The replacement bridge over the Murrumbidgee River at Jugiong, which cost close to $10 million, has had a name proposed.
Council has voted for Bundarbo Bridge at Jugiong to be renamed John Sargent Bridge at their most recent meeting, off the back of a letter supplied to the July meeting and a two and a half page report. A 28 day period for submissions for and against is about to end, with the ability to make a submission under the Have Your Say part on the website and then further down the page.
The $10,000,000 bridge services some farms in the area and allows for large haulage of quarry materials across the river and on to regional, state and federal roads.
In contrast, the William Bradford Bridge, which sees thousands of vehicle movements a day, remains unfunded in what is now a recognised black spot after a bus from Griffith careered off the bridge in 2019 before construction commenced on the Bundarbo Bridge.
The bus carrying 28 passengers, including children, crashed off the road into a creek bed, leaving a 65-year-old woman in critical condition and an eight-year-old boy with serious fractures.
Though Transport for NSW responded with improvements to barriers, signage, and road
delineation, the bridge’s fundamental design flaw – its width — remains a hazard, particularly for freight vehicles and buses. Black tyre marks are present on both sides of the concrete bollards even though they were ground down to provide a few extra inches of clearance in width.
There is no mention in the report regarding the proposed name of consultation with local Aboriginal Land Councils in the neighbouring areas for the Jugiong bridge renaming, many whom regard the river as part of their history and where ceremony was and continues to be undertaken, particularly around the transition of boys to manhood along cultural lines.
Jugiong is on the land of the Wiradjuri Nation, and the name ‘Jugiong’ itself is believed to be derived from the Wiradjuri word ‘dyagang’ meaning boys without mothers. This could be a possible name, Dyagang Bridge, but it too would need community consultation and agreement from the Aboriginal Land Councils and the community, as well as the geographic names board.
The report from Council states the following, but it is unknown where the information was sourced: “The current bridge was constructed in 2023, replacing a previous structure constructed in 1965. The bridge is located on Bundarbo Road over the Murrumbidgee River at Jugiong. Council has received a request to name the new bridge the “John Sargent Bridge”, after the founder of Tegra Australia. In 1964, Mr Sargent started a haulage business which set up the foundation for what is now Tegra Australia.
The request at Attachment 1 provides further information to support the proposed name.
The Geographical Names Board of NSW does not name bridges; however, it encourages all bridge naming to follow the guidelines set out in its policy for place naming. As a Roads Authority, Council is responsible for managing and recommending the naming and renaming of its bridges. The recommended naming of any bridge in NSW must be forwarded to Transport for NSW for final approval. Local councils initiate the naming of bridges on local, regional and state roads (other than freeways). Once initially approved by Council, final approval of a name is the responsibility of Transport for NSW.
Transport will approve a naming proposal for a bridge or structure provided that:
• The name has wide community support
• An Aboriginal name has the support of local Aboriginal groups
• Consideration has been given to National and State commemorative initiatives involving the naming of new or key road infrastructure
• The name is consistent with GNB place name criteria and
• The design of the name plaque accords with Transport requirements.”
“ In accordance with Council’s Place Naming Policy, Council will need to place the proposed bridge name on public exhibition for 28 days. The community will be invited to make submissions. Should any submissions be received opposing the name during the exhibition period, a report would be provided to Council addressing the submissions.”
Although on the Council website, Council’s poor engagement with the residents and ratepayers of the forced entity of Hilltops Council is long, visible and detailed by not utilising local media fairly with allocation of advertising funds or the chance for ratepayers or residents being given the chance to have funding directed at their most respected outlet.
The new bridge is a boon for some farming businesses and also for the business formerly part directed by Mr Sargent, now deceased, mentioned above, as the haulage of materials can now provide for heavier loads on the new bridge, which was funded under a federal grant of approximately four and a half million dollars and about the same from Hilltops Councils coffers when the Council could ill afford to spend it at the time.
The federal government announcement of funding came 6 days after the initial Hilltops elections.
Hilltops Council had its first election of Councillors on 9 September 2017, following the Council’s creation from the merger of Boorowa, Harden, and Young in May 2016. It was under the administration of now Member for Goulburn Wendy Tuckerman until the elections were held. Less than a week later, and before widespread support could be agreed on by Councillors or the new entity have time to address needs for road and bridge funding and get its footing, the funding arrived, leaning to previous applications being lodged before a democratically elected Council had been installed.
A media release from the time (15 September), a week after the Hilltops elections were held, stated the following: “Today’s announcement brings the total money the Liberals and Nationals in Government have dedicated to fixing bridges in the region over recent years to $11,546,105, including:
• Beazleys Lane Bridge, Weddin Shire Council – $50,000 of $100,000 total project cost
• Blacks Bridge replacement, Weddin Shire Council – $425,000 of $850,000
• McHenrys Creek Bridge widening, Young Shire Council – $419,000 of $838,000
• Kadina Bridge replacement, Parkes Shire Council – $297,000 of $595,000
• Eunony Bridge replacement, Wagga Wagga City Council – $4,906,000 of $9,812,000
• NEW Bundarbo Road Bridge replacement, Hilltops Council – $4,672,537 of $9,445,075
• NEW Burrangong Creek Bridge duplication, Hilltops Council – $573,568 of $1,147,137
• NEW Trungley Hall Road Culvert replacement, Temora Shire Council – $203,000 of $407
Bundarbo Bridge received the second-highest amount of funding during that period, behind Eunony Bridge at Wagga.
Few would argue that road and bridge funding is not needed in the bush or in the Jugiong area, but why has the William Bradford Bridge, a much more heavily utilised bridge, not been properly addressed in a decade?
John Sargent was a Director of the Company when a 29-year-old man inhaled toxic fumes on 12 November 2009 which, according to Workcover, Tegra were forced to pay a fine of $80,000 when a then 29-year-old employee was working under concrete premix storage silos at a Tumut site when a large amount of cement powder was accidentally released. The man was almost killed when he inhaled the cement powder, which has permanently reduced his lung capacity to 35 per cent as well as leading to a number of other serious health complications.
No mask or other breathing equipment was being used at the time.
A WorkCover investigation found that an accidental release of cement was foreseeable and should have been planned for, including requiring all employees to wear face masks while on site. The company had also failed to provide appropriate supervision, skills, and training on what to do in the case of this type of emergency.
Tegra was charged with breaches of the Occupational Health & Safety Act 2000. The company pleaded guilty and was fined $80,000 and legal costs by the Industrial Court of NSW.
WorkCover NSW General Manager John Watson said the company’s failings were serious.
“There was a clear lack of instruction and training in this instance. Had there been better
instruction and training, the consequences might not have been so severe.
“WorkCover will work with the company to ensure that the same mistakes are not made in the future,” Mr Watson said.
The man went on to have two heart attacks at a later date and received a small compensation payout due to his expected life expectancy, which was short. He is still alive today but unable to undertake many simple tasks and can’t take to the water as he is no longer buoyant enough to float due to his inability to get enough air in his lungs, which have suffered irreparable damage, preventing him from swimming with his children.
A 660 metre bridge at Dubbo over the Macquarie River was renamed the Aunty Pearl Gibbs Bridge by Transport for New South Wales. The name honours Pearl Gibbs, a prominent Aboriginal activist and leader who fought for Indigenous rights and equality for decades, after a state decision followed local debate after the council had alternative community support to name the crossing after Dubbo’s first mayor, James Samuels.
Council and Transport for New South Wales undertook a comprehensive community consultation process and with respect to First Nations peoples.
Residents and ratepayers of Hilltops and surrounds can lodge a submission to Hilltops Council at the Have Your Say part of the website.
https://www.hilltops.nsw.gov.au/council/have-your-say/
Any person may make a written submission to Council until 12 noon, Friday 21 August 2026.
The general public will be able to state if they think the naming is appropriate via mentioned means.