In 1906 a local clergyman writing to his son explained: “I have just been on my Bigga trip which was very successful. I left the buggy at Bigga and rode one of my ponies to Reid’s Flat. I wonder if ever you have seen such a road. I have not. The hills are tremendous.”

The Reid’s Flat road originally went from Bigga, down Gunning Mount and The Cobra and on to the Lachlan River. This track was to service its purpose for many years and when the telephone service was extended in the 1920’s it followed this route. In 1928 the first motor car was driven down the Cobra Trail but the return journey was unsuccessful with the three adventurers having to return to Binda, “through Rugby”. In that same year a request was  made by the local Progress Association to have the road properly surveyed, however, the reply from the Main Roads Board was the road was not warranted.

Enlargement of the Wyangala Dam storage area in the early ‘70s resulted in the redesign of the Reid’s Flat Grabine Road junction. Whilst its design was questioned on completion, it has never been changed.

The last major improvement, apart from the removal of the six remaining grids by the council in 1989, resulted in the replacement of the Sandy Creek Bridge with a cement box culvert and subsequent relocation and sealing of the road from Sandy Creek to the Grabine Road. In August 2016 the Reid’s Flat road is in its usual deplorable condition, whilst the entire length of Boiler Hill is ankle deep in corrugated black bull dust or mud. The resources that have been expended on this section of road over the years should have seen it at least paved with bitumen if not gold dust. Despite its low priority in the council’s scheme of things, it carries a significant amount of commercial traffic and shouldn’t be in such a deteriorating state of repair.

During the 30’s the various Government departments were making loans and grants available to  Councils for road improvements and to help with the unemployment problem. It was during this time that the major construction of the cutting around the Waterfall Hill was completed and later, a post and rail safety fence was constructed which miraculously prevented any motorist from “going over the side”. In June 1932 there was a notation that 1600 pounds had been wasted on Boiler Hill.

Following the construction of a bridge over the Lachlan River in 1936 and the increasing traffic volume that followed, the road from the Yewrangara road turnoff to Roach’s boundary was surveyed and formed, roughly on its present location. In 1938 one of the first motor ramps or bypass in the shire was installed between  Portion 92 and 129. Council had resolved not to allow any more public gates on main roads and after lengthy discussions, approval was finally given following the recommendation of the Shire Engineer. The estimated cost of the ramp and its installation was 25 pounds.

Flooding caused the road to be closed on two occasions in the early 1950’s and this resulted in the reconstruction and realignment of the bottom section of the Waterfall Hill. By the middle of the 1950’s, a section of the road at the hairpin bend was becoming impassable during wet weather and a 30mph was imposed on this section of road. During this time, the Council Engineer and two Councillors made an inspection and assessment of the Cobra Trail as an alternate route, however, the problems encountered were insurmountable. It was resolved by Council that the existing road should be maintained and that improvements, realignment and sealing of the troublesome sections should be commenced as soon as funds became available. This work was completed in 1970.