The historic Nowra Bridge has entered one of the most significant phases of its revitalisation, with the same specialised repainting process used to protect the worldfamous Sydney Harbour Bridge about to get underway on the Shoalhaven landmark.
After serving the community as a road bridge for 142 years, the bridge was retired from road traffic use when the new Nowra Bridge opened in 2023 and is being transformed into a dedicated pedestrian and cyclist crossing.
Work is now well under way to prepare the historic Shoalhaven River crossing for its next chapter, with crews soon to begin removing the existing paint and carrying out detailed inspections and repairs to the bridge’s steel structure.
The repainting method – which is used across the state’s steel bridges, involves specialist contractors installing a sealed containment enclosure around one section of the bridge at a time.
The enclosure will fully wrap around the work area, creating a controlled environment for abrasive blasting and repainting.
This system captures paint residue, blasting materials and dust, preventing contaminants from entering the Shoalhaven River and surrounding environment during this process.
Once the existing paint has been removed through abrasive blasting, detailed inspections of the exposed steelwork will be carried out.
After applying the new protective primer and coating system, crews will then reinstall repaired steel elements affected by corrosion, and replace rivets, bracing and lattice components that were not accessible before scaffolding was installed.
One of the central spans has been deliberately left unobstructed to maintain access for taller vessels travelling on the Shoalhaven River.
The remaining repairs and the repainting process start on Monday and take around 18 months to complete.
These works will help ensure the bridge remains structurally sound and protected as it begins its new life as a shared path for pedestrians and cyclists.
