Bellingen Shire Council marked the official opening of the Bielsdown River Footbridge on Thursday 23 April alongside Dorrigo school students, Gumbaynggirr Elders Uncle Cecil Briggs and Uncle Allan Phillips, and designer Anna Fisher, who all contributed to the artwork featured on the bridge panels.
The footbridge was funded through the NSW Government’s Community Assets Program providing $362,283 for the project and is part of the program that saw five pedestrian bridges replaced throughout the Shire due to impacts from severe weather and flood events.
Bellingen Shire Council General Manager Mark Griffioen reflected on the construction of the bridge.
“The bridge stands as a strong example of local collaboration, with locally based contractors involved at every stage of the construction process,” said Mark Griffioen.
“Fabrication took place offsite in Coffs Harbour, where the structure was manufactured in two sections before being transported to Kempsey for painting. The completed sections were then delivered to Dorrigo in late February 2026, where they were welded together on site and lifted into place across the river.”
The bridge panels with the community led artwork were manufactured offsite through a detailed and precise process, with final designs profile cut into the metal. Severe weather events were a key consideration throughout the design phase, ensuring the bridge can withstand flood conditions. To support long term durability, all panels were finished with a powder coating to protect them from environmental exposure.
Bellingen Shire Council Mayor, Cr. Steve Allan, reflected on the collaboration that went into the artwork for the bridge.
“The new footbridge is a great source of pride for our Shire and is a permanent reminder of the community’s connection to Country,” said Mayor Allan.
“It’s wonderful to see the local student’s artwork come to life in the bridge panels. We’d like to thank the Dorrigo students and teachers, Uncle Cecil Briggs, Uncle Allan Phillips, Anna Fisher and artist Shanara Widders for collaborating on a such an important project.”
“It was an honour to be a part of the opening and celebrate the finished project with everyone involved. It is an important reminder of how we can deliver essential infrastructure while embedding cultural storytelling and youth creativity into our projects.”
For more information on the artwork project, visit our website: Students and Elders Shape Dorrigo’s New Footbridge of Bellingen Shire