
Managing the road network is a huge job for our Shires. Wingecarribee has 270km of unsealed roads and currently budgets $8million annually for sealed and unsealed roads. Council estimated on 28 March 2025 on their website that figure should be as high as $16-$21 million. Council went on to state “… To make a real impact on resident satisfaction, investment in the range of $21 million per year would be needed…”
Wingecarribee currently manage unsealed roads on a 3 yearly rotation. In the June 2025 Council meeting it was noted that $2,484 had been spent on the unsealed section of Canyonleigh Road. Council further noted that Grading is scheduled in 18 months (from June 2025) ideally timed with a $340,000 re sheeting program.
Observing the state of Canyonleigh road it is noted that the budget of $2,484 has increased. Residents though are unlikely to be satisfied with $340,000 and a re-grade in 18 months.
Wingecarribee Mayor Fitzpatrick (pictured) in a video today posted on his Mayoral Instagram page was unable to offer any immediate solutions.
If you have a story about roads in your town or village across the Southern Tablelands, Wollondilly or Southern Highlands send an email to - news@thesouthernwire.com.au
Editor.
𝑇𝘩𝑒 𝑆𝘰𝑢𝘵ℎ𝘦𝑟𝘯 𝘞𝑖𝘳𝑒 ℎ𝘢𝑠 𝑎 𝑡𝘦𝑎𝘮 𝘰𝑓 𝑗𝘰𝑢𝘳𝑛𝘢𝑙𝘪𝑠𝘵𝑠 𝑎𝘯𝑑 𝑟𝘦𝑝𝘰𝑟𝘵𝑒𝘳𝑠 𝑎𝘤𝑟𝘰𝑠𝘴 𝘵ℎ𝘦 𝘨𝑟𝘰𝑢𝘯𝑑 𝑖𝘯 𝘵ℎ𝘦 𝘏𝑖𝘨ℎ𝘭𝑎𝘯𝑑𝘴, 𝑇𝘢𝑏𝘭𝑒𝘭𝑎𝘯𝑑𝘴 𝘢𝑛𝘥 𝘞𝑜𝘭𝑙𝘰𝑛𝘥𝑖𝘭𝑙𝘺. 𝑂𝘤𝑐𝘢𝑠𝘪𝑜𝘯𝑎𝘭𝑙𝘺 𝘸𝑒 𝑝𝘶𝑏𝘭𝑖𝘴ℎ 𝑎𝘯 𝘰𝑝𝘪𝑛𝘪𝑜𝘯 𝘱𝑖𝘦𝑐𝘦 𝘧𝑟𝘰𝑚 𝑜𝘶𝑟 𝑝𝘶𝑏𝘭𝑖𝘴ℎ𝘦𝑟. 𝘛ℎ𝘦𝑠𝘦 𝘷𝑖𝘦𝑤𝘴 𝘢𝑟𝘦 𝘰𝑝𝘪𝑛𝘪𝑜𝘯, 𝑎𝘳𝑒 𝑖𝘯𝑑𝘦𝑝𝘦𝑛𝘥𝑒𝘯𝑡 𝑎𝘯𝑑 𝑑𝘰 𝘯𝑜𝘵 𝘳𝑒𝘱𝑟𝘦𝑠𝘦𝑛𝘵 𝘵ℎ𝘦 𝘷𝑖𝘦𝑤 𝑜𝘧 𝘰𝑢𝘳 𝘱𝑢𝘣𝑙𝘪𝑐 𝑖𝘯𝑡𝘦𝑟𝘦𝑠𝘵 𝘫𝑜𝘶𝑟𝘯𝑎𝘭𝑖𝘴𝑡𝘴 𝘢𝑛𝘥 𝘳𝑒𝘱𝑜𝘳𝑡𝘦𝑟𝘴 𝘯𝑜𝘳 𝘵ℎ𝘦 𝘦𝑑𝘪𝑡𝘰𝑟𝘪𝑎𝘭 𝘪𝑛𝘥𝑒𝘱𝑒𝘯𝑑𝘦𝑛𝘤𝑒 𝑜𝘧 𝘛ℎ𝘦 𝘚𝑜𝘶𝑡𝘩𝑒𝘳𝑛 𝑊𝘪𝑟𝘦.
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