More than half of Queensland's Driver Reviver sites will close next year because they no longer meet health and safety regulations, the Queensland government says.
Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) regional director Adam Ainsworth says all 23 government-owned sites will close following a safety assessment last year.
"TMR made that difficult decision to close those sites because of the investment that was required to keep that network operating," Mr Ainsworth said.
"The volunteer cohort we know is ageing and we needed to take into consideration the accessibility of each of the sites and how easy it is for them to access and maintain.
"That assessment found a lot of the buildings required extensive renovations and were no longer safe for travellers or volunteers."
There are 43 government and privately-run driver reviver sites across Queensland, where local volunteer groups provide refreshments and conversation to encourage motorists to stop and rest.
Mr Ainsworth said some of the sites, including the Gin Gin stop on the Bruce Highway near Bundaberg, would close as early as January 2.
He confirmed all other TMR-owned sites would close next year, but exact dates were yet to be decided.
"We're working with the volunteers and local community groups and we're trying to look at other sustainable options for volunteers to operate the Driver Reviver program," he said.
"But the continuation of this program throughout the holidays won't be happening at the TMR-located rest areas."
Driver Reviver
The Driver Reviver program is a national volunteer-led program targeted at reducing driver fatigue and has operated for more than 30 years.
In the 2022 RACQ annual road safety report, more than 41 per cent of people admitted to driving while fatigued.
Gin Gin Driver Reviver volunteer and local Queensland Country Women's Association President Pam Rebbeck said the closures were a devastating loss as the driver reviver sites "can help save lives".
"We don't want people driving tired, that's what it's all about," she said.
"We realise how vital they are at making people stop to rest their eyes and rest their bodies, to be chatting, having friendly conversations with the people that man these stations.
"We definitely need to keep it going."
Fellow volunteer and Gin Gin teacher Scott Quinn said the driver reviver sites were critical to ensuring drivers took a break on the road.
"We get taught it's one of the fatal five, driving tired, and personally there's a big difference between driving when you're tired and when you're alert," he said.
"It's quite amazing how many people pull in and enjoy the sites.
"The fatigue might be an issue we start to see a bit more of if these sites aren't available."
Mr Ainsworth said the Driver Reviver opening periods and the growing number of alternative stops also played a role in the government's decision.
"We know that the driver reviver sites are only operated generally during the school holidays campaign and driving fatigue happens much more outside that holiday period," he said.
"There's a lot of other rest area sites which are provided by the state and private sector.
"Whilst the driver reviver network will stop at these 23 TMR sites, we would still be encouraging motorists to stop at these [other] locations."
But Ms Rebbeck said the privately run stops didn't offer the same service to motorists.
"People can stop and go into the service stations, but you can't stop and talk to the people serving you for 20 minutes, can you?" she said.
"They're just too busy and it's not personal enough.
"It's about making conversation with drivers and people just relax.
"You can tell them some history of the place if they ask or a short-cut to somewhere else, just making them feel at ease so they can rest up."
In a statement, Driver Reviver Australia Ltd said it understood a number of Queensland reviver sites were currently on land owned by the Queensland government and that the land and facilities would no longer be available for use.
It said it would continue to work with the affected site managers to relocate to new, permanent locations to ensure the program continued uninterrupted.
