Flood-Prone Caboolture River Road in Rocksberg Set for Long-Awaited Upgrade
Caboolture River Road in Rocksberg, a vital route for farmers and residents travelling between rural properties and the nearby towns of Caboolture and Morayfield, is set for a long-anticipated upgrade after years of disruption caused by flooding. The low-lying causeway has frequently gone underwater during heavy rainfall, cutting off access and forcing locals and emergency services to take long detours.
A lifeline too often lost to water
The road passes through farmland and serves as one of Rocksberg’s key connections to essential services, including schools, shops, and health facilities in Caboolture and Morayfield. During the wet season, parts of Caboolture River Road — especially near the Caboolture River crossing — are often submerged, halting travel for hours and sometimes days until the water recedes. Residents have long called for the road to be raised to prevent these recurring closures.
Rocksberg sits within the council’s “Rural North” catchment, outlined in Moreton Bay’s Rural North Transport Network Plan and Local Government Infrastructure Plan (LGIP). These documents identify transport priorities for rural areas and note the challenges of maintaining older road networks built for smaller traffic volumes. Many of these routes now carry rural vehicles, school buses, and local commuters, creating safety and maintenance concerns.
The Caboolture River Road project reflects a growing focus on rural resilience in council planning, particularly as the region adapts to more frequent severe weather events. Moreton Bay recognises that improving flood immunity on rural roads is essential for maintaining access to services and supporting the agricultural economy.
Improving flood immunity
A joint project between Australia and the City of Moreton Bay, this will upgrade the Caboolture River Road causeway to improve flood immunity and make the route safer for rural traffic. According to the Infrastructure Investment Program, the project is valued at $1.43 million. The works are scheduled to begin in July 2025 and conclude by April 2026.
The scope includes raising the causeway, adding concrete pavement scour protection, and installing additional drainage culverts to improve water flow and reduce flood-related closures. The Department of Infrastructure states the aim is to “improve flood immunity and associated trafficability of the causeway.”
This project forms part of the council’s broader 2025–26 capital works program, described as one of Moreton Bay’s largest infrastructure investments, which allocates record funding for rural and suburban roads across the region.
Community impact and local reactions
For Rocksberg residents, the announcement brings a sense of cautious optimism. Locals have raised concerns for years about the difficulties caused by flooding, especially when storms cut off their only direct route to town.
During recent weather events, multiple road closures were conducted across Moreton Bay, including Caboolture River Road, McNamara Road, and Browns Crossing, isolating sections of the community. Residents said the closures disrupted daily routines, delayed school commutes, and created lengthy detours to reach essential services.
While the road upgrade is a modest step in terms of funding, it carries significant local importance. The project is seen as recognition that rural infrastructure needs sustained attention — not just one-off fixes when weather strikes.
Future Plans
Once the Caboolture River Road works are complete, Council has signalled that additional flood-prone sections of the road may be reviewed for future upgrades, depending on available funding.
For a community that has endured both storms and years of waiting, the Caboolture River Road project represents practical progress — a move toward making rural travel safer and more reliable in the heart of Moreton Bay.
