Bridgewater locals among the first to test out new bridge

Anita Verrell has been there since day one when the first workers showed up for the mega infrastructure project, and now she’s among the first to test it out. The Bridgewater Bridge’s impact for locals.

The Bridgwater Jerry rolls over the Bridgewater Bridge during the official opening ceremony on Sunday 1st June 2025. Picture: Linda Higginson

• PM officially opens Bridgewater Bridge

“We’ve lived here since 1974 and I’ve seen the new highway getting built and this all come about as well so it’s a surreal moment.”

Bridgewater resident Anita Verrell, her 80-year-old mother Helen Arnold, daughter Stacey Eaves and granddaughter Adelyn Eaves were one of the first families to cross the new Bridgewater Bridge on Sunday.

“We’ve seen it from day one and cleaned the dust up and dealt with the traffic, but it’s so exciting to be here,” Ms Verrell said.

“There’s nothing like this project in Tasmania, nothing on this grand a scale.”

Four generations of the same family, Helen Arnold, Anita Verrell, Stacey Eaves and Adelyn Eaves, 7, at the official opening of the Bridgewater Bridge on Sunday 1st June 2025. Picture: Linda Higginson

Ms Arnold said she had seen many bridges in her life and had seen the repairs, but the Bridgewater Bridge was a real marvel to see with her family.

“I’ve seen the Tasman Bridge, the Bowen Bridge, the floating bridge, the Bailey Bridge, the old Bridgewater Bridge and now the new one – nothing was as big as this,” she said.

Seven-year-old Adelyn was buzzing with excitement to walk the 1.2km-long bridge with four generations of her family.

“I’m really excited, even though it’s a bit cold.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese joined the excitement early on the bridge Sunday morning as the renowned Bridgewater Jerry rose over the new build.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the opening of the Bridgewater Bridge on Sunday 1st June 2025. Picture: Linda Higginson

“It is a critical day for Tasmania – it’s one in which people will remember that they got the opportunity to walk across this magnificent piece of infrastructure,” he said.

“A bridge connects people and it connects communities, and this magnificent piece of infrastructure that has created over 1000 jobs, 85 per cent of them being Tasmanians, with local contractors being employed here, will make an enormous difference.”

Premier Jeremy Rockliff praised the significant funding from the federal government – $628.8m of the total bridge cost of $786m – as well as the work between the state and federal governments to get this project off the ground.

“The new bridge is the fifth to be built across the River Derwent at Bridgewater and symbolises the next chapter in the evolution of this critical transport link,” he said.

“It replaces ageing infrastructure with a state-of-the-art structure that will serve the people of Tasmania for decades to come.”

Tasmanian Infrastructure minister Kerry Vincent, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff, and Transport minister Catherine King at the opening of the Bridgewater Bridge on Sunday 1st June 2025. Picture: Linda Higginson

Federal Infrastructure Minister Catherine King reminisced on her memories of walking the Westgate Bridge with her mother in 1979.

“I still remember it today and I hope every single one of the people who walk across here today enjoys it, but also remembers it as you only get to do that once or twice in your lifetime with such a big piece of infrastructure.”

State Infrastructure Minister Kerry Vincent was eager to talk about the numbers that went into the four-lane bridge.

“From an old concrete carpenter like myself, there’s 268,000 cubic metres of earthwork in the bridge, there is over 60,000 cubic metres of hot mix we are sitting on today, there is 59,000 cubic metres of concrete and 3500m of retaining walls,” he said.

“I find those numbers just staggering – there are incredible numbers that go into this bridge.

“This is the high-tensile rod that holds all those 1082 concrete segments – and they all weigh between 50 and 90t each – this holds them together which is 1350km of steel reinforced rod in this bridge holding it all together so we can walk across it today.”

The true opener of the event was the first car over the bridge, with passengers Margaret McMaster and Barbara Jones sitting in a vintage 1910 Roadster, both in their late 90s.

Both of the women attended the 1946 opening of the old Bridgewater Bridge and were guests of honour at Sunday’s ceremony to unveil the plaque for the bridge.

Originally published as Bridgewater locals among the first to test out new bridge