15/10/2026
16TH OCTOBER
GO4BATHURST EVENT APPLICATION SUBMITTED TODAY!
Today marks a major step making our new Bathurst event a reality as today marks six months before the event and is also the deadline for the event application.
While our focus has been on Bathurst this year, we are glad to see things moving ahead on the repair of the Great Western Highway at Victoria Pass. All indications are the contractors are making great progress and that VIC100 will again run in 2027.
I and the team at Go4Foundation look forward to a great 2027 while raising funds for mental health & Lifeline Central West. Ed
THIS IS A GOOD READ: The Mitchell’s Causeway rebuild — a showcase of heritage protection and resilience
The New South Wales (NSW) government closed Mitchell’s Causeway, an artificial bridge along Victoria Pass built by convicts centuries ago, after Transport for NSW’s ongoing asset management program identified significant deterioration in the earth and rubble fill within it.
The authorities installed equipment within the road’s surface and in its sandstone walls to proactively monitor movements in real time and collect extensive data on the substructure’s condition.
The state government’s decisive move to close this section of the Great Western Highway might have averted disaster, especially since it descends from Mount Victoria to Little Hartley.
Although the closure has disrupted local communities, the rebuild promises long-term convenience for road users and the mindful preservation of the heritage structure for posterity.
Building a new bridge
The NSW government is constructing a concrete deck with an asphalt finish to serve as a new platform. Deep concrete piles drilled through the old causeway and anchored into solid bedrock support the new structure.
Poured concrete will fill steel reinforcement cages, creating a strong foundation that allows the deck to sit above and independently of the convict-built causeway.
The concrete piles transfer the traffic load to the underlying bedrock, which the authorities have confirmed remains strong. Transport for NSW finalised the design and contract in 109 days after completing three key steps:
• Completing meticulous geotechnical testing
• Convening a global industry roundtable
• Running an accelerated procurement process involving Australian and international engineering experts
Road users can expect new safety barriers once this vital corridor between the Central West and Sydney reopens in the second quarter of 2027.
To make the most of the Victoria Pass closure, the transport services and roads agency is carrying out various works on the site, where possible. Pavement updates, drainage improvements and guardrail upgrades help neutralise the geohazards common in mountainous terrain and steep corridors, such as mass movement and erosion, which should strengthen the crossing once it becomes accessible to the public again.
Noise from construction activities may affect nearby communities. The augers used for drilling can be as loud as leaf blowers and blenders. Transport for NSW acknowledges that noise pollution can be disruptive and aims to minimise disturbance by taking breaks between noisier activities and scheduling louder activities for daytime. Still, the construction crew may have to work around the clock to fast-track the project and reopen the road sooner rather than later.
FULL STORY: https://www.buildaustralia.com.au/trending/the-mitchells-causeway-rebuild-a-showcase-of-heritage-protection-and-resilience
