End of the Line: Junee’s Kemp Street bridge demolished after 80 years

FOR the first time since 1944, there is nothing above the tracks at Kemp Street.

The town’s landmark bridge is gone — dismantled in a delicate, tense, and highly technical three-day operation that brought hundreds of tonnes of steel and concrete crashing into history.

A clear sky now spans where generations once crossed: schoolkids on bikes, trucks hauling grain, brides en route to church, and hearse processions bound for the cemetery.

The site of the former Kemp Street bridge — Monday evening, September 15, 2025 | Photo: © The Junee Bulletin

The site of the former Kemp Street bridge — Monday evening, September 15, 2025 | Photo: © The Junee Bulletin

60 Hours, No Turning Back

The demolition unfolded beneath the ticking pressure of a 60-hour rail possession — a hard deadline with no room for error.

Trains stopped at 6am Saturday. From there, the race began.

Inland Rail and Martinus crews had been preparing for days.

The old deck above Edgar Street was smashed out on Thursday, allowing sunlight to hit the road below for the first time in 80 years.

By Friday afternoon, excavators, cranes, and cutting torches were staged and waiting — their mission clear, their timing critical.

But this was never going to be easy. Not with an 80-year-old bridge. Not without original blueprints. Not with unexpected materials — like railway tracks, literally cast into the concrete — surfacing mid-cut.

Kemp Street bridge — Saturday, September 13, 2025 | Photo: © The Junee Bulletin

Kemp Street bridge — Saturday, September 13, 2025 | Photo: © The Junee Bulletin

Concrete, Steel, and Setbacks

Saturday was meant to be the big day. But instead of pieces flying out by crane, progress slowed to a crawl.

Crews worked methodically above the dormant main southern rail line, slicing through decades of stubborn concrete and asphalt — pausing constantly to reassess, recalculate, and problem-solve.

Kemp Street bridge — Saturday, September 13, 2025 | Photo: © The Junee Bulletin

Kemp Street bridge — Saturday, September 13, 2025 | Photo: © The Junee Bulletin

Kemp Street bridge — Saturday night, September 13, 2025 | Photo: © The Junee Bulletin

It wasn’t just about strength. It was about stability. Every cut had to be exact. Every lift had to be safe.

For nearly 24 hours, they worked across the belly of the bridge. And then, finally, in the early hours of Sunday, the main event began.

A View Not Seen Since 1945

The first to go was the footpath. Two long slabs, lifted quietly before dawn.

Then came the belly of the bridge — the deck itself — lifted in four enormous pieces between 8:30am and early afternoon, each one bearing the weight of decades of traffic, footsteps and stories, now consigned to memory.

Kemp Street bridge — Sunday morning, September 14, 2025 | Photo: © The Junee Bulletin

Kemp Street bridge — Sunday morning, September 14, 2025 | Photo: © The Junee Bulletin

Kemp Street bridge — Sunday morning, September 14, 2025 | Photo: © The Junee Bulletin

But it was the concrete drain along the southern edge that proved the most stubborn of all — the last physical link across the corridor.

By 5pm, the first half finally gave way. And in that moment, something unseen in Junee for eight decades came into view.

No bridge. No shadow. Just open sky above the tracks, and the hollow hush of history undone.

Kemp Street bridge — Sunday afternoon, September 14, 2025 | Photo: © The Junee Bulletin

Kemp Street bridge — Sunday afternoon, September 14, 2025 | Photo: © The Junee Bulletin

Kemp Street bridge — Sunday afternoon, September 14, 2025 | Photo: © The Junee Bulletin

Kemp Street bridge — Sunday afternoon, September 14, 2025 | Photo: © The Junee Bulletin

Kemp Street bridge — Sunday afternoon, September 14, 2025 | Photo: © The Junee Bulletin

By 7pm, the final section of the drain was gone.

One by one, the pieces were lowered by a 300-tonne crane into the rail yard, where they were broken up and prepared for removal.

As crews powered through Sunday night, the skyline shifted with every beam that fell.

Kemp Street bridge — Sunday night, September 14, 2025 | Photo: © The Junee Bulletin

Kemp Street bridge — Sunday night, September 14, 2025 | Photo: © The Junee Bulletin

Kemp Street bridge — Sunday night, September 14, 2025 | Photo: © The Junee Bulletin

By sunrise Monday, the crane that had loomed large over Junee was packed down and driven away.

By afternoon, the bridge — and the workforce that had surrounded it — had vanished.

And overnight, with no fanfare, diesel locomotives began rolling back through town. For the first time in history, they did so without passing under Kemp Street.

A Town Says Goodbye

For many residents, it was a strange and surreal sight. They lined the fences and footpaths, peering over mounds of ballast and through breaks in hoarding.

They took photos. They swapped stories. They stayed up late.

Some had grown up with the bridge. Others had walked across it thousands of times. Some simply wanted to witness something they’d never see again.

Despite the noise, the dust, and the setbacks — there was praise.

“They’ve done incredibly well,” said one local.

“Their on-site communications team have been amazing. They’ve been upfront every step,” said another.

Nearby residents were offered prepaid Visa cards to assist with accommodation if they wished to avoid the disruption.

Before demolition began, there was also a quiet moment of preservation.

On Tuesday morning, four heritage lamps — which had lit the bridge since it was built — were gently removed from their brick pillars and lowered to the ground.

They won’t be reused to light the new bridge, but Inland Rail hopes they’ll find a place in its future landscaping — if their condition allows.

What’s Next

The demolition may be over, but the work is far from done.

In its place, a taller, safer, modern bridge will rise — designed to allow double-stacked freight trains to pass beneath while restoring vital local road and pedestrian access.

It’s understood Inland Rail has only a handful of major rail possessions remaining over the next 18 months to complete construction of the new structure over the live rail line.

Works on the road approaches will be carried out outside these windows.

Detailed design showing what the new Kemp Street bridge will look like | Source: Supplied/Inland Rail

Current planning indicates the bridge’s beams and supports will be prefabricated offsite, with the deck expected to be poured in place onsite.

The project will also reshape the surrounding streetscape, with both ends of the bridge set for redesign.

Railway Parade and Railway Lane will be permanently closed off from Kemp Street, while the road approach itself will be raised significantly to accommodate the bridge’s new height.

Detailed design showing what the new Kemp-Seignior Street intersection will look like | Source: Supplied/Inland Rail

The Ducker Street intersection will also be overhauled. Two homes closest to the new alignment are set to be removed — one demolished, the other relocated after Junee Shire Council called for expressions of interest in July.

As a condition of sale, the building could not be relocated within the Junee township and must be removed from the site by October 1.

Site preparation will continue in the coming months, with Inland Rail to issue public notifications ahead of further out-of-hours works.

Detailed design showing what the new Kemp-Ducker Street intersection will look like | Source: Supplied/Inland Rail

The End of an Era

Built in 1944 and opened in March 1945, the Kemp Street bridge served a post-war town with pride and permanence.

It saw the era of steam, the rise of freight, and the passing of generations.

It heard the rumble of trucks, the voices of teenagers, the cries of infants in prams, the click of school shoes, and the whispers of grief as funeral processions made their way across.

And now, it’s gone.

Its demolition closes the chapter on a bridge that shaped the town for 80 years.

But as silence fell over the rail yard on Monday afternoon, it also signalled the beginning of a long-awaited upgrade — one that will carry the footsteps, wheels, and memories of generations to come.

The site of the former Kemp Street bridge — Monday evening, September 15, 2025 | Photo: © The Junee Bulletin

Other Works

While demolition dominated the weekend in Junee, Inland Rail and Martinus crews were also active elsewhere in the Shire.

Significant works were carried out between Junee and Illabo, where more than four kilometres of track were slewed to widen the gap between adjacent rail lines.

More than 5,000 tonnes of ballast were laid during the works, which also included the replacement of two culverts.

Further out-of-hours works are scheduled in this area for Monday, 22 September.

Over 4km of track was slewed, and two culverts replaced along the corridor between Junee and Illabo | Photo: Supplied/Inland Rail

Residents with questions or concerns can contact Inland Rail on 1800 732 761 or via email at inlandrailnsw@inlandrail.com.au

More information is available at inlandrail.com.au