General News
13 June, 2025
Crucial link
WORK on the long-awaited new $26 million bridge on Casuarina St, Holloways Beach, is expected to start in September.
Divisional councillor Rhonda Coghlan said the time it had taken to get to this stage had been “frustrating”.
“We’re still waiting on Ergon and permits but the start date is expected to be September or October,” she said.
“I’m hoping the pylons will be in before Christmas so that they can work on the bridge through the wet season.”
Cr Coghlan said the current causeway, which had sunk, would be removed and a new causeway built to the east so residents and other people could have access to the northern side of Holloways Beach. She said the new bridge would be built higher to provide better flood-proofing.
Cr Coghlan said the cost was being met by the Australian Government through the Queensland Reconstruction Authority.
She said it was intended that the new bridge would be completed by the middle of next year.
“I was hoping that it would have happened before the next wet season but that’s impossible,” Cr Coghlan said.
She said the recovery after ex-Tropical Cyclone Jasper in December 2023 was literally taking years.
“The bridge had been held back as the council had to go through a tender process and scoping,” Cr Coghlan said.
“There’s been lots of backwards and forwards.”
Cr Coghlan said the bridge also had to be approved by the state.
“Everyone will be relieved. I will be super relieved. It’s been very frustrating. All the recovery is taking so long,” she said.
A council spokesman said construction of the new bridge was set to begin in coming months, with funding secured through the Australian Government’s Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) under the Restoration of Essential Public Assets (REPA) program.
“The project will deliver an 80m, two-lane bridge with a shared footpath and cycle lane, improving safety and connectivity for the local community,” he said.
“This new structure will improve access for 56 properties that were cut off when flooding from Richter Creek – a distributary of the Barron River – washed out the previous road and foreshore, creating a secondary creek mouth.
“A temporary single-lane crossing was installed within four days of the event and has provided interim access since.
“In addition to improved road infrastructure, the new bridge is expected to reduce flood levels for around 100 surrounding properties during future major weather events.
“Construction is scheduled for completion by June 30, 2026, weather permitting.”
The project launch is expected to come before a council meeting soon.
