The Wolgan Road is being upgraded as part of a long overdue service for residents in the valley and the regular stream of tourists but made more urgent by the imminent opening of the exclusive Emirates Wolgan Resort and Spa.

The multi million dollar resort is due to open in October and will be one of the most luxurious destinations in Australia.

The cost of work on the Wolgan Road is being shared by Emirates, by Council and by State and Federal Government departments.

There have been regular complaints about the failure of the unsealed sections at the bottom of The Gap, said to be largely due to the unexpectedly heavy volume of traffic associated with the Emirates construction.

But it is The Gap itself, with its reputation for occasional instability in the cliff face, that has caused the most concern.

Recently the Council sought expert geotechnical advice on the best methods of securing the cliff that overhangs the road and where rockfalls have occurred in the past.

As a result the plan is to carry out a program of rock bolting, similar to the system used in the mining industry.

A number of trees whose roots are considered to be contributing to the problem will also be removed.

The work can now get under way thanks to approval of a $145,000 grant from the NSW Government.

This represents half the estimated cost, with the balance being provided by Council.

Council is seeking expressions of interest from experienced rock bolting firms and expects the work to get under way possibly as early as two weeks time.

Geotechnical experts are currently working out where the bolts are to go.