Temporary Bridge Erected Over Ollera Creek Near Townville

Residents are being advised a temporary bridge has been constructed on the Bruce Highway at Ollera Creek to assist in getting critical emergency services and supplies into isolated areas from Townsville.

The single lane bridge opened this afternoon and will be operational between the hours of 8am and 5.30pm, subject to environmental conditions, and can only accommodate one vehicle at a time travelling at 2km per hour.

This bridge will be the only road into flood affected areas, including Ingham and the Hinchinbrook Shire, from the south.

This bridge is for emergency service vehicle use.

Emergency services vehicles will be crossing the bridge, so isolated communities can receive the critical supplies, services and support they need at this time.

Police have set up checkpoints at the Rollingstone Truck Pad along the Bruce Highway, 3 kilometres south of the bridge, and Barrett Road, 100 metres north of the bridge, to triage requests for those crossing.

All vehicles and people will be checked for their need to access the community and records will be kept of all those who cross the bridge. Police will be stationed at the checkpoints and the bridge 24 hours a day.

The nearby rail bridge is also under police management. Essential access to assist the Ingham community can be provided by Queensland Rail via a small bus on the rail tracks for small groups of people. This service is only available until 5pm.

Anyone using this service will need to make their own arrangements from the other side of the bridge into Ingham. No one is to walk across the bridge without police approval and vehicles will not be permitted to park near the bridge.

The community is advised not to attend the area unless they are part of the flood response. They may have to wait for extended periods of time and risk delaying the vital resupplying of supplies to the area.

Heavy vehicles in excess of 35 tonnes will not be able to cross the bridge as the weight risks compromising the integrity of temporary structure. They will be turned away.

Residents are advised that the opening of the bridge is not an opportunity for sightseeing in flood affected communities but is strictly for emergency personnel, while the rail bridge bus can be used by flood impacted residents with the approval of police on site.

Everyone is reminded to expect delays, drive with caution and adhere to the advice of traffic controllers and police at the scene so that the bridge can operate as efficiently as possible.

This arrangement will be for the foreseeable future, while work is underway to open more routes to deliver critical supplies and support into the flood impacted towns in North Queensland.

For all other flood-related enquiries, visit your local Council's Disaster Dashboard.