Buddong Falls Bridge Replacement
12P Consulting were engaged to oversee the construction of pedestrian bridges on the Hume and Hovell Track in Kosciuszko National Park near Talbingo on behalf of Snowy Valleys Council and Crown Lands NSW. The bridges, ranging in length from 4m to 18m, are located along Buddong Creek and were constructed to span over a number of minor landslips and erosion gullies that formed after the 2019/20 fires and subsequent floods.
Access to this area is extremely limited, and even more challenging to transport equipment and materials to the remote locations. The replacement bridges and new infrastructure needed to be built to last and have resistance to future natural disasters. The project management team at 12P Consulting first conducted a thorough investigation of the site and developed a construction methodology that would ensure the safe and efficient installation of the bridges.
The inventive and most logical solution was to air-lift the fabricated bridges into place but this required extensive planning. 12P Consulting obtained all of the necessary approvals from the relevant authorities including NPWS, managing the construction workers, and coordinating with True North Helicopters, who were responsible for airlifting the precast concrete footings, girders, and decks into place.
The installation of the five minor bridges was completed in a single day, and the final two-span bridge was installed in small components over two days in February 2023. The use of helicopters for airlifting the components into place was a crucial component of the construction process and allowed for a faster and more efficient installation process. The 12P Consulting project management team worked closely with True North Helicopters and Snowy Valley Council construction staff to ensure that the airlifting operations were conducted safely and smoothly.
The success of the pedestrian bridge construction project in Kosciuszko National Park was a result of comprehensive investigation, careful planning, and effective management of the construction workers and equipment. All this ensured that the project was completed on time, within budget, and to the highest standards of quality.
The new pedestrian bridges on the Hume and Hovell Track within Kosciuszko National Park made it possible for this section of Track to be reopened in June 2023 - see news story here
Thanks to 12P Consulting for letting us share their story! Link to original article here: Buddong Ck Bridges — 12P Consulting
