Yellow Rock Road is an important link for Tullimbar and Yellow Rock Ridge. Parts of the road are ageing, have safety issues, and struggle with growing traffic. The upgrade will make the road safer for drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists.

The works will include:

• The road pavement in stages 1-2 will be renewed to current design and safety standards.

• Intersections (including Wongawilli Street and Hereford Chase) will be upgraded to improve visibility and traffic flow.

• New parking lanes will help calm traffic and make driveway access easier.

• Better lighting, signage, and line‑marking will improve safety day and night.

• New pedestrian paths and crossings will make it safer to walk around the area.

The project is supported by funding from Council and the Australian Government through the Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure Program, with additional support from the Roads to Recovery program.

Construction is scheduled to start February 2026 and is expected to take about 6-8 months, depending on weather and site conditions.

Utility relocation works will be conducted first, followed progressively by road pavement works.

Due to the size of the project, the pavement works will be delivered in 3 sections. Section 1 will include the extent of Yellow Rock Road between the Illawarra Highway roundabout and the intersection with Wongawilli Street. Section 2 will be the extent between Wongawilli Street and Hereford Chase intersections. Section 3 will be the remainder of works moving south from Hereford chase to the extent of works near Araluen Terrace.

There may be temporary changes such as reduced speeds, lane closures, or short detours to keep workers and road users safe.

The road pavement works will include various full road closures for periods of time. Traffic Management plans have been prepared for each of the pavement works sections establishing the required road closures and proposed detours.

The high-level timing for the pavement works, which is subject to change, is as follows:

• Preliminary works, including drainage, levelling and other utility work, February to March

• Section 1 and 2 pavement work April to May

• Section 3 pavement works June to July

Effected residents will be kept up to date and notified early by Cleary Bros. when their access will be temporarily impacted.

Some paths may be temporarily closed, but safe access will be maintained wherever possible. When the upgrade is finished, walking and cycling will be much safer thanks to improved footpaths, crossings, and lighting.

Excavation and road construction activities are dust and noise generating activities.

To keep the dust levels generated by the project as low as possible, a water cart will be on site at all times. Soil stabilizing methods will be employed where possible and all stockpiles will be covered during windy conditions. Cleary Bros. site supervisor will direct the water cart operator to work in the areas needed most, and will advise residents when higher levels of dust may be unavoidable.

Noise and vibration will be limited as much as possible through the selection of the most appropriate equipment for the works. Construction noise will be limited to operational hours recommended by NSW EPA. Plant and equipment which is used intermittently will either be shut down in the intervening periods between works or throttled down to a minimum.

The contractor’s primary compound is planned to be adjacent to the existing Sydney Water compound area at the corner of Wongawilli Street and Yellow Rock Road. Other areas will be used from time to time as the project requires.

Access to the compound will be off Yellow Rock Road, and the main haulage route will be via the Illawarra Highway/ Tongarra Road.

A variety of machinery will be used during the project, specific to the type of works being undertaken, this may include:

• Excavators

• Rollers

• Dump Trucks

• Asphalting Machines

• Bobcats

• Graders

• Utility Vehicles

• Concrete Trucks

• Water Carts

• Others as required

Permissible construction hours without specific notification are:

• 7am to 6pm Mon – Fri

• 8am to 1pm Sat – No work Sun and Public Holidays

However, Construction will generally take place during standard working hours:

• 7am to 5pm Mon – Fri

Workers in light vehicles will arrive on site before the 7am start times and may remain after the finishing time on any particular day.

Some night works may be needed to reduce traffic impacts or complete critical tasks. If this happens, residents will be notified in advance.

Access to driveways or parking areas may be briefly restricted during certain stages of the work (for example, when new pavement or kerb is being installed). Residents will be notified ahead of time, and the contractor will work to minimise inconvenience.

For any construction-related questions or concerns, please contact Cleary Bros in the first instance.

For general project enquiries or broader concerns, you can contact Shellharbour City Council on 4221 6111.

Cleary Bros. Will also provide regular updates through letterbox notifications and emails to keep residents informed throughout the construction period.

Your bins will still be collected during the works. If construction temporarily blocks access, the contractor may move your bins to a safe pick-up point and return them afterward, or set up a temporary collection area.

In most cases, put your bin out as usual. If a different location is needed, you’ll be notified in advance.

Your collection day will stay the same unless Council advises otherwise.

If you or someone in your household needs special access during construction, please let the project team know as soon as possible.

Cleary Bros. will work with you to plan safe access to your property and make adjustments where needed. This may include timing works around appointments or providing temporary access arrangements.

We don’t expect major disruptions to your utilities. Most services will continue as normal during the works. If any short, planned interruptions are required, residents will be notified in advance by either Council, Cleary Bros., or the relevant utility provider.

If you notice any unexpected outage during construction, please contact your utility provider directly, and let the project team know so they can check if works are affecting the area.