The Curious Case of Binnies Road in Ripley

Go and drive Binnies Rd from Deebing Heights to Ripley.

You’ll notice something odd.

Instead of continuing straight, you get sent through tiny estate streets for almost 1.5km.

Want to know why?

We dug through the documents, then turned the answer into 8 cracking graphics.

If you’re not up for a drive…

…you can just walk it using Google Street View:

What do you think?

It’s a beauty road, right?

Binnies Rd western portion runs 1.4 km from Grampian Dr to Daleys Rd and comes with a walking and cycling path and bush on both sides. No houses yet.

Now that you see the road, let’s get into why there’s a missing 337m gap between the completed parts of Binnies Rd.

The Missing Link

Binnies Rd in Ripley was meant to connect Deebing Heights to the Ripley town centre as part of the trunk road network for one of the biggest growth areas in South East Queensland. Most of it is built. One 337m section is not.

A Gap in the Road Network

The road exists on both sides of a 337m stretch that Council calls the Missing Link.

• The PDA: The State declared the Ripley Valley Priority Development Area in October 2010.
• The scale: 4,680 hectares planned for around 48,750 dwellings and 131,000 people.
• The road: Binnies Rd was always part of the trunk network tying the new suburbs together.

Big Beautiful Road

In Ripley Valley, developers build the trunk roads themselves rather than waiting for the State or Council to do it. The State sets the network plan. Each developer builds their slice in front of their land as their estate goes in.

Aurora Built the West

Orchard built the western section of Binnies Rd as part of the Aurora estate.

• The developer: Orchard (Daleys Developments Pty Ltd) started Aurora in 2020.
• The deal: Developers claim infrastructure offsets back against their charges.
• The completion: Aurora’s final infrastructure offset claim was approved on 27 May 2025.

Then It Stops

Smack in the middle, the asphalt ends. 337m of dirt sits between the two finished sections. Just a track worn through the grass where the bitumen should be.

Cadence Built the East

The east side of the gap was finished by AV Jennings as part of the Cadence estate.

• The developer: AV Jennings Limited built the eastern section as part of the Cadence estate.
• The approval: Application 2452/2020/PDA was approved on 23 November 2021.
• The completion: Construction ran 2021 to 2024 with the Cadence trunk road offset approved on 1 May 2024.

The Long Way Round

There’s no main road detour around the gap. To get across, drivers cut through Cadence itself on streets that were never designed to carry through traffic.

Residential Streets Doing Trunk Road Work

Tempo Drive, Rhythm Road and Daleys Road are carrying the load.

• The detour route: Tempo Drive, Rhythm Road and Daleys Road link the two finished sections.
• The cost to residents: Through traffic past front yards and driveways that were sold as quiet residential streets.
• The reality: This is the everyday cost of an unfinished trunk road.

Bad Timing

Aurora started in 2020. Cadence was approved in November 2021. Both estates built their sections of Binnies Rd as they rolled out. The middle block came later.

The Middle Came Last

By the time the middle parcel had a plan, Binnies Rd already existed on both sides of the gap.

• Aurora (west): Started construction in 2020.
• Cadence (east): Approved November 2021, built 2021 to 2024.
• Sunnyvue (middle): HB Land bought the parcel on 27 November 2023, approved February 2026.

Not Empty Land

The map makes the gap look simple. It was not just vacant land waiting for bitumen. Existing homes still sat along the Binnies Rd frontage beside Sunnyvue, and Sunnyvue did not have approval until February 2026.

Why the Gap Stayed

While the estates on either side built their sections, the final 337m stayed unresolved.

• Existing homes: House lots still sit along the Binnies Rd frontage beside Sunnyvue.
• The owner: HB Land Pty Ltd, an Australian subsidiary of Singapore-listed Ho Bee Land Limited.
• The purchase: HB Land bought 187-197 Binnies Rd on 27 November 2023.

A Way Through

Council approved a 127-lot estate called Sunnyvue at 187-197 Binnies Road in February 2026. The Missing Link is now a condition of approval. HB Land Pty Ltd cannot register the first 38 lots (Stage 1) until road construction has substantially commenced.

The Road Tied to the Estate

The road is now tied to the development of the middle parcel.

• The approval: DA reference 4815/2024/MAPDA/A, approved 12 February 2026.
• The condition: No Stage 1 lot registration until road construction has substantially commenced.
• The trigger: Detailed design approved, construction tender awarded, and physical works on site.

Not Closed Yet

April 22, 2026. HB Land Pty Ltd lodged the engineering drawings with Council. 36 sheets covering earthworks, the road itself, drainage, sewerage, signs and linemarking. Certified by an RPEQ engineer.

Plans Lodged, Awaiting Approval

The plans are real. The road is not built yet. The detour stays until construction starts.

• The package: 36 sheets prepared by Colliers and certified by Andrew Ngo (RPEQ 12329).
• The status: Every page stamped Not for Construction, awaiting final Council approvals.
• The next step: Council approval of the roadworks compliance package, then construction.