Inverdon Bridge, Lower Don River

Scope

Davbridge Constructions was engaged by Whitsunday Regional Council to build the new Inverdon Bridge over the Lower Don River at Bowen, replacing the crossing destroyed by Cyclone Debbie in 2017. The project involved building a new seven span bridge, 125.5 m long and 4.2 m wide. The foundations comprised 550 mm octagonal PSC piles, with 929 m of pile driven, and cast in situ pile caps set beneath the riverbed surface. The works then covered columns rising to cast in situ headstocks, erection of 56 transversely stressed PSC deck units weighing 1,015 t in total, cast in situ kerbs and steel bridge rail, with about 354 m³ of in situ concrete overall. Additionally, the project required 619 m³ of rock protection and 162 m of bridge approaches with two layers of pavement and a sealed surface, guardrail and table drains. The project presented challenges such as rebuilding a crossing lost to a cyclone, working across a wide river bed, and setting the pile caps below the riverbed. Located near Bowen in North Queensland, this project demonstrated Davbridge Constructions' ability to deliver disaster recovery bridge works for regional communities while maintaining environmental, community and safety standards.