SOONING STREET BRIDGE UPDATE

Magnetic Island residents have vented both anger and frustration to the lack of communication with the community, from TCC and the State Govt regarding the status of damaged Sooning St Bridge in Nelly Bay.

In the December floods of 2024 the Sooning St Bridge was badly damaged, in March 2025 Townsville City Council received $7.4m Fed/State Govt monies for constuction of a new bridge.

Emergency works have already been undertaken.

Member for Townsville Adam Baillie told the MCN "I understand there is a lot of frustration around the delay in rebuilding this bridge."

The Dept of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning said "No application for the reconstruction of the Sooning St Bridge has been received from Townsville City Council".

On 29 April 2025, AECOM (on behalf of Council) lodged a development application with the Council as the assessment manager and properly referred the application to SARA on 17 July 2025 for works to remove the damaged bridge.

The State Assessment and Referral Agency (SARA) has had several pre-lodgement meetings with the Townsville City Council for removal of the damaged bridge and construction of a new bridge and fishway.

SARA is currently finalising conditions for the bridge demolition and coordinating with AECOM. AECOM and the Council have requested further discussion with the Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) before the SARA decision is issued and has paused the assessment.

The new bridge and fishway rebuild is at the design stage, with SARA having provided advice to the Council on the design of the new bridge and fishway.

While a development application for the construction of the replacement bridge is yet to be referred to SARA, it has already reviewed initial plans for the replacement bridge during pre-lodgement discussions with AECOM and the Council. 

SARA is working to issue its response to the Council by 23 September 2025.

The new bridge requires a development application to be lodged with the Council as assessment manager for operational works for prescribed tidal works. Timing and lodgement of a development application for the construction of the new bridge and fishway is a matter for AECOM (on behalf of Council).

The Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning said "Once the reconstruction application has been received, the application will be prioritised to support accelerated works."

 Adam Bailie told the MCN "I will continue to advocate for Council, as the project managers, to keep the community up to date with progress".