Coman’s Bridge (Eurobodalla Flood Recovery)

Australia’s bridges are vital pieces of infrastructure that connect communities. In rural areas, they offer a lifeline to the outside world. Coman’s Bridge, in the remote town of Nerrigundah, Eurobodalla Shire, was one of 18 timber bridges damaged by 2019’s bushfires.

We were engaged to rebuild the bridge, which had been completely destroyed, while residents made use of hastily constructed side-tracks that went the long way around.

The timber of Coman’s bridge was only restored in 2013. Replacing the destroyed timber with a gravel road, supported by concrete box culverts, enabled us to create a stronger, more robust solution that was not just better at resisting fire, but withstanding the extensive flooding that also hits the region.

Our work with the community, where many of the contractors supporting the project were based, and our respect for the environmentally sensitive creek the bridge crosses, helped us build strong local relationships.

As a result of our efforts we were invited to provide consultancy services for Eurobodalla Council to assess the flood damage of over 60 assets, helping them claim Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA), and continue to meet the challenge of the elements in this beautiful part of the state.