Bridge completion paves the way for community safety
Published on 16 October 2026
Scenic Rim’s new Hinchcliffe Bridge at Kooralbyn has been completed, delivering safer, stronger and more reliable access for residents, business operators and visitors to the region.
The dual-lane concrete bridge, which includes a shared pathway for pedestrians and cyclists, replaces ageing timber infrastructure with a modern design to meet current engineering and safety standards.
The $9.4 million project was jointly funded, with $5 million from the Albanese Government’s Safer Local Roads Infrastructure Program, a $700,000 contribution from Urban Utilities for water main relocation works and $3.7 million from the Scenic Rim Regional Council. This represents an important investment in safer and more resilient infrastructure for the Kooralbyn and wider community.
The new bridge will deliver improvements in flood resilience and accessibility for the Kooralbyn community while upgrading heavy vehicle and key routes across the region.
The Hinchcliffe Bridge replacement also aligns with Council's Corporate Plan 2025–2030, which identifies, as a priority, a connected and accessible transport network that is progressively upgraded.
The old Hinchcliffe Bridge will remain in place to support Urban Utilities’ sewer infrastructure while the timeframe for its removal is reviewed.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories, Kristy McBain MP:
“The Albanese Government is proud to invest in safer and more resilient infrastructure for the Kooralbyn community.
“With flooding closing the old Hinchcliffe Bridge, the new concrete structure has a 100-year design life, reducing the impacts of flooding and increasing resilience against bushfires.
“By partnering with the Scenic Rim Regional Council, the opening of Hinchcliffe Bridge means a more efficient and reliable local road network for the region now and into the future.”
Quotes attributable to Mayor of Scenic Rim Regional Council, Cr Tom Sharp:
“The completion of the bridge is great news for Kooralbyn as well as the wider Scenic Rim as it represents an important connection in the region’s transport network.
“All Scenic Rim communities are expected to continue to grow in the foreseeable future and Council is committed to investing in the maintenance of our local roads and bridges.
“Council is responsible for 131 bridges across the Scenic Rim, and replacing ageing timber bridges with more resilient, long-lasting infrastructure is a key part of improving the region’s road network.
“I’d like to thank everyone involved in the planning, funding application, design and construction of this and other recent projects, including the Price Creek Bridge at Illinbah and Kengoon Bridge at Kents Lagoon outside Kalbar.
“In the interim, the old Hinchcliffe Bridge will remain closed to all residents and vehicles, and we ask the community to observe the restrictions in place for everyone’s safety.”
Quotes attributable to Senator for Queensland Corrine Mulholland:
“This is a spectacular but remote part of the Scenic Rim, so the local bridges are about much more than getting from one side of a creek to the other and the consequences are enormous when flooding cuts a road here.
“It can add significant delays to the school commute for families as well as create substantial operating and logistical costs for businesses here, so this is a critical investment in both safety and the local economy for Kooralbyn.
“The Albanese Government’s $5 million contribution to the $9.4 million construction of a new Hinchcliffe Bridge is about this community’s future, giving people greater confidence that the connections they depend on will be there when they need them most.”