Moonee Beach residents and hikers are celebrating news that the missing footbridge spanning Sugar Mill Creek will finally be rebuilt, with construction set to begin in June 2027. The NSW Government, through Crown Lands, has committed funding for the replacement bridge, ending years of community calls for its restoration.
The original timber footbridge connected Coffs Coast Regional Park to Green Bluff headland and served as a critical section of the 60-kilometre Solitary Islands Coastal Walk. It was closed in November 2022 after an engineering assessment revealed the wooden piers had eroded and the bridge had become unstable due to marine worm damage. The structure was demolished in June 2025, leaving a gap that frustrated locals and tourists alike.
Coffs Harbour Mayor Nikki Williams, a fourth-generation local, called the funding commitment a great and long-awaited result. She said the bridge is vital for community safety and local tourism. The absence of the crossing created real problems during a fire on the headland in 2025, when firefighters faced additional challenges without the pedestrian link.
The rebuild is being led by local firm BK Engineering Consulting Solutions, which was appointed in December 2025 to design the replacement bridge. The Coffs Harbour company was chosen for its expertise in bridge building and experience working in regional areas.
Stage 1 funding totalling $500,000 has been committed for design and planning work. Crown Lands contributed $350,000, while the City of Coffs Harbour Council provided $100,000 through the Coffs Coast Regional Park Trust and Reflections Holidays added $50,000. A development application for the new bridge will be submitted to the City of Coffs Harbour Council in June 2026, with tendering for construction to follow.
Once completed, the new footbridge will restore safe pedestrian access to Moonee Beach, the headlands, and the popular walking trails that draw visitors to the Coffs Coast each year.
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