Hampden Bridge

Transport has been investigating options to enable the crossing to return to a 42.5 tonne load limit.

Maintenance

While these investigations are being carried out, Transport will continue regular maintenance on Hampden Bridge. A complex program of strengthening work is being planned for 2026. More information will be available as planning progresses.

Medium-term solution

A temporary bridge next to the existing Hampden Bridge downstream (western side) has been confirmed as the preferred alternate access option and is now progressing to detailed design and the assessments and approvals required to install a temporary bridge next to Hampden Bridge. A timeline is being refined as we better understand the site constraints and work through the various assessments required. Once this timeline is confirmed, the details will be shared.

Longer-term solution

The NSW Government has allocated $500,000 for planning for a permanent new crossing of the Kangaroo River. Early concept designs, cost estimates and initial economic modelling will be part of the investigation process. More information will be available as planning progresses. This initial planning process is expected to be completed in mid-2026.

To learn more about what’s been happening and next steps for the project, view the September 2025 project update (PDF, 868.12 KB).

Geotechnical and utility investigations are underway to inform planning. View September 2025 notification (PDF, 331.26 KB).

Transport for NSW is inviting the community to share their ideas, experiences, and insights about Hampden Bridge, what you imagine a future crossing over the Kangaroo River could look like and how you travel through the area.

Come along to one of the following drop-in sessions.

When:

• Friday 29 August anytime between 4pm and 7pm.
• Saturday 30 August anytime between 10am and 12 noon. 

Where: Kangaroo Valley Public Hall, 179 Moss Vale Road Kangaroo Valley

No need to RSVP, simply drop in anytime during the above session times. There will be no formal presentation, just an opportunity to have a chat with various project team members, ask questions and share your thoughts. 

This won't be the only opportunity to speak with us. There will be more chances to share your thoughts as the project progresses. 

If you have anything you would like to share now, send us an email at HampdenBridge@transport.nsw.gov.au

While this session is focused on gathering your ideas and insights about Hampden Bridge, please be assured that the team is actively progressing temporary options, with the goal of sharing a preferred option by the end of September.  

The NSW Government has invested $500,000 to begin planning for a long-term replacement for the heritage-listed Hampden Bridge in Kangaroo Valley. 

This funding will support development of possible long-term solutions, which include carrying out environmental, geotechnical and heritage assessments. The investigation process will also involve early design concepts, cost estimates, and initial economic modelling.

At the same time, Transport is continuing to explore temporary options to restore the bridge’s 42.5-tonne load limit as soon as possible. These options are currently being assessed, with a preferred solution expected to be confirmed in the coming months.

Maintenance work will continue on the bridge as required to safely maintain the current 23-tonne load limit. In addition, a more complex program of strengthening work is being planned, which includes the replacement of another 12 timber beams along the bottom of the trusses.

The community will continue to be updated as work progresses.

We’ll be carrying out repairs on Hampden Bridge from Sunday 10 August. Repairs will support continued use of the bridge at its current 23 tonne load limit and reduce risk of further damage. 

We will be repairing and replacing the damaged timber trusses. Work includes: 

• drilling into the bridge deck and installing temporary access support for workers
• workers in safety harnesses carrying out repairs on the bridge's exterior
• removing damaged timber trusses
• installation of new trusses
• safety and structural checks once work is completed. 

Work will be carried out between 8pm and 5am Sunday to Thursday nights, between Sunday 10 and Thursday 21 August 2025, weather permitting.

Hampden Bridge will be completely closed to all motorists during work hours. Pedestrians will be able to cross the bridge during work hours under the guidance of traffic control. 

Detours will be in place via Macquarie Pass, adding up to 90 minutes' additional travel time. 

On Friday 15 and Friday 22 August between 7pm and 5am, stop/slow traffic control will be in place across Hampden Bridge while works pack down equipment, adding up to ten minutes to travel times. 

Outside of work hours, Hampden Bridge will remain open, with the reduced speed limit of 10 km/h in place for trucks and buses, and a reduced load limit of 23 tonne. 

For more information view the August 2025 works notification (PDF, 509.84 KB). 
 

The new reduced load limit of 23 tonne is now in place. 

Transport acknowledges this load limit reduction from 42.5 tonnes has significant impacts on those who take heavy loads across the bridge.

Transport is investigating options to enable the crossing to return to a 42.5 tonne load limit.

For more information see the June 2025 community update (PDF, 121 KB).

Hampden Bridge is an important piece of heritage listed infrastructure dating back to early 1898. The bridge is Australia’s only surviving examples of a colonial suspension bridge that carries Moss Vale Road across the Kangaroo River in Kangaroo Valley.

Transport has carried out extensive maintenance work and investigations over the past 30 years to help preserve the bridge in its current form, as detailed in the timeline on this page.

Hampden Bridge opens to the public in 1898 with a load limit of 14.5 tonnes.

In 1968, Hampden Bridge's load limit is increased to 20 tonnes.

In 1990, consultants carried out structural analysis of Hampden Bridge to inform repair work.

Structural repair work is carried out on the bridge's stringers and thrust blocks. Eleven new cross girders are installed and the load limit is increased to 30 tonnes.

In 2003, Hampden Bridge's load limit is increased to 42.5 tonnes.

Between 2004 and 2009, ongoing structural analyses and inspections are carried out on the bridge to monitor its condition under the higher load limit. Ongoing issues are detected, requiring higher than normal maintenance and repairs.

In 2011, major rehabilitation works are carried out involving:

• replacing the timber deck
• improving support at each end of the bridge
• replacing the worn bearings and important connection points.

Between 2015 and 2022, ongoing structural analyses and inspections are carried out on the bridge to monitor its condition following the rehabilitation works.

 Ongoing issues are detected, still requiring higher than normal maintenance and repairs.

Load testing, surveying and interim hanger replacement are carried out.

Hampden Bridge's load limit is reduced from 42.5 tonnes to 23 tonnes to protect the structural integrity of the bridge following extensive testing and analyses, while Transport investigates long-term solutions.

Transport continues to investigate long-term solutions for how vehicles over 23 tonnes can cross Kangaroo River at Kangaroo Valley with the aim of finding a preferred option.

Is repairing Hampden Bridge a priority over building a new one?

Transport’s highest priority is to repair the State Heritage-listed bridge as per legislative requirements.

Engineering testing shows key parts of the bridge are under excessive strain and are failing. 

Without a reduced load limit it is becoming increasingly more likely that key parts of the bridge will continue to fail. Failure of the bridge will result in unplanned sudden and complete bridge closures for long lengths of time. This is something we want to avoid.

During August 2025 we carried out urgent safety work on Hampden Bridge. A more complex program of strengthening work is being planned for 2026, with another 12 timber beams along the bottom of the trusses to be replaced. More information will be available about this as our planning progresses.  

Hampden Bridge was built in 1898 - long before today’s heavy trucks -and it was never designed for modern freight vehicles.

Hampden Bridge is a significant heritage structure. It’s listed on:

• the NSW State Heritage Register
• the National Trust’s Heritage Register
• the Engineers Australia Register
• the Shoalhaven Local Environmental Plan 2014
• Transport’s own Heritage and Conservation Register.

Because of this, any upgrades must legally respect the bridge’s heritage value, which limits the kind of work that can be done.

This also significantly increases the time to plan work as approvals need to be sought under legislation that is not required on other projects.

Why do we need a temporary solution?

While we are currently in the early stages of planning and do not have definitive answers regarding timelines, it is anticipated investigations to confirm a preferred longer-term option for the river crossing could take up to 12 months.

We have listened to the freight and farming community and understand the desire for the crossing to return to general access 42.5 tonne limit as soon as possible.

It is expected that a temporary bridge crossing accommodating vehicles up to 42.5 tonnes   could be designed and constructed sooner – easing the current pressures being placed on industry.  

How long will it take for a temporary bridge to be in place?

We don’t have definitive timeframes at this early stage. However, essential planning and approvals are still required so we expect a temporary bridge to still take a number of years.

Why does it take so long to build a temporary bridge?

Although modular bridges are designed for rapid assembly, essential planning and approvals are still required. These include:

• technical investigations: survey, geotechnical testing and utility mapping are critical to ensure the bridge is safe and constructible. Utility relocations are required at this site and are complex and time-consuming
• environmental and heritage approvals: detailed studies are required to protect local ecosystems and heritage sites. These assessments often take months and involve consultation with multiple stakeholders
• design and engineering: site-specific design is needed for foundations, flood resilience and road approaches. This includes hydraulic modelling, structural analysis and road design
• property and legal considerations: land acquisition, easements, and access agreements may be required. These involve negotiations with landowners and legal processes that can delay progress.

How much will a temporary bridge cost?

We don’t have any firm costings at this early stage. This isn’t something we would be able to confirm until after detailed design is completed and we have a better understanding of the environmental conditions.

Wouldn’t this money be better spent on a permanent solution?

We have investigated ways to reinstate access for vehicles carrying heavy loads over the Kangaroo River as soon as possible.

Upgrading Hampden Bridge and continuing to maintain it to ensure its long-term viability for vehicles carrying heavy loads is complex and slow – largely due to the bridge’s heritage significance.  

A temporary bridge crossing accommodating vehicles up to 42.5 tonnes could be designed and constructed sooner than a permanent solution – easing the current pressures being placed on industry.  

Why do heavy vehicles need access via this route? Why can’t the reduced load limit remain in place and trucks continue to detour around Kangaroo Valley?

Moss Vale Road is an efficient route between the Shoalhaven, South Coast and NSW Tablelands regions. It also provides connectivity between two of the state’s key freight corridors – the Hume and Princes Highways. The route is used to transport agricultural material, livestock, and other goods between the two regions. The additional time and distance to detour around Kangaroo Valley increases the cost of each freight trip. The increased cost for freight impacts businesses, customers and the local economies.

What is the history of Hampden Bridge and its previous load limits?

Hampden Bridge at Kangaroo Valley is Australia’s only surviving example of a colonial suspension bridge. It is a three-pin steel cable suspension bridge with timber stiffening trusses and timber deck. It was designed by Edward de Burgh and built between 1895 and 1898 by the NSW Department of Public Works. The bridge is 77 metres long (single clear span) with 5.6-metre-wide deck carriageway.

Hampden Bridge was opened to traffic in 1898 and holds historical and technical significance.

The bridge was designed to carry up to 14.5 tonnes. In 1968 the bridges limit was increased to 20 tonnes and in 2003 to 42.5 tonnes.

Since 2003 there have been ongoing issues with the bridge that have required higher than normal maintenance intervention and repairs. This is due to the strain from heavier vehicles using the bridge and overloading its capacity.

The load limit was implemented to reduce strain on the bridge, while we explore options to ensure the bridge can continue to operate in the long term.

What is the timeline for a replacement bridge?

At this stage, no decision has been made on a new permanent bridge. However, the NSW Government has committed $500,000 to begin early planning for a long-term replacement of the Hampden Bridge. This funding supports initial design work, cost estimates, and technical investigations.

Transport is exploring and evaluating long-term options that include an existing bridge upgrade or a new bridge. It is anticipated investigations to confirm the preferred longer-term option for the river crossing could take up to 12 months.

Transport acknowledges the community and users of the bridge are seeking more detail about the process involved in delivering a potential new bridge.  We are currently in the early stages of planning and do not have definitive answers regarding timelines. This remains subject to ongoing planning, technical assessments and community consultation.

• September 2025 project update (PDF, 868.12 KB)
• September 2025 project community notification (PDF, 331.26 KB)
• August 2025 community update (PDF, 509.84 KB)
• June 2025 community update (PDF, 121 KB)
• May 2025 community update (PDF, 108.13 KB)
• May 2025 community update (PDF, 127.51 KB) 

• 30 September 2025 - Preferred Kangaroo River crossing progresses, temporary bridge chosen (PDF, 89.53 KB)
• 20 August 2025 - Minns Labor Government pushing ahead with $500,000 plan for Hampden Bridge in Kangaroo Valley
• 6 May 2025 – Reduced load limit on the way for Hampden Bridge at Kangaroo Valley
• 26 May 2025 – Update on Hampden Bridge load limit changes