Lendlease opens Djindi Bridge at Calderwood Valley
02 June 2017
Lendlease today opened Djindi Bridge at Calderwood Valley, an essential piece of road infrastructure for new residents and the broader Illawarra community.
Cr Marianne Saliba, Mayor of Shellharbour City Council and Uncle Richard Davis, representative of the traditional custodians of the land and the Shellharbour City Council Aboriginal Advisory Committee, joined Lendlease to celebrate the official opening as part of National Reconciliation Week 2017.
Lendlease Regional Development Manager, Tamara Rasmussen, said it was wonderful to celebrate the proud heritage of Australia’s First People as part of the opening of Djindi Bridge, one of the longest bridges in the Shellharbour City Council Local Government Area.
“We’re proud to deliver this significant piece of infrastructure in Calderwood Valley within just three years of launching the project,” said Ms Rasmussen.
“Djindi Bridge is an important milestone for the Calderwood Valley community, providing connectivity for local residents as well as a safe passage for the community during storm events.”
Lendlease has worked with the local Aboriginal community to name the bridge “Djindi”, which is the word for “mist” in the Dharawal Language.
Celebrating National Reconciliation Week is a key action of Lendlease’s Reconciliation Action Plan. It focuses on strengthening and maintaining relationships between Lendlease’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees and other employees while also building relationships with local communities.
Mayor of Shellharbour City Council Cr Marianne Saliba said, “The partnership between Lendlease, the Shellharbour City Council and the State Government to design and construct the bridge is a great example of how businesses and government can work together to benefit the community in the Illawarra region.”
Located on Escarpment Drive in Calderwood Valley, Djindi Bridge measures 144 metres long and 12 metres wide. In addition to two car lanes, the bridge includes a 3 metre wide shared path for pedestrians and cyclists to ensure their safety when travelling across the bridge.
Designed to provide a safe passage for the community during floods, the bridge is constructed 0.5 metres above the anticipated maximum flood level to ensure it provides the highest level of flood immunity for the residents of Calderwood Valley and those living in the surrounding suburbs.
Official proceedings included a smoking ceremony by Goombin from the Yuin Nation, a ribbon cutting and a morning tea hosted at the Calderwood Valley temporary community centre, Sprout Hub.
Since starting construction just over two years ago, the new masterplanned community is showing no signs of slowing down, having already completed the community’s entrance, display home village, community centre, sales centre, Djindi Bridge and selling over 900 lots.
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Source: Lendlease - www.lendlease.com
Contact: Samantha Murray NSW External Affairs Manager, Property 0407 898 724
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