The Kings Highway has reopened weeks after devastating bushfires severed the main link between Canberra and the South Coast.
The arterial road, which links Braidwood and Batemans Bay, was engulfed in flames from the 300,000-hectare Currowan bushfire in late December, and later, surrounded by smoke.
It was deemed unsafe to reopen until now, due to bushfire-affected trees, which needed to be removed, and destroyed guardrails and reflector lights — some of which were melted by the intense heat of the blaze.
Crews have worked around the clock since January 6 to repair the damage along the 43-kilometre stretch and ensure the road's safety.
"The Kings Highway is an essential route in and out of the South Coast and our number one priority remains ensuring the safety of the community and all involved in the recovery efforts," Member for Bega and Transport Minister Andrew Constance said.
"Up to 70 workers a day have been on the ground to re-open the Kings Highway since the recovery effort began."
"Work to repair the 43-kilometre section of highway included the removal of around 1,200 hazardous trees, and the repair of 43 damaged guardrails and 500 'cats eye' reflector lights."
Eurobodalla Mayor Liz Innes echoed the pleas of local business owners, for trade to return to the area.
"Bushfires have devastated our community and our landscape, and we're hurting," Councillor Innes said.
"Part of our recovery is the return of visitors — particularly our Canberra friends — to help local businesses get back on their feet.
"We are asking visitors to keep us in their thoughts as they plan travel in the months ahead, and for those coming soon, please pack your kindness and your understanding that Eurobodalla might be a little different for a while."
In towns like Braidwood, which rely on the thoroughfare of Canberrans travelling to the South Coast, the fire has had a "devastating" impact on businesses.
"December and January account for about 35 per cent of our annual turnover and we rely heavily on that bumper-to-bumper traffic that we would normally see this time of year, of all the Canberrans coming through to the Coast," local businesswoman Fiona Mutton said.
"As you can see from the streets outside, it's a ghost town. It could change our beautiful town irreversibly.
"Anything that you could do to help would be so greatly appreciated."
