Projects

Rainbow Creek Bridge (Traralgon-Maffra Road) replacement, Heyfield

We’re replacing the bridge over Rainbow Creek on Traralgon-Maffra Road to provide a safe and secure future road connection.

Project status:

Planned

Published date:

19/02/2025

Overview

We are replacing the aging timber Rainbow Creek Bridge, built in 1947, with a new reinforced concrete bridge.

Transport Victoria is delivering the bridge replacement project on behalf of the Australian and Victorian Governments, with both organisations contributing a combined $12.65 million in funding.

Background

Rainbow Creek Bridge is located on Traralgon-Maffra Road, approximately three kilometres south of Heyfield in Wellington Shire.

Traralgon-Maffra Road carries around 3,000 vehicles daily and serves the community, public transport, freight and tourism. It is also a vital route for agriculture, supporting the Macalister Irrigation District, one of Victoria’s key food production regions.

The bridge will be replaced with a reinforced concrete bridge on a new alignment to provide all road users with a safe and secure future road connection.

Building the replacement bridge on a new alignment to the west enables the existing bridge to remain open to traffic during construction with limited disruption.

Details

The bridge replacement works include:

replacement of existing bridge with new reinforced concrete bridge
realignment of the curve on the southern approach
new road and pavement on approaches to the bridge
installation of safety barriers on each approach and railings on the bridge, and
upgraded road surface and line marking.

Benefits

The benefits of the new bridge include:

safer and more reliable journeys for all road users
improved connectivity
safer travel by realigning to the curve
better protection with safety barriers if vehicles run off the road, and
reduced maintenance costs.

Cultural heritage

We consulted with the Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation who provided advice relating to Aboriginal heritage in the area as part of the preparation of a Cultural Heritage Management Plan.

Protecting our environment

We understand the complex balance of connecting communities whilst caring for our natural environment. We share the value the community places on the environment and have worked hard to minimise disturbance to native wildlife and vegetation.

It is necessary to remove some native vegetation to build the replacement bridge and new road alignment. We are seeking approvals and native vegetation offsets are being secured to minimise fauna and flora impact.

An environmental assessment for these works has been completed and work will be carried out in accordance with a Construction Environmental Management Plan.

We’re committed to performing our works in a thoughtful and considered way to reduce impact on the environment.

Flood modelling

We explored flood mitigation measures through flood modelling during the project’s planning phase.

We are ensuring that all flood mitigation strategies meet the requirements of the West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority, avoiding any impact on the flow of Rainbow Creek or nearby properties.

The new bridge is designed to be far more flood-resilient than the old one. After a flood, we will be able to reopen it more quickly, as it won’t require the extensive structural inspections the old bridge needed.