Reconnecting Communities: Delivering the Thurra River Bridge Rebuild
The Thurra River Bridge in country Victoria is more than a crossing. It provides essential access to one of the state’s most remote, beautiful and biodiverse wilderness areas and acts as a gateway to campgrounds, tourism and cultural sites throughout Croajingolong National Park.
Following years of restricted access after the 2019–2020 bushfires, the bridge has now been safely rebuilt with support from our team, restoring connection for visitors, rangers and local communities across this coastal region.
Why the Thurra River Bridge matters
For years, access to this part of Croajingolong National Park has been difficult following bushfire damage, affecting local visitation, ranger access and the connection communities have with the coastline.
- Reopens access to popular campgrounds and coastal lookouts
- Supports tourism and local businesses in remote East Gippsland
- Enables rangers to resume vital land care and conservation work
- Restores connection to cultural and natural heritage sites
Reinstating a vital link
To reinstate this essential crossing, our regional team supplied 155 m³ of concrete to the remote bridge site. The rebuild now restores safe access to Point Hicks Lighthouse and surrounding campgrounds, reconnecting communities with the landscapes and heritage that define this part of Victoria.
A remote location with major logistical challenges
The bridge site is more than 2.5 hours from our Orbost plant, with the final 90 minutes along narrow gravel roads and no phone reception. Working in these conditions required careful planning, clear communication and close collaboration across teams to ensure safe travel and reliable delivery.
- Long haul distances from the nearest plant
- Unsealed, narrow access roads with steep sections
- No mobile reception for much of the journey
- Limited onsite support and amenities
Engineering a mix built for distance
To maintain workability throughout the long journey, our technical team developed a consistent VR (VicRoads) mix with a 3.5-hour delivery window. Every load arrived with a 220 mm slump and met exact specifications on placement, which is a testament to the precision and consistency of our mix design.
Our testing team, based five hours from site, travelled extensively to oversee each pour. Their onsite monitoring ensured the quality and performance standards required for this remote infrastructure rebuild.
Reliable delivery in difficult terrain
Despite distance, steep access and limited onsite support, our drivers and batchers delivered every load safely and without a single failure. Their commitment to accuracy and safety kept the project moving and ensured continuous progress on site.
“Sometimes truck utilisation is not just about load per day. It is about having the gear to reach remote locations and connect communities.”
Reconnecting community and country
The restored bridge delivers more than infrastructure. It reopens access to campgrounds, coastline and cultural landmarks that have been out of reach for years and enables rangers to return to essential land care and conservation work.
Why this work matters
Delivering in remote environments requires a different level of planning, capability and commitment. This project demonstrates how our regional teams, technical specialists and operational crews work together to support essential infrastructure across Australia, even in the most isolated locations.
Stories like the Thurra River Bridge rebuild highlight our role in helping communities recover, strengthening regional connections and supporting projects that rely on safe, consistent delivery.
About Heidelberg Materials
Heidelberg Materials Australia is part of the Heidelberg Materials Group, one of the world's largest integrated manufacturers of building materials and solutions with leading market positions in cement, aggregates and ready-mixed concrete. We are represented in over 50 countries with 51,000 employees working at around 3,000 production sites. At the centre of our actions lies our responsibility for the environment. As the front runner on the path to carbon neutrality and circular economy in the building materials industry, we are working on sustainable building materials and solutions for the future. We also enable new opportunities for our customers through digitalisation.
