Work to rebuild and repair the MidCoast flood-damaged roads and bridges is continuing, with significant progress being made across the region.
The May 2025 flood caused enormous and life-changing damage across our communities, leaving thousands of sites requiring assessment and repair.
Member for Myall Lakes Tanya Thompson said the recovery was now moving from the emergency response phase into major reconstruction.
“The scale of the damage across the MidCoast is enormous, but our community is starting to see real progress,” Mrs Thompson said.
“Families, farmers and businesses have shown incredible patience while dealing with damaged roads, lengthy detours and disrupted access.
“MidCoast Council deserves recognition for the substantial amount of work undertaken so far, while managing a recovery program well beyond its usual annual roadworks schedule.”
More than $42 million in emergency and immediate repair works has been completed, while funding claims totalling $156 million have been submitted for Essential Public Asset reconstruction works.
“This is not a small repair job. It represents several years’ worth of normal roadworks being delivered at once,” Mrs Thompson said.
The Bight Bridge replacement is progressing through detailed design and tender preparation, with competitive tender pricing expected to be sought later this year. Construction is currently anticipated to begin in 2027.
The preliminary design for the new Tiri Bridge has also been approved. The replacement is expected to be approximately 100 metres long and 2.5 metres higher than the former bridge, with Council planning to seek tenders in October.
Mrs Thompson said the broader recovery must also include funding to rebuild Wingham Memorial Swimming Pool, which has remained closed since the flood.
“The Wingham community should not lose its pool because of a natural disaster. I will continue fighting for the funding needed to rebuild it and ensure this important community facility is restored,” Mrs Thompson said.
“There is still a great deal of work to be completed, but the recovery is moving forward, and I will keep pushing to ensure our communities receive the support they need.”
