Road, bridge, culvert and causeway repairs are continuing at a fast pace across weather-impacted coastal state forests across New South Wales.

Under the Forest Infrastructure Repair Program (FIRP), Forestry Corporation has this year completed several key road and bridge building projects.

Forestry Corporation maintains a network of forest roads and trails spanning 60,000 kilometres, which complements the public road network and provides access for community use, forest management and fire protection.

More than half of the state forest road network is located within areas that were impacted by flooding.

Weather events damaged between 10,000 and 50,000 kilometres of forest roads prior to the NSW Government providing $60 million in funding spread over three years in 2022 to fix flood-damaged roads, bridges and culverts and restore vehicle access for the broader community.

Forestry Corporation’s Project Supervisor – Forest Infrastructure Peter Walsh said the funding specifically targets repairs to roads and infrastructure in flood-affected Local Government Areas (LGAs) and priorities are major access routes and bridges where significant damage has occurred.

“Restoring and improving vehicle access to the forest estate has been a major focus for Forestry Corporation and a considered approach has been taken to the planning and construction of road, bridge, culvert and causeway repairs with these major works creating employment and adding significantly to regional economies,” Mr Walsh said.

“Under the FIRP project, Forestry Corporation has worked to plan and complete a long list of projects in state forests and has now completed 125 projects under FIRP.

“To date 20 major bridges have been replaced, 14 major bridge replacements have been tendered, 25 landslips have been repaired, more than 1200-kilometres of road has been maintained or reopened, 12 quarries have been expanded, a further four quarry expansions are planned and 102 crossings have been repaired

“A total of 115 projects are now under construction or in the planning or implementation stage across New South Wales,” he said.

Projects that have been completed or progressed in 2024 include:

Mid North Coast 

• Bridge replacement on Blackbutt Road in Bulls Ground SF near Wauchope - Port Macquarie Hastings LGA.
• Two bridge replacements on Frying Pan Road in Chichester State Forest - Mid Coast LGA.
• Completion of a major landslip repair on Pipeclay Road in Lansdowne State Forest near Wauchope – Mid Coast LGA.
• A tender was awarded to Green Construction & Management for the replacement of three bridges and one causeway crossing on Gearys Flat Road in Kippara State Forest near Wauchope - Port Macquarie – Hasting LGA.
• A tender package has been released for crushing gravel in the Razorblades quarry in Kippara State Forest near Wauchope – Port Macquarie LGA.
  
  
  

South Coast 

• A bridge replacement on Native Dog Creek on Clyde Ridge Road in Flat Rock State Forest near Batemans Bay has been completed– Shoalhaven LGA.
• A tender package for the replacement of two bridges on Goanna Road in East Boyd State Forest near Eden has been released – Bega Valley LGA.
• Construction of three bridges on Mountain Road and Ireland Timms Road in Nadgee State Forest near Eden has commenced – Bega Valley LGA.
• A tender package for the replacement of the Western Distributor and Lyons Road bridges in Currowan State Forest near Batemans Bay was released – Shoalhaven LGA.
  
  

In 2022, the NSW Government provided $60 million in funding spread over three years towards the Forest Infrastructure Repair Program to fix flood-damaged roads, bridges and culverts and restore access for forest management and the broader community.

Find out more about Forestry Corporation’s FIRP projects at www.forestrycorporation.com.au