Bielby Holdings awarded $319M Kempsey-Armidale Road contract

Armidale Regional Council has awarded a $319 million contract to Bielby Holdings for the reconstruction of the Kempsey-Armidale Road. This initiative is described as the largest essential public asset restoration project ever undertaken in New South Wales.

The project aims to restore 43 kilometres of the Kempsey-Armidale Road between Big Hill and Blackbird Flat, as well as a five-kilometre section of Lower Creek Road. The area has suffered extensive damage from landslips and natural disasters, including the 2019 bushfires and subsequent flooding in 2020 and 2022. The road has been closed to non-resident traffic since 2022.

Funded jointly by the Australian and NSW governments under Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements, the works will include slope stabilisation, drainage improvements, retaining walls, road widening, and pavement sealing. Site mobilisation and early works are expected to begin in the coming months, with major construction scheduled for 2027. The project is targeted for completion in late 2029 and is expected to support more than 220 local jobs during peak construction.