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Bettesworth Construction
bridge replacement

Kimberley floods: Fitzroy River Bridge replacement opened in December 2023

The January 2023 repair-delay forecast was superseded: the original bridge was damaged beyond repair and its permanent replacement opened on 10 December 2023.

By Bettesworth Construction Team 2 min read
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The January 2023 forecast that repairs to the flood-damaged Fitzroy River Bridge would likely wait until after the wet season described the situation during the first days of damage assessment—not the eventual outcome. The original bridge was damaged beyond repair, and a permanent replacement opened to traffic on 10 December 2023.

What the January 2023 report said

Flooding associated with Ex-Tropical Cyclone Ellie in December 2022 and January 2023 damaged the Fitzroy River Bridge at Fitzroy Crossing and about 500 metres of adjoining road, according to Main Roads Western Australia’s project page. The damage disrupted access to communities east of the river, as well as the East Kimberley and Northern Territory.

In a report dated 10 January 2023, PerthNow’s Claire Sadler described floodwater washing away about a third of the bridge, with the remainder badly damaged. The report said divers were expected to assess the structure’s underside and that repairs were unlikely to begin until after the wet season. That was an early forecast made while assessments were beginning, not the construction schedule that followed.

The original bridge was replaced, not repaired

Subsequent assessment found the original bridge was damaged beyond repair. Austroads’ technical account, published 27 June 2025, describes that bridge as 177 metres long and one lane wide. The replacement is 270 metres long, has two lanes and eight spans.

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Main Roads WA says permanent replacement construction began in May 2023. Its project update records the new bridge opening on 10 December 2023, more than six months ahead of schedule. A Main Roads retrospective published in February 2024 says the Fitzroy Bridge Alliance delivered the project with Main Roads, Georgiou Group, BMD Construction and BG&E.

Interim access during construction

While the replacement was being built, a sealed, two-lane low-level crossing about 200 metres upstream from the damaged bridge provided a dry-season detour. Main Roads WA said it was open in an update published 31 May 2023. This was a temporary construction-period measure, not the permanent bridge or current travel advice.

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A separate highway resilience project

The Fitzroy River Bridge replacement is distinct from Main Roads WA’s proposed upgrade of the Great Northern Highway between Fitzroy Crossing and Gogo. Main Roads describes that approximately 10-kilometre section as regularly closed for days or weeks after wet-season rain. Its project page says work was planned to commence in 2026 and take two to three years; check the current project information for any schedule changes.

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Checking current road conditions

The new bridge has been operational since December 2023, but that does not guarantee every nearby road is open at all times. Rainfall and river conditions can affect access. For a journey, check Main Roads WA’s Travel Map for current closures and conditions.

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