As we've written about previously, FORGE recently had the opportunity to showcase one of the largest access projects we've ever delivered, the $18 million Tamworth Skywalk alongside our clients from Tamworth Regional Council at the 2026 Small Bridges Conference.
Held at the Adelaide Convention Centre and sponsored by the South Australian Government, this year's event was attended by more than 400 engineers, councils, asset owners and suppliers from across Australia and beyond, taking in two full days of presentations alongside an industry expo.
Among the feature case studies for 2026 was the Tamworth Skywalk, presented jointly by Project Engineer Lachlan Mackiewicz from Tamworth Regional Council and FORGE Director Ian Joyce to an audience of around 100 industry professionals.
A landmark regional project
Given its significant scale and complexity, the Tamworth Skywalk was always likely to be a major conference talking point, and it was. At almost 2km in length and featuring multiple structural systems and elements, it was a significant regional project expertly delivered for multiple highly-engaged stakeholders.
"There was a lot of interest and questions," Ian Joyce recalls of how the presentation was received by attendees in Adelaide.
According to Ian, much of the discussion and interest centred on how the project came to exist in the first place. Rather than being funded purely through Council's own budget, the Skywalk was made possible through a successful funding submission to the NSW State Government. A process that many councils across Australia are actively navigating for their own infrastructure programs.
"Attendees were very interested in the context of the project itself and especially how it came to fruition through Tamworth Regional Council's funding submissions," Ian explains. "That was very topical and timely for many of the people there."
It was also a reminder that for many ambitious community infrastructure projects, the funding journey can be just as important as the engineering itself. After all, no funding? No project.
The methodology that made it possible
Beyond the funding story, the conversation turned to process and specifically how FORGE and Tamworth Regional Council worked together to move from an ambitious but unresolved vision to a safe and finished access structure that would benefit the local community for decades to come.
Guided by the FORGE Methodology, the Tamworth Skywalk case study gave attendees a concrete, real world example of what an early-engagement approach looks like in practice (rather than just in theory), resolving the inevitable issues that emerge with confidence, collaboration and efficiency.
"Talking about the methodology and how the process worked, there was quite a bit of nodding around the room," Ian said, suggesting plenty of the attendees recognised something familiar as they wrestle with similar process challenges in their own projects.
Balancing ambition with what's actually buildable
Perhaps the most valuable part of the presentation was the discussion around budget and buildability. Specifically the practical tension every council faces when trying to deliver something ambitious for their community without blowing out costs or ending up with a design that looks great on paper but is almost impossible to construct without significant compromise.
For Tamworth Regional Council this meant working closely with FORGE to ensure every dollar of their project budget was being put to its best possible use, and that the design itself could genuinely be built, not just look impressive in a render.
"Overall I think people found it to be a really thought-provoking presentation, especially in the way that we'd approached the project from the perspective of maximising Council's budget and making sure that the design that we were working with was sympathetic to what they were trying to achieve while still being buildable and affordable in the real world," Ian says.
It's a familiar balancing act for clients and councils everywhere, of course.
A conversation worth continuing
For FORGE, presenting alongside Tamworth Regional Council in Adelaide wasn't just a chance to showcase a landmark project. It was an opportunity to share a way of working that we believe leads to better outcomes for Australian councils and the communities they serve.
As more councils and asset owners look to deliver ambitious community infrastructure of their own, access projects like the Tamworth Skywalk offer a useful reference point, not just for what's possible, but for how to get there.
If that's a conversation you're interested in having, please get in touch with the team at FORGE today.
