Made in the U.S.A. Christmas deadline looms for Stewart Road bridge

PREPARATORY works have officially commenced on the Stewart Road bridge at Kernot marking the first phase of the critical local infrastructure project which contractors still hope to have finished by Christmas.

Site foreman Chad Philpott, representing contractor Timber Restoration Systems, is currently on-site to manage early operations and seal off the area while awaiting delivery of the prefabricated components made in Oregon USA.

A resident of Australia for eight years the Canadian foreman has worked on more than 50 bridge projects for Timber Restoration Systems from Cairns to Tasmania and Perth.

“The bridge was built in Oregon made from Douglas Fir” explained Chad.

“The timber was treated in the United States and freighted to Australia. It’s currently on the water and waiting to be offloaded in the Port of Melbourne,” he said.

Chad estimated the timber will take another two weeks to arrive at Kernot where it will be unpacked from two shipping containers as the old bridge is demolished and taken away. A crane will then fit together the bridge piece by piece and lift it into place.

“The entire bridge is prefabricated and will be assembled on the roadway,” said Chad.

The bridge structure was test-fitted in the USA before being shipped to ensure faster on-site assembly. “We’re still hoping to be finished by Christmas,” Chad revealed.

Crews will reconstruct the wing walls, install essential scour protection, execute road pavement and sealing works, and eventually revegetate all disturbed natural areas.

Because the bridge has been closed for some time due to its deteriorating structural capacity, the work zone will remain strictly unpassable for the duration of the project.

The bridge was closed in March 2025 after structural safety audits deemed it unsafe for heavy vehicular traffic. Residents have constantly complained of the ongoing safety risk posed by the extended closure of the bridge on emergency services such as the CFA, Ambulance Victoria and the SES.

The reliance on overseas shipping also sparked a significant backlash from local residents when many questioned why public funds were being spent on international imports. Frustrations escalated when Bass Coast Shire Council confirmed that restoration of the Kernot Bridge had fallen well behind schedule and critical structural materials had been sourced from the United States rather than Australian suppliers.

On-site construction works were most recently scheduled to commence in September 2026, targeting a final completion date of early December 2026.

Council authorities blamed the setbacks on geopolitical conflicts which had severely disrupted international shipping.

Residents pointed out the irony of importing heavy timber across the Pacific Ocean for a project in a region historically known for its own forestry and timber industries.

Timber Restoration Systems estimates the timber should arrive on-site within two weeks with the prefabricated structure likely to be finished by the end of December.