A community celebration will be held next weekend to mark the completion works to replace the Batemans Bay Bridge and rejuvenate the northern and southern foreshores.
Parliamentary Secretary for the South Coast Shelley Hancock said there will be plenty to see and get involved in, including a free sausage sizzle on Saturday 2 July from 10am to 2pm.
“This project was a major investment from the NSW Government into Batemans Bay, delivering infrastructure that will make a difference to the daily lives of those in the local community,” Ms Hancock said.
“We would like to thank the community for their patience during the construction of the project and for sharing the vision of a more connected, efficient, and safer Batemans Bay.
“With work almost complete, we want to invite the community to join the project team on the foreshore to celebrate.”
Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Sam Farraway said the $274 million investment has built stronger and more efficient connections for the Batemans Bay community.
“This Government continues to invest in projects like the Batemans Bay Bridge that better connect regional communities and deliver projects that make daily life easier, securing a brighter future for NSW,” Mr Farraway said.
“Completion of this project has created better connections in and around Batemans Bay for motorists, freight, river users, pedestrians and cyclists.”
A smoking ceremony will be conducted by local Aboriginal elders to honour the Walbunja people.
Above: To be HIGHLY commended but most likely not by the "officials" should be Kate and Rob from South Coast Pix who kept the community updated on the progress of the Batemans Bay Bridge project from start to finish. They did so with high quality imagery at no cost to Transport NSW and uploaded the latest images to their social media page for the community to enjoy. The Beagle and the community thank them for their gift and their art. There will also be information available on future Princes Highway work and interactive displays on maritime and road safety. As well as the community celebration, Transport for NSW will also release two booklets titled Aboriginal Elders Mentoring Program, and Yangary and Bhundoo - Aboriginal places and values around Batemans Bay. The first provides first-hand experience of those who participated in a mentoring program that provided local Aboriginal people with an opportunity to work as trainees on the Batemans Bay Bridge replacement project. The second booklet explores the history and connection of Aboriginal people to the Batemans Bay area and touches on many stories about the history and cultural values of Yangary (Batemans Bay) and Bhundoo (Clyde River). Both booklets will be available at the upcoming community celebration and will be available on the project webpage. The old bridge is also set to live on as Transport for NSW proudly partnered with the Clyde River and Batemans Bay Historical Society to create an exhibition called Crossing the Clyde, which celebrates the journeys of the Clyde River crossings. The whole community is invited to take a trip down memory lane when it opens at the Batemans Bay Heritage Museum later this year. The $274 million Batemans Bay Bridge project has built better connections in and around Batemans Bay for motorists, freight, river users, pedestrians and cyclists. Major work started in early 2019 and the new bridge opened to traffic in March 2021. Removal of the existing bridge is now complete and improvements to the foreshore are almost complete.
