Ashley Meyer-Dilley says Foxlow Bridge looks unchanged from this photo, taken in 2019. Photo: Ashley Meyer-Dilley.
Queanbeyan Council has admitted there’s “no quick fix repair” that will solve infrastructure chaos that will see two key bridges shut.
Earlier this year, Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council (QPRC) awarded a multi-million dollar contract for the design and construction of a replacement to a low-level causeway along Briars Sharrow Road, a 10-minute drive from Bugendore.
To allow for its construction, that bridge was set to be closed until January 2027, with motorists able to use Foxlow Bridge.
But the council backflipped on 24 April, opening that bridge after issues were found with the replacement route.
At the time, a QPRC statement said the decision was made in light of an independent engineering report.
When asked for further details by Region, a council spokesperson said the most recent inspections of Foxlow Bridge were carried out on 14 and 20 April.
A draft report was presented to QPRC on 24 April, which recommended closure.
“The inspection found deterioration affecting elements of the bridge that are load-carrying and represent new or worsened conditions from the previous report from 2024,” a council spokesperson said.
But Hoskinstown resident Ashley Meyer-Dilley said worries around Foxlow Bridge’s condition were already known.
“My partner used to live out this way … He lived closer to that bridge and used to be able to get into and swim in the river underneath it.
“He said there were bolts dropping out of it back then – we’re talking 15 years ago now.”
She said she was concerned about the bridge’s five-tonne weight limit and its height limit, believing this would have limited the traffic able to use the bridge.
“If anyone had actually done the proper process [they’d know about these concerns].
“This goes back to council governance around projects … I’ve got some pretty big questions for council around the governance.”
Nearby resident Samii Cochrane is bracing for an extra 20 minutes of travel time during the closure of Foxlow Bridge.
She believes there’s been a lack of communication from the council about the bridge’s condition.
“It’s funny, because the whole community has been whinging about the state of that bridge … [for] anywhere from a decade to five years,” she said.
“Now it’s been permanently closed … [There were reports in the media] that there were cracks, but we don’t know the extent of what’s wrong with it.”
Foxlow Bridge was put under the spotlight in a February 2026 report received by councillors, which estimated it had a remaining useful life of 25 years.
“The majority of components along the entire span are in a state of degradation. Major repair works would be needed to bring back to specification,” it states.
That report also states the bridge – along with Mongarlow River and Majors Creek bridges – will need “intervention” within the next five years.
QPRC has confirmed a meeting on the Briars Sharrow project will be held in early May.
The session will be held from 6:30 pm on 6 May at the Hoskinstown War Memorial Hall, 1697 Hoskinstown Road, Hoskinstown.
The council spokesperson told Region the temporary reopening of the road wouldn’t affect its timeline.
“The contractor had begun clearing works and site setup but had not yet started works within the road alignment,” they said of its progress.
“Given the immediate and unexpected closure of Foxlow Bridge, we wanted residents to have an alternative that was in place in the short term.”
Briars Sharrow Road will also be closed to traffic again on 5 May for the start of major works, such as vegetation clearing and foundation preparations for the new bridge.
“The road will be impassable from then on, until the project is completed,” the spokesperson said.
It’s hoped the project will still be finished in time to open in January 2027.
It’s a different story for Foxlow Bridge, which is set to remain closed as there is no “short-term, quick-fix repair”.
It’s expected the independent engineering report, which is being finalised, will be presented to councillors before any decisions are made.
“Council will need to decide about the future of Foxlow Bridge, including pursuing funding for the project. No timeline for works is yet available at this stage,” the spokesperson outlined.
Motorists are asked to use Hoskinstown Road (towards Bungendore) as a detour during its closure.
Updates can also be found through the Briars Sharrow Bridge upgrade page on the council’s website.
