Low-level bridge replacement on track for Christmas finish

A NEW $30 million bridge over the Murrumbidgee River near Wantabadgery is on track to be completed before Christmas.

Known to generations of locals simply as “low-level bridge”, Mundarlo Bridge is located on the boundary of the Junee and Cootamundra-Gundagai local government areas, approximately 14 kilometres from Wantabadgery.

It’s the only public crossing over the Murrumbidgee River between Wagga and Gundagai and serves as a vital link for local residents, freight operators and farmers.

Mundarlo Bridge in its current form.

The existing single-lane bridge is overtopped when river flows exceed 32,000 megalitres a day at Gundagai, resulting in lengthy detours of up to 120 kilometres.

Its 110-metre replacement will carry two lanes of traffic and be built approximately 3.7 metres higher than the existing bridge, allowing it to remain open during flows of up to 100,000 megalitres a day.

Designed to accommodate heavy vehicles, including agricultural machinery and freight trucks, the new bridge will significantly improve safety, reliability and flood resilience.

Artist Impression of the new Mundarlo Bridge | Image: Supplied

Early works began in June, with the new bridge being constructed next to the existing crossing on Tenandra Road, allowing motorists to continue using the current bridge throughout the project.

Once complete, the old bridge will be demolished and the approach roads on both sides of the river realigned.

Artist Impression of the new Mundarlo Bridge | Image: Supplied

NSW Minister for Water Rose Jackson said the community deserved reliable infrastructure, “not a bridge that disappears the moment the Murrumbidgee River rises.”

“We know just how critical this crossing is for locals,” she said.

“When the river rises, people shouldn’t be cut off from work, school or other essential services.

“This new bridge will ensure safer, more reliable access year-round, while still supporting the region’s farming and river systems.”

Proposed location of the replacement bridge | Image: NSW Government

The project forms part of the NSW Government’s $274 million Reconnecting River Country Program, which supports the environmental objectives of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan by improving the connection between rivers, wetlands and floodplains.

Practical completion is expected before Christmas, with commissioning and handover of the new bridge scheduled for early 2027.