Consultations about the Sunnyside Bridge -Tenterfield
Transport is consulting stakeholders and community from June 2025 to continue to build our knowledge and understand values, themes, key issues, and aspirations for the bridge.
Background
The Sunnyside rail bridge (bridge) is located between Armidale and Tenterfield on the former Main Northern Railway line, 12km north of Tenterfield, NSW.
The bridge is a non-operational, state heritage-listed timber Queen Post Truss viaduct which crosses Tenterfield Creek.
The bridge consists of six queen post, timber under truss spans with a timber single track ballast deck top, and brick pier walls.
Exposure to environmental elements has led to the deterioration of the timber bridge components, which now pose a risk to public safety.
In December 2024, Transport and our maintenance partner, UGL Regional Linx, became aware of a partial collapse of Span 4 of the bridge over Tenterfield Creek.
Following the partial collapse, Transport undertook assessments of the bridge which indicated that although certain structural elements remained intact, the structure was at a high risk of collapse.
Safety works were immediately planned in December 2024, which resulted in the installation of fencing, signage and security cameras.
What’s happening
Transport is currently undertaking further assessments and working with Heritage NSW and the EPA to determine next steps.
While no decision has been made on the future of Sunnyside Bridge, Transport plans to develop a heritage interpretation strategy which:
identifies and highlights the heritage significance of the bridge; and
captures community aspirations, values and opportunities for the bridge.
Transport is consulting stakeholders and community from June 2025. For more information on the heritage interpretation consultation, please scroll down to the ‘Community consultation’ section.
Next steps
Our next steps for this project include:
complete archival recording
prepare Statement of Heritage Impact (SOHI)
undertake engineering assessments
consult community and stakeholders on heritage interpretation strategy
determine next steps
You can send your feedback by using the link
https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/projects/current-projects/sunnyside-bridge-tenterfield