Archinals Bridge: connecting almost a century of Dungog's past

Archinals Bridge was the second of 23 bridges to be replaced in Dungog Shire under the Fixing Country Bridges Program, and it has a heartwarming backstory that spans close to a century. 

Family legacy

The Archinal family were some of the first people to live in the Allynbrook Valley area, and owned land bordering the crossing.

When the bridge was first opened to traffic in 1940, 6-year-old Ruby Archinal cut the ribbon at its opening ceremony. 83 years later, Ruby returned with her brother Jim to cut the ribbon once again and declare the new bridge open.

Safety improvements

Today, Archinals Bridge keeps the Dungog community connected and supports the area’s thriving farming and tourism industries. 

However, prior to its reconstruction it had a load limit of five tonnes that made it unsuitable for emergency service vehicles, forcing them to take a 70-kilometre detour along forest tracks.