$365k Awarded to Council for Lavenders Bridge Flood Resilience Study
Published on 01 November 2024
Bellingen Shire Council has been awarded $365,000 grant under the NSW Flood Recovery and Resilience Grant Program to kick off the essential groundwork for upgrading Lavenders Bridge—a bridge that’s critical to our community but is frequently cut off by flooding. This funding, from the federal government and administered by NSW Government, will allow us to explore how we can make the bridge more resilient, ensuring reliable access and safety for residents during emergencies.
Mayor Cr Steve Allan shared his enthusiasm for the project: "Lavenders Bridge is more than just a crossing point. It’s a lifeline that links the north and south sides of Bellingen, connecting families, businesses, and emergency services. Every time it floods, our community feels the impact."
The bridge typically floods at a level of 4.6 to 4.7 metres, cutting off residents in North Bellingen from essential services and emergency access. "When the bridge closes, we’re faced with significant challenges—from disrupted daily life to increased demands on our SES and Council crews for clean-up efforts,” Mayor Allan continued. “Every flood closure brings a cost, both financially and in terms of community safety.”
With this funding, Council can assess options for Lavenders Bridge that consider alignment, height, bridge configuration, and hydraulic impacts. Detailed surveys and technical investigations will lay the foundation for a resilient design blueprint, ready to seek construction grant opportunities when it becomes available.
The goal of this project is straightforward yet vital: to reduce the bridge’s vulnerability to flooding. With this funding, Council will develop a ‘shovel-ready’ design, positioning us strongly for future funding opportunities. By completing essential design and cost estimation work now, we’ll be well-prepared to submit competitive bids to bring a resilient, flood-resistant bridge to fruition. This work supports a long-term vision of a Lavenders Bridge that can reliably withstand significant flood events, ensuring consistent access and safety for our community.
“This project goes hand in hand with our other flood resilience efforts, like improving evacuation routes in North Bellingen and collaborating with Transport NSW on raising parts of Waterfall Way,” said Mayor Allan. “We’re committed to keeping our community safe, connected, and resilient.”
The Lavenders Bridge upgrade investigation is one of several resilience projects aimed at preparing Bellingen Shire for future flood events and ensuring that vital connections remain open when they’re needed most. Council and the community look forward to seeing this project take shape, thanks to the support from both state and federal governments.