Perth’s Boorloo Bridge

WSP collaborated with Main Roads WA, Civmec and Seymour Whyte to design and build two cable-stay bridges over the Swan River in Perth for pedestrians and cyclists.

WSP provided design services for the Boorloo Bridge (The Causeway Pedestrian and Cyclist Bridges project) as part of an alliance with Main Roads, Civmec and Seymour Whyte. The project comprises two cable-stayed bridges that traverse the Swan River from Victoria Park to Point Fraser via Heirisson Island in two s-shaped curves that represent the movement of the Waugyl (rainbow serpent).

The new bridges replaced the existing two-metre-wide active transport path with a six-metre-wide segregated path. This provides more than 1,400 cyclists and 1,900 pedestrians daily safe passage. The heritage-listed Causeway Bridge remains in its current configuration.

This project was recognised for its comprehensive and inclusive consultation with stakeholders, winning the Built Environment Award at the 2023 Cycling Luminaries Awards and 2024 Planning Institute Award for Planning with Country.

In 2025, the Boorloo Bridge was recognised for numerous national and international awards including:

Jonathan Speirs Lighting Award, 2025 Footbridge awards
International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering, Project and Technology Awards 2025 for Pedestrian and Cycle Bridges (Finalist and Commendation)
2025 Western Australia Project of the Year, Engineers Australia
2025 Austroads Bridge Awards, Best Structure Over 35 Metres
Government Partnerships Excellence and Industry Choice in Infrastructure Partnerships Australia's National Infrastructure Awards (Finalist)
2025 Civil Contractors Federation Western Australia Earth Award

WSP designed the following aspects of the project works:

Two cable-stayed bridges, McCallum Park Bridge - a three span 275-metre-long bridge linking McCallum Park to Heirisson Island, and Point Fraser Bridge - a multi-span 214-metre-long bridge linking Heirisson Island to Point Fraser. The relatively lightweight steel design of the bridges required complex dynamic analysis for wind loading and footfall pedestrian loads to ensure structural strength and comfort criteria were met.
Shared path networks civil design for all landside aspects of the bridge approaches including integration with the landscaping design and stakeholder requirements.
Geotechnical design involving detailed site investigation, piling design for both the marine piles and landside piles, and earthworks approach embankment design. Relatively poor ground conditions resulted in complex and innovative design solutions such as CMCs to minimise settlement and reduce the time required for the settlement.
Lighting and security design for the bridges and shared path networks to ensure the safety of the path users. Bridge decks are lit with integrated handrail lighting, while the pylons have projector lights to illuminate these structural features. In addition, the structural cables of the bridges are lit with feature lighting that enable both colours and, in the case of Point Fraser Bridge, moving images to be shown. WSP worked collaboratively with the alliance and lighting suppliers to provide a best for project approach that met all requirements and considered operations and maintenance in the design.

Location

Perth, Western Australia, Australia

Client

Main Roads WA

Project Value

$119.4M

A sustainable and cultural solution for Perth

The cable-stayed bridges at McCallum Park and Point Fraser were thoughtfully designed to protect the Swan River and its surroundings. With only three in-river pylons—two for McCallum Park and one for Point Fraser—the project avoided temporary causeways and dams, using long spans with slender decks to minimise the need for temporary supports. This careful approach meant no temporary concrete piles or pile caps were required, helping preserve the riverbed and soft soils. Their location, 90 metres downstream of the Causeway, was selected to reduce impacts on local flora and fauna, while the bridges’ curved profiles not only preserve existing trees but also meet navigation requirements and gently slow cyclists at key intersections.

The commitment to sustainability continues in the bridges’ construction. Both feature dedicated rest points for path users and slender, fabricated decks made from weathering steel, which develops a protective patina and never needs painting, significantly reducing maintenance. Instead of concrete, the decks use 5mm Matacryl steel surfacing, marking the first time this technology has been applied at such scale in Australia. The project also pioneered the use of Grade 400 weathering steel, with custom 14mm plate thickness for the cantilevered deck to further reduce weight and the carbon footprint of the bridges.

Extensive stakeholder consultation involved engagement planning and ongoing communication with those impacted by the project including residents, businesses, and path users. The project team worked closely with local traditional owners – the Matagarup Elders Group, to ensure the two bridges and approach embankments’ designs reflected and embedded Whadjuk Noongar culture and the Aboriginal heritage of Heirisson Island and the Swan River.

In November 2024, the iconic structures were officially named Boorloo Bridge, reflecting the Noongar name for Perth, and the project’s commitment to Planning with Country was recognised by the Planning Institute of Australia (PIA) in its WA Awards for Excellence.

The inclusion of boomerang and digging stick pylons and limiting the bridge to only three piers to minimise spiritual disturbance of this important site demonstrates the remarkable scale of commitment that Causeway Link Alliance has to interpreting the Noongar culture and history, reversing the usual subservience of culture to budget…This project is a guiding light for others, demonstrating excellence in Planning with Country for all others to emulate.

PIA WA Awards for Excellence

PIA WA Awards for Excellence

WSP also took out the Insight Excellence Award in the 2024 Nudge Sundowner & Training Awards. These awards recognise employers and programs that understand the value of supporting new workforce entrants through Nudge Mentoring. WSP has been undertaking an Aboriginal employment and training program with Nudge since 2023.

Project Value (CAD)

$128.4M

Active transport path width (metres)

6

Safe Passage for Cyclists & Pedestrians (daily)

3,300

Innovative design, construction and collaboration

Our team implemented multiple strategies to increase client benefits such as:

Proposing an innovative idea to delink the approach embankments from the piling. This resulted in an overall saving in the construction program of approximately three months.
Designing an alternative approach to the proposed construction sequence for the cable-stayed bridges that resulted in savings in the steel tonnage for the bridge decks.
Used weathering steel for the bridge decks, avoiding the need for painting.
Working with an Aboriginal advisory group through design and construction to ensure we deliver an iconic, culturally sensitive legacy project that connects with and inspires stakeholders and community.
Identifying and innovatively addressing challenging Safety in Design issues related to new lighting system being installed on the stay cable.
Designed the bridges to accommodate marathon running events.
World first for such lightweight cable supported structures.
The worlds widest bridge decks for cable-stayed bridges with single side cable attachment points.

The locally manufactured, prefabricated design deploys modern methods of construction to deliver the project efficiently. The video below shows the first module being installed.