Fixing Country Bridges Program

The Fixing Country Bridges Program is a $500 million NSW Government program, enabling councils to replace timber bridges in poor condition and better connect regional and rural communities. The program aims to reduce the maintenance and renewal burden for councils on hundreds of timber bridges in regional and rural NSW and help to build the transport network that is more resilient to natural disasters and provide more reliable connections.

Transport for NSW and DPIRD Fisheries streamlined the approvals process for 376 project permit applications through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The MOU was established to support the large volume of permits requiring approval and to help meet tight timelines relating to project start of construction requirements. Advice and guidance ensured reduced instances of obstruction to fish passage and damage to key fish habitat during the construction process.

DPIRD Fisheries have Policies and Guidelines relating to waterway crossing replacement and refurbishment. Waterway crossings can act as a barrier to fish passage by creating a physical blockage, a hydrological barrier, or by forming artificial conditions that act as behavioural barriers to fish. It is important that the impacts of waterway crossings are minimised through suitable structure design to allow for flows that suit the swimming capabilities of resident fish species, and to minimise debris and sediment build up that may form blockages to fish.