A man with quadriplegia is among about 150 Noosa hinterland residents who remain on the wrong side of an impassable landslide a year after a severe weather event cut access.
The landslide — 150 metres long and 15 metres deep — was caused by the same weather system that resulted in flooding across south-east Queensland in February 2022.
Phil Broad said he constantly worried about the extra distance to emergency services.
"If there's an emergency, I'm in trouble," he said.
About 150 Black Mountain residents were a 10-minute drive from their nearest town, Cooroy, until the landslide cut that route to road traffic.
The residents' alternative — via a precarious, steep, bumpy dirt road — has quadrupled their travel time.
Mr Broad said the landslip jeopardised his essential medical assistance.
"I've had three carers had to resign because it's costing a lot of money for the maintenance on their cars," he said.
Carer Laura Franklin has supported Mr Broad for the past six months.
"My car has been absolutely destroyed by this road," Ms Franklin said.
"The cost of the constant alignment that's needed, the extra servicing, the wear and tear on the tyres.
"We struggle to get people to come up here, not due to staff shortages, it's due to the conditions of the road."
Ms Franklin said the location's inaccessibility could have a detrimental impact on Mr Broad's life.
"It's really worrying. He's very, very vulnerable and requires assistance every day," she said.
"If we can't get up here, we don't know what's going to happen to him and what turns in health he can take."
No easy fix
When the landslide first happened, the Noosa council estimated repairs to the road would take six months, but one year on construction has not started.
Infrastructure services director Larry Sengstock said the landslide was much worse than first realised.
"It's the biggest one we've had in 30 years and it's everything underneath that you don't see," he said.
"It's got natural springs, it's got a lot of water that's been running through.
"It's actually a really deep landslide so there's the whole half of the mountain, essentially twisting.
"It makes it very difficult from an engineering point of view to fix and it's just going to take us longer."
Mr Sengstock said repairs would cost about $25 million.
"We're doing the final planning now, then we go to tender, then it's up to them to bring forward the schedule," he said.
'Living in the middle of nowhere'
In the meantime, residents are struggling with daily life.
Homeowner Tina Sturgeon enjoys rural life on a property with her menagerie of animals including camels and donkeys, but said the restricted access since the landslide was isolating.
"We now feel like we're living in the middle of nowhere because we've got to rattle across a dirt road, down a very steep mountain and travel to town," Ms Sturgeon said.
"It's a long trek, it's very wearing, and it takes a lot of time out of your day, especially if you've got to go to work or drop kids off.
"It's half a day just to get where you're wanting to go and back again."
Ms Sturgeon said the distance was taking a toll on residents.
"So many people up here are having mental issues," she said.
"We just feel lost and deserted basically, like they've offered us no real compensation for it.
"Our property values have probably hit the floor because nobody wants to drive that road to get here so we won't be able to sell until it's completed."
The council said Black Mountain Road would reopen next year.
