Micalong Creek bridge replacement

Hume and Hovell bridge builders have been busy in recent months along the northern end of the track from Wee Jasper through to Micalong Swamp. Funding has recently allowed the purchase of bridge materials and construction equipment to access the more remote areas of track.

This month, the 12m timber bridge on Micalong Creek just north of Bossawa Campsite was replaced with a new steel bridge. Co-ordinating this rebuild required a lot of planning and engineering, relying on alternative methods to manoeuvre materials into position. Using a flying fox setup, bridge builder Geoff was able to deliver the abutment materials, 300kg steel girders and various other bridge components directly to the site from a forestry road over 100m away.

This particular bridge replacement has been highly anticipated and the team have recognised the importance to reinstate this section. The bridge is over a steep part of the Micalong Creek gorge and is a vital crossing point on the track. With the relinking of this crossing point, the short detour on forestry roads will now be removed, allowing walkers to continue on singletrack.

This is the start of many upgrades, so stay tuned for further updates on more bridge re-construction in coming months.