Inspired by Cooroy's agricultural and manufacturing history, this inclusive playground offers rich...
- Client
- Richmond Valley Council
- State
- New South Wales
Connecting communities and protecting habitats in Northern NSW
Stretching 160 metres across the Richmond River in northern NSW, FORGE was appointed to deliver this landmark cable suspension bridge for Richmond Valley Council following a competitive tender.
A significant community asset that will help to drive strong tourism and economic benefits for the region, the purpose of the bridge was two-fold. As well as providing locals with a safe and direct connection between South Casino and the town centre, it was a critical flood mitigation measure for a town that’s no stranger to the destructive impact of fast-rising river waters.
Amongst several unique site challenges, innovative construction scheduling was required to keep the project moving forward whilst also protecting the region’s migratory bat population. The new bridge opened in mid-2026 and now provides a year-round connection link for Casino residents to walk, jog and cycle across the Richmond River.
Our involvement.
FORGE was appointed as the lead contractor to design and construct the multi-million project following a competitive tender with Richmond Valley Council. The final design and construction methodology for the bridge was refined following a significant pre-construction phase that included detailed site investigations, materiality testing and sourcing, and the mitigation of several complex engineering challenges.
Shifting into the delivery phase, FORGE then oversaw all manufacturing, pre-assembly and installation works including the co-ordination of specialist rigging and crane contractors.
Design Challenge
Measuring 160 metres in total length and 3 metres wide, the Casino suspension bridge is one of the more complex access structures FORGE has ever delivered.
With particular attention given to materiality, gradients and accessibility standards, the design and ramp alignments were carefully modified from FORGE’s proprietary BINGARA™ suspension bridge system to provide safe and easy passage for users of all ages and abilities, while also structurally withstanding Casino’s heavy seasonal river flows which have frequently seen the town’s existing footbridge damaged and rendered impassable in the past.
Construction Challenge
The construction program was somewhat unusual as it needed to be modified to minimise disruption to the migratory bat population. This necessitated all site works being placed on hold during the summer months.
A major initial push focused on delivering the foundation footings and cable anchor points on both sides of the river. Then, to maintain project momentum once the bats arrived, FORGE implemented its off-site pre-assembly methodology which enabled the fabrication process to continue in the interim and ensured crews were able to return to the site to complete the final cabling and structural works as soon as the bats had moved on.
An existing stormwater drain also had to be removed and relocated.
Innovation
The challenging nature of the Richmond River site and the large scale of the bridge structure itself required the development of a custom cable installation methodology. A specialist abseiling crew was engaged to refine, and then execute, the final installation works in collaboration with the FORGE project team. It worked perfectly.
Features
- 70-metre BINGARA™ cable-stayed suspension bridge
- 2 x circular hollow section steel tube support towers
- FRP micromesh decking and stainless steel handrails
- 100+ metres of BALMORAL™ and WATERSIDE™ boardwalk approaches
- Integrated handrail lighting
Safety & Risk Considerations
Once the foundation footings and main support cables had been installed the rest of the bridge was assembled in situ high above the Richmond River. With much of this work completed by hand, often in wet and windy conditions, a specialist rigging and abseiling crew was engaged and robust safety procedures were developed.
