Walyalup Bridge opens in Fremantle months ahead of schedule
Fremantle’s new river crossing, Walyalup Bridge, was due to open on Sunday, 1 November 2026, months earlier than first planned. The bridge crosses the Swan River in the port city of Fremantle, in Western Australia.
A free community celebration was planned from 9am to 1pm, giving people the chance to walk across the bridge before it was due to open to traffic later on Sunday evening. Food, family activities and entertainment were part of the event, with free shuttle buses running from Fremantle Station.
The new bridge replaces the former Fremantle Traffic Bridge, which was built in 1939 and closed on 1 February 2026. The closure was originally expected to last up to 12 months, and the new bridge had been earmarked to open in the first half of 2027. A fast-tracked construction method allowed it to open early instead.
Walyalup is the traditional Whadjuk Noongar name for Fremantle. It comes from walyo, the Noongar word for the woylie, a small marsupial once common across the coastal plain. The site has served as a river crossing for more than 160 years, with the first bridge built there in 1866.
Why it matters
The crossing is a key link into Fremantle, used by people heading to work, school, the beach and the port. Its closure had forced traffic onto other routes, so the early opening was expected to ease pressure on the surrounding road network ahead of summer and the Christmas trading period.
The bridge is also Australia’s first extradosed bridge, combining cantilever and cable-stayed supports. It has two traffic lanes in each direction, plus wider shared paths for pedestrians and cyclists. Its design includes Whadjuk Noongar storytelling through public art, lighting, signage and landscaping, and timber piles from the former bridge have been kept as a link to the crossing’s history.
What happens next
Once the bridge opened to traffic, the temporary road changes put in place during the closure were due to be removed, including access to and from Fremantle via Canning Highway.
Finishing work was set to continue on the bridge and surrounding areas after the opening, with the bridge’s lighting still to be finalised.
This article is for general information and education only. It is not legal or financial advice.
Sources
- https://www.wa.gov.au/government/media-statements/Cook%20Labor%20Government/Joint-media-statement—New-Fremantle-Traffic-Bridge-to-open-on-1-November-20260913 (Western Australian Government, 13 September 2026)
- https://perthisok.com/news/fremantle-traffic-bridge-walyalup-bridge/ (Perth is OK!, 26 October 2026)
- https://infrastructuremagazine.com.au/new-fremantle-traffic-bridge-to-open-ahead-of-schedule/ (Infrastructure Magazine, 14 September 2026)
