Tenterfield Shire Council has welcomed the completion of five major bridge projects across the Shire, marking an important milestone in restoring and strengthening local road connections.
The bridges are expected to improve safety, reliability and access for residents, farmers, transport operators and emergency services.
The completed projects are:
- Springfield Road over Mole River
- Tooloom Street over Acacia Creek
- White Swamp Road over Koreelah Creek
- Patersons Road over Acacia Creek
- Billirimba Creek bridge replacement on Billirimba Road
Four of the bridges were funded through the NSW Government’s Fixing Country Bridges program, administered by Transport for NSW, while the Billirimba Creek bridge was jointly funded by the NSW and Australian governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).
Together, the five projects represent a total construction value of more than $6.4 million, with most funding provided through the two programs.
NSW Minister for Roads and Regional Transport Jenny Aitchison said bridges were among the most important pieces of infrastructure in regional communities.
“Bridges are the great connectors in regional communities. They connect people to jobs, businesses to markets, families to essential services and communities to each other.
“When a bridge goes out, it’s not just a road closure, it can cut off entire communities and have a real impact on daily life, especially during natural disasters.
“These five new bridges across Tenterfield Shire are about making sure local communities can stay connected, safer and more resilient for years to come.”
Minister for Recovery and Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin said the bridges would help communities remain connected during times of crisis.
“We know how critical it is for people to be able to get to where they need to, when they need to, and these new bridges will ensure residents across the Tenterfield community can access the services they need and go about their business safely.
“Memories of the impacts of the 2022 floods remain fresh amongst locals, so I’m pleased that these bridge works can give communities some reassurance that Tenterfield will be more resilient in the face of future flood events.”
Mayor Bronwyn Petrie said the projects highlighted the importance of state funding in delivering essential infrastructure for rural communities.
“Tenterfield Shire has 152 bridges that serve as critical infrastructure links for our communities,” Cr Petrie said.
“The funding has allowed Council to deliver essential works that simply could not be funded through rates alone. We’re extremely grateful for the support.”
Construction faced several challenges, with multiple flood events and ongoing wet weather associated with Tropical Cyclone Alfred significantly affecting the works program.
Council’s Director of Infrastructure Services Matthew Francisco praised the construction team and the quality of the completed projects.
“Despite difficult conditions during construction, the bridges have been built to a high standard and are designed to meet the increasing needs of the Shire into the future,” he said.
“They will ensure safe access and connectivity, reduce ongoing maintenance requirements and support the long-term resilience of Tenterfield Shire’s road network.”
Council said it would continue working with state agencies to advocate for investment in critical infrastructure supporting safe and reliable access across the Shire.
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