Condition Data for Remote Roads at Scale

QLD Parks & Wildlife Service
Client
Multiple sites across Queensland, including islands and remote conservation areas
Location
Asset Accounting & Valuation; Road Management Systems (RACAS)
Service Area
July, 2025
Date

Over a two-year partnership, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) engaged SHEPHERD to assess and condition-rate over 1,490 kilometres of unsealed road across 30 national parks, islands, and remote areas. The result is a single, consistent dataset that improves asset valuation, access planning, and disaster response.

The Challenge

QPWS manages an expansive and geographically dispersed road network, including marine and island parks with highly variable access. The agency needed a consistent way to understand road condition across the entire network to support asset revaluation, maintenance planning, and DRFA compliance.

The Solution

SHEPHERD used RACAS® to capture road condition data across 1,490 kilometres of unsealed tracks, including 326 kilometres in 2025 alone. Surveys were completed across locations such as Stradbroke Island, Boodjamulla, Curtis Island, Thursday Island, Norfolk Island, and numerous mainland parks.

Key services delivered:

  • Road condition assessments of unsealed access tracks and park roads
  • RACAS® surveys integrated with QPWS internal systems
  • Support for asset revaluation and maintenance programming
  • DRFA-aligned condition ratings to support disaster funding evidence
What We Did Differently and Why It Mattered

SHEPHERD delivered a single, consolidated dataset for the entire QPWS unsealed road network — something that had not previously existed at this scale. The assessments were tailored to the unique logistical and environmental challenges of remote sites, enabling faster response in flood-impacted areas like Boodjamulla.

With RACAS®, QPWS can now make informed decisions across departments. From engineering to finance, teams are working from the same condition data, improving cross-functional planning and disaster readiness.

Delivered in Partnership

Thank you to Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service for their trust and collaboration in delivering a complex program across one of the state’s most unique and remote road networks. RACAS® continues to support better road data, smarter decisions, and more resilient outcomes across Queensland.