SHEPHERD partnered with Quilpie Shire Council to deliver a comprehensive RACAS® road condition assessment across 2,000 kilometres of sealed and unsealed roads. The resulting data is now supporting Council’s forward works programming, funding applications, and strategic road management.
The Challenge
Quilpie Shire Council manages a large, remote road network and required reliable, detailed condition data to support maintenance planning, capital works programming, and evidence-based investment decisions. Council also needed to ensure its road asset data was current and defensible.
The Solution
SHEPHERD completed three engagements with Quilpie Shire Council to survey and assess:
- 200 kilometres of sealed roads
- 1,854 kilometres of unsealed roads
Our RACAS® condition assessment provided:
- Detailed road condition profiles
- Priority works programs to guide future investment
- Side-by-side image comparisons to monitor road deterioration and improvements
- Benchmarking insights to compare asset condition with other councils
What We Did Differently and Why It Mattered
Beyond delivering robust asset data, SHEPHERD’s team worked closely with Council to ensure outputs were practical, actionable, and aligned with local priorities. Council is now using the RACAS® data to develop a four-year rolling program for road maintenance and capital works, as well as to prepare shovel-ready projects that are more likely to attract external funding.
“Fantastic SHEPHERD – great work! Thanks for this robust data, we will be developing a 4-year rolling program for road maintenance and capital works, ensuring a proactive and sustainable approach to infrastructure management. Additionally, it enables us to prioritise and plan shovel-ready projects, making us well-positioned to secure external funding opportunities when they arise.”
— Eng Hwa Lim (RPEng and RPEQ), Director of Infrastructure Services, Quilpie Shire Council
As part of our commitment to the region, SHEPHERD also made a donation to the Quilpie Golf Club in support of the 2025 Quilpie Gold Open.
Delivered in Partnership
Thank you to Eng Hwa Lim and Brian Weeks for their collaboration and leadership in supporting long-term road sustainability in Quilpie. Together, we are helping build better-managed, future-ready infrastructure for regional Queensland.
