The new Fernside Bridge is officially open, delivering safer, more reliable access for Fernside Road residents and marking the completion of Lismore City Council’s 11-bridge renewal program.

The upgraded structure replaces the ageing 1961 timber bridge and stands more than a metre higher, offering greater flood resilience for a community that has lived with isolation during major weather events.

At the opening, Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin said the moment carried added significance because it represented the end of a long-running program to replace damaged and outdated bridges across the LGA.

“Today’s a cause for celebration,” she said. “This is the 11th and final bridge Lismore City Council has led in this program, and when you open something that’s been built back better, it really is worth celebrating.”

She said locals had already shared their gratitude: “The Mayor and I just walked up the road a bit and talked to one of the locals. She’s already thanked us. She said it was fantastic. She loved it.”

The $1.6 million project was delivered by Council with support from the NSW Government, employing more than 30 local subcontractors and suppliers. Mayor Steve Krieg said the investment stayed where it mattered.

“Using our local subcontractors and our local council staff keeps that money in the local economy,” he said. “It means that money doesn’t leave our LGA, it stays right here where we so desperately need it.”

Cr Krieg said the new bridge offers a lifeline during emergencies, particularly for the rural residents who endured long periods cut off during the 2022 flood.

“During the flood the water got right up to houses here,” he said. “The old bridge was a timber structure built 65 years ago and a lot lower. This will allow far greater access even in those high rainfall events. Nobody wants to be isolated, and these bridges are really critical.”

Lismore City Council Bridge Engineer Steven Bennetts, who has overseen all 11 bridge upgrades, said the Fernside structure is designed to withstand significant weather events.

“The bridge is approximately 1.2 metres higher than the old structure,” he said. “We’ve increased the waterway area too, so it allows more water to flow underneath and helps with flood height levels.”

He explained that the new 26-metre single-span design removes the need for central piers, improving both strength and resilience.

“There’s no pier lines underneath,” he said. “You’ve basically got abutments either side. That’s the longest span you can get with the type of plank we use.”

Additional works included sealing the approaches and adding scour protection to prevent erosion.

“We’ve done a lot more scour protection upstream and downstream,” Bennetts said. “It all helps make the bridge more resilient.”

While Fernside Bridge is the final to open under the program, its completion ties together a much larger recovery effort that has stretched from Terania Creek to Nimbin and Rosebank.

Cr Krieg said that sense of security is at the heart of why the project matters.

“We met a gentleman today who’s still reliving the trauma of being isolated during the flood,” he said. “Having infrastructure that can withstand moderate to major floods is really important. It ensures people aren’t cut off when they most need connection.”

For the residents who rely on this bridge every day - families, farmers, and the rural community - its opening is more than an engineering milestone. It’s a step forward in building back stronger.