Community
21 March, 2025
Crucial bridge replacement
A VITAL new bridge and bypass, which will improve access to the Daintree community, has been put to market.
Douglas Shire Council is calling for tenders for the Noah Creek project.
The bridge across Noah Creek suffered significant damage during the flooding that immediately followed Cyclone Jasper in December 2023.
The bypass will be built to carry all traffic during construction of the new bridge.
Funding for the bridge and bypass project will be sought under the joint Commonwealth-state Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA), with work set to start in May subject to successful funding and weather permitting.
Douglas Shire Mayor Lisa Scomazzon said the bridge was an important project for both residents, tourism operators and the transport industry.
“The Noah Creek bridge provides a vital link between Cape Tribulation through to Wujal Wujal, other Daintree communities and the rest of the Douglas Shire,” she said.
The council is also planning works at Lees Bridge, Taylor’s Crossing, Woobadda Bridge and minor works packages to smaller culvert structures.
In 2018, the council initiated a project to design and construct a new bridge across Noah’s Creek, slightly upstream from the current bridge’s alignment.
However, the location was deemed unsuitable due to numerous constraints, including land revocations, planning applications and cultural heritage issues, leading to the abandonment of the alternative alignment.
The bridge was redesigned to contain the bridge and its approaches wholly within the road reserve boundaries so there was no need for any land acquisition.
The new bridge will contain concrete piles and concrete deck units.
As part new bridge construction, a temporary bypass will also be built to carry all traffic during construction of a new bridge. This will be a dry bypass, suitable for all types of vehicles.
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