After 3 years of rallying from the local community, the State Government have confirmed repairs of the Blackman River Bridge in Tunbridge are going full steam ahead.
The 175-year-old structure is believed to be the oldest surviving single-span timber bridge in Australia, and was damaged in a deliberately lit fire on Christmas Eve in 2019.
A ‘Save Our Bridge’ Facebook group was setup in early 2023, which has since garnered over 750 members, calling on the State Government to speed up the repair process.
The bridge sits on the boundaries of both the Southern and Northern Midlands councils, leaving works to repair the bridge up in the air over recent years.
The Department of State Growth say they have now commenced procurement of suitable timbers for the beams and decking, after the Southern Midlands Council requested restoration using timber with traditional methods.
Following harvesting, the timber will be prepared and stored for seasoning, with construction expected to commence in early 2024.
Transport Minister Michael Ferguson says he empathises with local residents who use the bridge and “have been frustrated by the length of time it has taken to reach agreement on the construction materials”.
State Growth say the bridge will likely require a reduced speed limit to be applied for the safety of all future users.
