Work on the Hawkesbury's historic 1830's era Thomas James Bridge on Settlers Road at Lower Macdonald is now complete, following a two-year journey to not only restore the historically significant bridge but also provide a resilient connection between Wisemans Ferry and the Macdonald Valley.
The $17.5 million project was jointly funded by the Australian and NSW Governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA), with Hawkesbury City Council overseeing the work, supported by Transport for NSW and the NSW Reconstruction Authority.
The bridge was damaged significantly during the floods in 2022, including the near total collapse of the eight-metre-tall sandstone retaining walls supporting the bridge's abutments.
Built in the 1830s using convict labour, it is the oldest bridge still in use on the Australian mainland, adjoining the world heritage-listed Old Great North Road which connects Sydney to the Hunter Valley.
The extensive restoration required a tailor-made engineering solution designed in close consultation with heritage experts, including the excavation of the site down to the bedrock to install new steel and concrete footings and drainage that will be resilient in the face of future flooding and rain events.
Its hand-cut sandstone block retaining wall - erected by convict labour - had to be carefully disassembled with each block numbered, original position recorded and placed into storage until the wall could be reassembled meticulously. The timber bridge deck was also reinstated to maintain the historical significance and visual characteristics of the site.
Concurrently, work also took place to clear and stabilise a significant 250-metre-long rock slip between the bridge and the Wisemans Ferry crossing that partially buried Settlers Road. Working in partnership with Central Coast Council, as Settlers Road is the boundary between the two LGAs, this package of work was completed without further compromising access into or out of the valley.
Quotes attributed to Federal Minister for Emergency Management, Kristy McBain:
"The Australian Government is partnering with state and local governments to not only repair roads damaged in natural disasters, but to build them back better and more resilient to future events.
"As we step deeper into the Higher Risk Weather Season, it important that we ensure roads and bridges are safe to use so that communities remain connected when emergencies hit.
"The completion of restoration works on the historic Thomas James Bridge, allowing access between Wisemans Ferry and the Macdonald Valley, outlines the Federal Government's commitment to keeping Australians safe and connected."
Quotes attributed to the Member for Macquarie, Susan Templeman:
"This has been an extraordinary engineering achievement to restore and preserve for the future the oldest in-use road bridge on the Australian mainland, part of the World Heritage Listed Old Great North Road.
"Unlike road damage from previous floods in other parts of the Hawkesbury, this restoration was done with a view to continuing to provide access for residents to the fullest extent possible, thanks to federal and state joint disaster recovery funding.
"I commend the contractors for their willingness to work closely with the community, recognising what a vital transport link it is for this community, and I thank the community for their patience in the years of this work being done."
Quotes attributed to NSW Minister for Roads and Regional Transport, Jenny Aitchison:
"This project is a great example of what we can achieve when all levels of government work together with local communities. Rebuilding the Thomas James Bridge has been a careful, complex and deeply collaborative effort, and the result is something the whole region can be proud of.
"By combining local knowledge, heritage expertise and support from both the Australian and NSW Governments, we've been able to restore this historic bridge and strengthen it so it can withstand the challenges of future storms and floods.
"This bridge has connected communities for nearly two centuries, and thanks to this shared effort it will keep doing so for generations to come."
Quotes attributed to NSW Minister for Recovery Janelle Saffin:
"This project shows what's possible when three levels of government work together to support a region's long-term recovery from disasters. We are building back better and more resilient communities.
"This bridge gives communities confidence that they can reach safety during a disaster and that emergency services can reach them when it matters most. It's a structure built to stand strong for generations to come."
Quotes attributed to Hawkesbury City Council Mayor Les Sheather:
"This is the Australian mainland's oldest in-use land bridge. A restoration of this nature on a bridge this old has not been attempted or achieved in Australia before.
"Behind the original and iconic hand-cut sandstone retaining wall lies a carefully engineered and extremely robust foundation that means we won't see a repeat of the damage that threatened to cut off communities north of the bridge following the 2022 floods.
"This bridge stands as testament to our Council's commitment not just to our special history but also to the wellbeing of our residents living in and around the Macdonald Valley."
