Multi-million-dollar Coastal Walkway suspension bridges open to the public

Thousands of residents and visitors are enjoying an iconic coastal walking trail in Hallett Cove following the opening of two multi-million dollar suspension bridges.

Spanning across two separate gullies, the two bridges were officially opened by South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas and Marion Mayor Kris Hanna on Saturday in front of hundreds of community members.

The bridges are a key piece of infrastructure along the Coastal Walkway which extends 7.2 km from Marino in the north, to the Hallett Headland Reserve at Hallett Cove in the south is a treasured path that traverses across Adelaide’s unique and rugged southern coastline.

A structural audit on the popular tourist attraction was conducted by engineers in 2019, leading to some sections of the boardwalk being closed for safety reasons until they could be rebuilt.

Instead of replacing the old boardwalk, the City of Marion made an ambitious plan to build two bridges at Grey Road and Kurnabinna Terrace gullies to connect the walkway between Heron Way Reserve and the Field River. The project has been jointly funded by the City of Marion and the State Government.

"Marion Council greatly appreciates the State Government contribution towards these two important projects in Hallett Cove," Mayor Hanna said.

"The walkway is one of Adelaide’s highlights; valued by local residents, other South Australians, and tourists from all over the world.

The bridges span 41 metres across Kurnabinna Gully and 39 metres across Grey Gully. They both sit approximately 25 metres above ground. They were constructed using more than 800 lineal metres of reinforced steel and can hold up to 350 tonnes of weight.

A key feature of this walkway is its rugged cliffs, small coves and rocky coast. This landscape has been preserved during the build of these bridges. The City of Marion has also planted 6000 additional plants across this section of the trail.

The bridges are the latest development along the coastline in the City of Marion after the $1.126 million Field River section extension was officially opened in April 2022.

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