Restoring access and livelihoods for alpine communities: Bogong High Plains Road Landslip

When a catastrophic landslip severed a vital alpine route, threatening the economy and communities of Falls Creek, Mount Beauty and Bogong Village, our team stepped in to help safely reopen Bogong High Plains Road ahead of the ski season.

A natural disaster brings the Falls Creek ski season to a grinding halt

In October 2022, one of the largest landslips to impact Victoria’s road network in 40 years severed the vital alpine route between Mount Beauty and Falls Creek.

The impacts were immediate. Communities were isolated, Bogong Village was evacuated, and there were serious concerns the 2023 ski season would be lost.

The economic impacts were just as significant, with the Falls Creek Chamber of Commerce projecting more than $90 million in lost tourism revenue and hundreds of jobs at risk if the road could not be opened in time for the ski season.

Location

Victoria, Australia

Client

Whelan's Group, Major Road Projects Victoria (MRPV)

Rapid mobilisation and collaborative engineering

WSP was engaged by Whelans Group as lead designer on behalf of their client, Major Road Projects Victoria (MRPV).

Working in collaboration with Whelans Group and MRPV, an interim solution was developed and delivered within three months. Real-time monitoring and adaptive engineering were key. With the slope still active, unpredictable weather and a constantly shifting worksite, a Trigger Action Response Plan (TARP) was put in place to detect rainfall thresholds and help ensure work could continue safely.

“This was a critical project – there was a risk of further damage due to the inherent instability of the slope and a community cut off, facing disastrous economic ramifications from the landslip," says Darren Paul, WSP’s Lead Technical Director - Geotechnical & Tunnels, and Lead Designer on Bogong High Plains Road Landslip.

Our ability to quickly pull together our team and develop and implement a robust solution stabilised the slope, effectively returning it to nature, and enabling the project to achieve its environmental and sustainability goals.

Darren Paul WSP Lead Technical Director - Geotechnical & Tunnels, and Lead Designer on Bogong High Plains Road Landslip

Darren Paul WSP Lead Technical Director - Geotechnical & Tunnels, and Lead Designer on Bogong High Plains Road Landslip

Livelihoods restored

A single lane of Bogong High Plains Road was safely reopened in April 2023, following the careful excavation and removal of a large volume of unstable landslip debris. A controlled excavation sequence and methodology were used to minimise the risk of further slope movement.

The exciting development happened in time for the ski season – with tourists able to enjoy all the ski fields had to offer. It was a much-needed win for locals following fears of economic devastation should the season not be able to go ahead as usual.

With a permanent presence, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the project team continued working to stabilise the slope and reduce the risk of further events. The permanent works, completed in May 2024, involved the construction of stabilising benches across the slope, resulting in a total of 600,000 tonnes of material excavated.

Advanced technological and scientific solutions

We used new and emerging digital technologies to prioritise safety, ensure quality and deliver the design, slope stabilisation and emergency response on an extremely tight timeframe. These included rapid transmission of digital excavation surfaces which were uploaded to the in-built GPS on the excavators, assisting the operators to excavate to the design surface. We also used drone surveys to verify the excavated surface aligned with the design.

A key innovation was the application of unsaturated soil theory—rarely relied upon for landslip mitigation in Australia. By designing for moisture-controlled slope stability, the team avoided traditional concrete and steel structures, instead using native revegetation and biodegradable coir matting to strengthen the slope and reduce the potential for further landslips and erosion. Hydromulch was used to seed the slope and to promote new vegetation.

Raising the bar for emergency infrastructure delivery

The Bogong High Plains Road Landslip set a new standard for emergency infrastructure delivery, proving that large-scale, technically demanding projects can be executed safely, sustainably, and swiftly—even under crisis conditions.

WSP’s deep understanding of the technical issues and responsiveness were key to the successful delivery of the project. The permanent mitigation work reduces the risk of a future major landslip whilst reinstating the natural beauty of the area for future generations.

Alexis Davison Executive Program Director, Roads Program Major Road Projects Victoria

Alexis Davison Executive Program Director, Roads Program Major Road Projects Victoria

This collaborative model demonstrates how engineering can unite disciplines, sectors, and communities to solve complex problems and deliver lasting value.

By working closely with local businesses, tourism operators, and residents to understand their needs and timelines, engineering solutions were able to be aligned with community priorities. This resulted in public trust around the project and technically sound and socially meaningful outcomes.

Prioritising a nature-based solution was critical in an area known for its ecological beauty and biodiversity. The works not only enhanced slope stability, but they also restored the slope to its natural state, contributing to the long-term health of the alpine environment. It reflects a shift in engineering practice towards low-impact, high-resilience infrastructure that aligns with climate adaptation and sustainability goals.

In a country susceptible to changing climate conditions, the project’s integrated interim and permanent design strategy, real-time monitoring systems, and innovative construction methodologies offer a blueprint for future disaster response across Australia.