Coffs Harbour jobs bonanza for bridge builders after Council project begins

There are suddenly a raft of opportunities for locals looking to help Council bring rural road networks into the concrete age.

11 timber bridges like the Hosche Bridge on Fridays Creek Road in Upper Orara will be replaced across the Coffs Harbour LGA through the NSW Government's Fixing Country Bridges Program. Photo: Tim Jarrett

No sooner had the State Government built a bridge connecting Council’s dreams to reality through a multimillion-dollar grant, there are suddenly a raft of jobs on offer.

Coffs Harbour City Council are advertising three temporary positions as part of an upgrade to their timber bridge network, which has been a significant financial burden for years.

Two Leading Hand Civil Construction positions and one supervisor role are up for grabs following the announcement 11 ageing bridges would be replaced in the LGA through the NSW Government’s Fixing Country Bridges program.

“We are in the initial stages of the rollout and detailed scoping of these works, which will be a substantial project,” a council spokesperson said.

“As the rollout continues, we hope there may be a number of further similar employment opportunities available. ”

There are currently 52 timber bridges in the LGA and while cheaper to construct than concrete structures, they tend to have a lifespan of just 20 years.

That means Council expend significant resources assessing and repairing them regularly.

Concrete and steel bridges have a lifespan of 100 years, with the potential for some to last much longer.