Hamilton Street Pedestrian Bridge, Horsham


Client	Horsham Rural City Council
State	Victoria

A record-breaking community structure, 13 years in the making.

Stretching 73 metres across the Wimmera River – and 15 metres above it – this mighty pedestrian access structure in Horsham is the longest single-span bridge Fleetwood has ever delivered.

Creating a crucial link to the town centre for more than 2,000 residents (and four schools), Fleetwood was appointed as lead contractor following a multi-million-dollar tender in early 2022 – more than a decade after Horsham Rural City Council had first floated the idea for a pedestrian bridge at Hamilton Street.

The approved design was based on our proprietary Stirling cable-stayed system. Following an intensive pre-construction process, final installation began in March 2023 with the bridge officially opening to the public in mid-2023.

The project was co-funded by the State and Commonwealth Governments as part of the wider East–West safe cycling and pedestrian linkage pathway in Horsham.

Our involvement.

Fleetwood was contracted directly by Horsham Rural City Council following a competitive tender, with overall responsibility for design, detailing, engineering, manufacturing and installation.

During the tender, Council had floated several options for the bridge including arched and suspension-based designs. We priced these whilst also adding our cable-stayed Stirling design into the conversation – which was subsequently chosen.

Extensive planning was then undertaken during the pre-construction stage. Geotechnical studies were conducted as part of preliminary works, allowing us to refine the final designs, before progressing to the manufacturing and delivery stages. To maximise quality and minimise disruptions for Horsham locals, all pylons and substructure elements were manufactured and pre-assembled in controlled conditions off site. The final installation took place over three days, with large crowds of Horsham locals gathering to watch the spectacle.

How does this project inspire people to love the outdoors?

By creating a safe and direct access link, it’s never been so easy for Horsham locals and families to reach their town’s schools and business/activity districts – all whilst leaving their cars at home!

Design Challenge

The design of the bridge needed to deliver against key structural and aesthetic benchmarks, with local heritage impacts also requiring careful consideration.

Structurally, with a significant span of 73m, the arched design of Fleetwood’s Stirling system was ideally suited to the Hamilton Street site – especially given the limited space available on the approaches to the bridge. The gently arching walkway was finished with elegant balustrades and handrails to deliver an understated form that complements the natural beauty of the Wimmera River and surrounding vegetation – rather than dominate it.

At a technical level, the scale of the structure meant the cables and extension rods had to be millimetre perfect, requiring highly detailed engineering.
Construction Challenge

The large span and suburban location of the construction zone presented several challenges. Many of these were overcome by pre-assembling the support pylons and substructure elements off-site, before being delivered to Horsham in manageable sections for final installation by crane.

During the initial groundwork stages at Hamilton Street, the water flows needed to be carefully managed to allow the safe installation of the concrete footings within the Wimmera River flood plain, with levels slowly increased as the construction of the footings progressed.

With multiple engineers, two different crane companies and three different rigging companies required for the final installation stage (completed over three days), detailed co-ordination and communication was essential to ensure everyone was on the same page.
Innovations
- The footings were substantial with 48 screw piles (24 per side) each installed at specifically-calculated angles and pressures
- The bridge (including balustrading) was designed in such a way that preassembly could be completed entirely on the ground, significantly reducing the risks of working at heights
- To deliver maximum design life, the paint and protective coating system was customised for the Horsham site.
Features
- Stirling cable-stayed bridge (73.48m span x 2.99m wide)
- 4 x 19m structural steel support pylons
- 16 x steel support cables (36mm & 42mm diameter)
- Laser cut stanchions
- 48 Screw piles (4-6m) with concrete abutments
- Marine-grade paint system
Materials
- Mild steel substructure
- Fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP) decking
- Stainless steel fittings & handrails
- Pressure-tested sealed enclosures
Safety & Risk Considerations

There were numerous safety risks to be mitigated, impacting both site crews and the local community. The most obvious of these related to working at heights above the Wimmera River, coupled with the potential for unstable riverbanks and unpredictable water levels.

During the installation stage, operating multiple canes in a heavily-populated pocket of suburban Horsham also needed to be carefully managed.
Sustainability Considerations

From the outset, we were very conscious of minimising any impact on the Wimmera River, both during and after construction, and our crews liaised constantly with the local water catchment authority. One specific initiative saw a local contractor engaged to redirect an old asbestos storm water pipe that was close to the new bridge footings. Silt fencing was also erected proactively to protect the local waterways against any potential for spills and contamination during construction.